Bellfield' formerly a guest house was opened as a licenced hotel in 1924 A message was written on the back of the post card and dated 21/12/25Bellfield with the Wonderland Range behind Hand written message on reverse side dated 21/12/25 The Rose Series P 4914 Message reads: "To my Dear Friend Thanking you for your dear little letter and pretty card and good wishes We all wish you a very Happy New Year I do wish you were here to [2 words cant read] lots of love from your loving friendaccommodation, hotels, bellfield

During the period 1924-1967 Bellfield operated as a licenced hotel. It became a popular destination for couples on their honeymoon The hotel was razed to the ground by fire in 1967 and was never rebuilt. The Grampians Motel now occupies the sitephotograph shows right hand section of Bellfield Hotel with woman on verandah to the right of bare tree Wonderland Range behindcopy done by AGFA Dec 99accommodation, hotels, bellfield

By 1950 Hotel Bellfield was owned by Mr and Mrs McMullin In June 1952 the staff quarters at the rear of the main building was destroyed by fire. As the staff accommodation comprised seven detached bungalows, similar to those in the photograph, it was possible to isolate the fire from spreading to the main building.Guest house with bus in foreground Wonderland Range in backgroundThe Rose series P 4894 copies Kodak Picture maker, Agfaaccommodation, guesthouses, bellfield

Residence of Warren family overlooked by Upper Halls Gap range Site now under Lake BellfieldBuildings of Myrtlebank overlooking paddock Back drop Upper Halls GapPhoto mounted on cardboardbuildings, houses, myrtlebank

Occasional picnic trains took large groups of visitors to the base of the mountain range & sometimes as far as the quarry. Other journeys terminated at Fyan's Creek station on the south side of Mt. Dryden. Most trips were Sunday School & church outings - some on the annual Good Friday picnic day. spring was also a popular time.Photo shows train at siding. Man standing on engine roof with bucket in hand; woman in right-hand corner looking on; passenger standing at open carriage door. R 333 written on back of engine car. Engine turned back to front.transport, trains

Jack Deller at end of diving board Graeme Chappell diving off of board Darryl Williams left and Doug Bottoms right opposite side of pool Occasion was Graeme's 21st birthdayPeople enjoying pool and diving board at Myrtlebank Guest House overlooked by Mt William Range.AGFApeoplerecreation, sport

This photo is from a collection by Edward Roper. taken between Dec 1870 and Jan 1871. The man in the photo was one of a party who accompanied Edward Rover (artist) at this time. This activity was described as a hunting party Photo sows man with gun under his arm and standing in thick bush. Ranges behind are those close to Rose's gaprecreation, sport, roses gap

The man with the horse is Charles D'Alton, his cousin Alfred is beckoning him to come on. Charles was ther son of William D'Alton if "Silver Springs" on Dairy Creek, and Fred (Alfred) was the son of John D'Alton, Stawell Borough engineer. Fred and Charles were responsible for finding many of today's walking track routes through the Wonderland Range and in the Mt. Rosea area. The second copy is a transparency (slide) , no. 182 in the slide box.Photo shows man, left side corner with pack horse andother man middle ground with arm raised"Charles D'Alton beckoning to his cousin Alfred to come on" finding the best routegilbert rogers, vehicle track, people, d'alton

