Hooray, we are out of the dark COVID-19 tunnel and back into the light.
Now everyone must stay mindful of each others health while continuing to enjoy where we live, and all the things to do and see around us.
There is so much variety within a short distance of Benalla that I could keep writing day tripping stories for years.
No two towns along the Murray River are alike, and each mountain top offers a whole new world.
Hopefully recent lifting of restrictions inspired you to make day trips, too.
If not, by now you must know Benalla in a whole new light by just walking the streets.
Did you read the tea towel messages each time Millars changed its window display?
Have you noticed Rambling Rose’s coffee shop is now Stella Stella or that Zeus, the Cakemaker’s Daughter, Rustic and all the pop-up caravans have became everyone’s popular “go-to” places?
Has anyone noticed that the showgrounds sign over the main gate opposite the Botanic Gardens has been missing for a long time, hopefully not permanently.
Have you found North East Artisans in Carrier St and the little gem closer to the station that sells indoor plants and retro clothing — Between two Ferns (Thursday to Sunday only)?
When our little four-year-old visits from Wangaratta she is not at all comfortable walking or riding her bike on the road because there is no footpath.
She is forbidden to do this at home.
Do you know that the painted bollards around Barwon Heads were the inspiration of a local lady and funded as a community arts project in the 1980s?
They represented bus stops for children walking to school.
Children would muster at the stop and walk on together picking up more passengers.
Now painted bollards are a widely recognised feature of Geelong’s Eastern Beach.
Surely someone has been inspired during COVID-19 to think of something equally wonderful for Benalla.
Winter restrictions made us creative.
We couldn’t visit friends and family, but we could meet for lunch, so we chose to go to country pubs with open fires.
Irrespective of loving “the Northo” at any time we decided that lunch and a “Sunday drive” could occur any day of the week.
There are so many fabulous pubs that serve great meals at a reasonable price.
We tried not to drive on the same road to and from the pub.
The furthest we travelled was to the Wondiligong Pub beyond Bright.
Our favourites included the Moyhu Pub, Whitfield Pub, Milawa Hotel, Seven Creeks Hotel in Euroa, and the Gladstone in Dookie that has two fires, to mention just a few.
While bookings have been essential, it is a good habit to keep.
We ran out of winter before getting to the Mitta Pub in the Mitta Mitta Valley near Tallangatta.
If you decide to go before next winter, plan to earn your lunch by walking or cycling over the Sandy Creek Bridge.
This 600m-long section of restored rail track over Lake Hume was first built in 1887.
It was used to transport materials for the Snowy Mountain Scheme.
In 1956 Hume Dam was expanded and the old township of Tallangatta relocated eight kilometres west.
The train line ceased operation in the 1970s.
Next year the Tolmie Pub is on the list, meantime there are a raft of pubs to visit in summer with shady courtyards and gardens.
We have just come home from the Glenrowan Hotel.
After lunch we spent time visualising the scene of Ned’s final siege and finding where the known participants were.
Next week we are off to the Goorambat Hotel to have lunch with a view of the silos.
So many places to go for a day trip.
– Suzie Pearce