Jack Shiels Garden, Alexandra

Alexandra
Pleasant service town located near picturesque Lake Eildon
Alexandra is located 130 km northeast of Melbourne on the Maroondah Highway. It is 220 m above sea level and quite close to the picturesque Lake Eildon. The town probably takes its name from Alexandra, the Princess of Wales. She was the wife of the man who became King Edward VII. This replaced the original name, Red Gate, which was first used when the area was settled by gold miners who were trying to win their fortunes from the Red Gate Diggings.

This area of Victoria was explored by Hume and Hovell in 1824 as they made their way from the Murray River to Corio Bay. At the time it was inhabited by members of the Taungurong Aboriginal group. There was some settlement in the 1830s and 1840s but the area grew overnight when gold was discovered by Alexander McGregor, Alexander Don and Alexander Luckie (could their common first names have had something to do with the town's eventual name?) in 1866. Development was typically rapid. The town was surveyed in 1867, the shire was formed in 1869, the gold diggings had spread over nearly 90 square kilometres by the mid-1870s and by 1884 the whole area was deserted. But the town did survive. The railway arrived in 1909 and, in spite of the collapse of the gold industry, the agriculture sustained the town as important service centre for timber and mixed farming.

Today the town is a pretty service centre surrounded by hills. It has also become a fashionable rural retreat for craftspeople and the local weekend market displays and sells their wares

Things to see:  

Historic Buildings
The town's most significant historic building is the former Union Bank - now the ANZ Bank building - (1888-89) located at 93 Grant Street. It was designed by the architect G. Inskip, boasted a handsome stairway and mantelpieces, and has always been a dominant part of the town's streetscape.

Other buildings of particular interest include the Australian colonial post office, the court house and former shire hall (in classical Greek revival style) and the English Victorian Free Library building all date from the goldrush days.

Alexandra Timber Tramway Museum

Alexandra Timber Tramway Museum
Located at the old railway station and staffed by railway and steam enthusiasts the Alexandra Timber Tramway Museum is slowly building up an impressive collection of engines. At the moment its exhibits include a John E Fowler steam engine, a Malcolm Moore 2 ft narrow gauge locomotive and a turbine engine from the Rubicon Hydro-electric station. It is only open on weekends and public holidays.

McKenzie's Flora Reserve and Rotary Park
McKenzie's Flora Reserve has interesting displays of native Australian wildflowers and rare orchids. It is an easily accessible nature walk as it is located at the southern end of town. In the centre of town is Rotary Park with its swing bridge and barbecue facilities. It is ideal for a picnic.

	Tourist Information
	Alexandra & Murrindindi Regional Information Centre 45A Grant St Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5721 1000, 1800 652 298
	Motels
	Alexandra Motor Inn 6 Downey St Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 2077 Rating: ***
	Redgate Motel Rose & Nihil St Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1777 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Commercial Hotel 65 Grant St Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1004
	Mt. Pleasant Hotel 90 Grant St Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1083 Rating: *
	Shamrock Hotel 80 Grant St Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1015 Rating: *
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Idlewild Park Farm Accommodation Bed & Breakfast 5545 Maroondah Hwy Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 2452 Rating: ***
	Mittagong Homestead Bed & Breakfast Spring Creek Rd Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1586 Rating: ****
	Cottages & Cabins
	Athlone Country Cottages 266 UT Creek Rd Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 2992 Facsimile: (03) 5772 3480 Rating: ****
	Brooks Cutting Homestead Cottage Brooks Cutting Rd Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1648 Rating: ***
	Lodges & Chalets
	Sherntari Lodge Cottage Endicott Rd Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1637 Rating: ***
	Caravan Parks
	Alexandra Showground Caravan Park William St Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 2029 Rating: **
	Riversdale Caravan Park Maroondah Hwy Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1222 Rating: ***
	Restaurants
	Commercial Hotel 65 Grant St Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1004
	Mistyıs Restaurant 73 Grant St Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1941
	Mt. Pleasant Hotel 90 Grant St Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1083
	Shamrock Hotel 80 Grant St Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1015
	Yen Lai Race Inn 62 Grant St Alexandra VIC 3714 Telephone: (03) 5772 1617