Background on Bridle Path up Stony Creek Gorge Pre 1840 C. B. Hall, squatter on Mokepilly Run 1841-1842, first European to discover the Fyans Creek valley, the entrance of which became known as Hall's Gap. He later recorded that he followed a number of tracks which he assumed had been made by the Aboriginies and described one as "leading up a wild romantic glen and over on to the source of the Glenelg River". This could well have been the route taken up Stony Creek gorge by the first timber-cutters in this part of the Grampians to the saddle between the Wonderland and Mt. Difficult ranges known as Valley Gap 1850s/60s Timber cutters and shingle splitters were reported to be moving into the eastern side of the Grampians and by the mid 1860s there were a number of families connected to the supplying of timber to Pleasant Creek living in the "Hall's Gap ranges". John Wakeham, the first store owner in Pleasant Creek in 1854, established a timer-mill in upper Stony Creek Gorge in the late 1850s. Wakeham is credited for the clearing and levelling of the first bridle-path up the gorge. 1870s By the mid 1870s the track had been extended over Valley Gap to the Victoria Forest (the upper region of the Victoria Valley). McKeon's bullock team was known to have hauled red gum from the Valley to Stawell in the late 1870s and the 1880s. 1880s In 1887 an article in the Pleasant Creek news describes the Stony Creek Gorge track as "being a ledge alongside the mountain range, formed in the early days with the aid of earth and timber, along which the bullock teams used to travel to Horsham and plains of the Wimmera beyond." 1890s Gold was discovered in the catchment area of Stony Creek and by the end of the 1890s a new track was built from "near the junction of Fyan's and Stony Creeks, up the gorge to the diggings settlement. The mining Department had paid L300 for its construction and, when completed, the track was "three miles and 30 chains in length, the side cuttings at the narrowest part being 10 feet between" and "the watercourses which cross the track at various points" having been "filled up with rocks rolled down the sides of the hills, and consequently there can be no damage caused by bushfires which destroyed the former wooden bridges erected on the old track to Wakeham's saw-mill, the remains of which are still to be seen at the side of the diggings" The article goes on to further describe the track as one which "can with ease travel with a two horse conveyance either up or down" and that the workmen engaged in the construction of the track would be attending "a ball that night at McKeon's farm near the mouth of the gap to celebrate the successful completion of the undertaking". 1900s At what time the bridle path was extended beyond Valley Gap to the Wartook basin on the Mt. Difficult Range has not yet been determined. However, it is known that, by the turn of the century, people were travelling between Halls Gap and the caretakers' residence at Wartook Reservoir along what was now known as the "Bluff Road. Wartook's embankment had been constructed in 1887 and at that time there was already a track from Rosebrook Station homestead (near the present day Wartook Pottery) to the reservoir. Philip Rose owned both Rosebrook and Wartook Stations from the mid 1840s to the late 1850s and had regularly leased the Wartook basin to Cobb & Co. to rest horses there. 1920s Following the war of 1914-1918, tourism really took off in the Grampians, and Halls Gap rapidly grew. People would travel as far as they could on the many tracks then hike to the many lookouts being discovered by local tour guides. This led to the need for access across the range so that horse riders and the increasing number of vehicles could travel between Horsham and Halls Gap. To this end, the Bluff Road was improved and extended on 1929 and at its opening in March, 1930, by Lady Somers it was renamed the Mt. Victory Road.Map of Mt Victory Road and othersaccess routes, mt victory rd, bridle path, roads

Mirranatwa Gap was originally known as Yarram Gap The name later given to the adjacent gap in the Mt William Range sometime in the mid 20th century. This is an early touring car, claimed to be the first , crossing Mirranatwa gapPhoto shows car on road with man standing beside it. Road unsealed Trees on left side of road have been felled. access routes, roads, yarram gap

A track to the top of Mt William existed many years before, an all weather road was constructed in the early 1960s Not only did engineers and construction workers enjoy some spectacular scenery during "smokos" but so have thousands of tourists Some even experiencing the freezing gale force winds which greeting Major Thomas Mitchell and his party in July 1836sPhoto shows 3 men looking over to Wonderland Range from Mt William. Two men are wearing hard hats The third man a felt hat - he is pointing to a point in the distanceWMT (Wimmera Mail Times}access routes, walking track, roads, mount william

No. P4892 in the "Rose Series" of postcards. For information on Grampian House, refer to "Victoria's Wonderland" pp. 69-75. For information on the Wonderland Range refer to pp.41, 70, 73, 77, 84, 145-146 of "Victoria's Wonderland".Photo of the entrance to Grampian House. There is a grass are and a wire fence in the foreground. A track leads back into a bush area , there is a sign saying "Grampian House" attached to a tree. The peaks of a rocky range (the Wonderland Range) are visible behind.accommodation, guesthouses, scenery, wonderland range

This photo is of an unknown location in the Grampians.Photo shows a range of hills. The head and shoulders of young man can be seen in the bottom right hand cornerPost Card Correspondence, Address only Kodak Autraliascenery, grampians ranges

The Wonderland range from the Halls Gap side. the cleared land was used for grazing purposes.Photo shows peaks in background with cleared land in the foregroundPost Card Correspondence Address 122 Grampiansscenery, wonderland range

The photo shows two men holding guns, standing on a rocky peak looking out over a valley. two dogs are standing near the men and a boy is sitting on a rock in the foreground."GrampianScene " (sic) hand written on top of mount board. "Schroder " inscribed on upper, left of mount board.scenery, grampians ranges, recreation, hunting

Photo shows three walkers, one male and two females, on the track to "The Pinnacle". The man is holding onto either a walking stick or some railing. One woman is holding an umbrella.scenery, wonderland range

The second general store in Halls Gap, built by Jack and Clarrie Thomson. Halls Gap newsagency now (2009) stands on this site. Probably taken at the same time as record 253 (as the yellow car appears to be in the same spot).The photo shows a garage and a general store. There is an Esso sign in front of the buildings and the store sign reads Thomson's general Store. There is a bitumen road, with a yellow early model Holden parked on it, in front of the store. The Mount Willliam range in the background. There appears to be snow or hail lying on the ground in the foreground.buildings, shops

The proprietor standing in front of the Esso garage. Probably taken at the same time as record 252 (as the yellow car appears to be in the same spot).Photo shows a man standing in front of an Esso garage building. There are petrol pumps in the foreground. A yellow early model Holden and a blue station wagon are parked on the road in the right of the Picture. General Store and Dairy signs can be seen behind the garage and the Wonderland Range can be seen in the background.buildings, shops

Thomson's and Taylor's stores, with Halls Gap Hall further along the street.the postcard shows a strip of shops, including a general store, along a bitumen road. There is a phone box on the roadside and a Holden car parked in front of the stores. A wooded range can be seen in the background.buildings, shops

Work crews camping out at the junction of the Pines/Plantation road and the Halls Gap/Mt Zero Rd with the Mt Difficult range behing. Probably working on the Pine Plantations grown in the area.tents, tents

Photo shows steam equipment with three iron chimneys attached. A boy and girl are sitting on equipment. View of large rocks, rock face and top of range in the background. Both children are in shadow.quarrying, heatherlie

This is a photo of Chatauqua Peak, which is named after the Chautauquans, who held summer camps in Halls Gap in the 1890sA photo of bushland with rocky mountain rising behindscenery, grampians ranges

This is a photo of Maggie's Peak, where Chautauqua picnics were held. This peak overlooked the are in Halls Gap where the concerts were held.A photo of a small peak with a rocky cliff near the summit and a larger hill rising behind. There is a edge of a large tree visible in the right foreground.scenery, grampians ranges

Maggie's Peak where the Chautauqua concerts were overlooked.The photo shows a rock ridge with a small peak at it's centre. There is a tiny patch of blue showing through the cloudy sky on the top, just right of centre.scenery, grampians ranges

Chautauqua peak overlooking the Halls Gap Community businesses.The photo shows a peak (Chautauqua Peak) rising above a group of buildings. A larger slope rises behind the peak in the background.scenery, grampians ranges

The bowling green at Halls Gap.This photo is of a bowling green with a mountain range in the background. The green has a low wooden slat fence. There is a sign (" Notice, Bowling Green, Fee 2/-, Pay at Cafe, Bowls Supplied") over a wrought iron & mesh gate. A man and two children stand inside the fence to the right of the gate. A shelter can be seen at the rear of the green. The edge of a house and outbuildings can be seen on the right. A cleared area and footpath can be seen in the foreground.recreation, sport

This is a photo of a camps site at the base of Mackeys Peak. The Willoughby's are camped on the left, The Barnes in the centre and the Hines on the right (presumably the people in the photo are from these family groups).The photo shows tents in a clearing in bush.There is a large tent to the right with a man and a young child in front of it, another tent or structure can be seen on the left with a group of four adults and two children lined up in front of it. A buggy can be seen in the bush in the centre.Camp at base of Mackey's peak, Willoughby's camp, Barnes Camp Hines Camp, written in pen on back of mount.recreation, camping, scenery, grampians ranges

This photo is of the original Halls Gap Public Hall. For a history of the hall see record 389.The photo shows a large weatherboard building. The right hand side has a pitched roof and a small entrance area, also with a pitched roof. The left hand side is square and has a flat roof. There is a sign on the left hand side which reads "Halls Gap Public Hall". There are two cars parked near the hall and the framework of another structure, and a gum tree, can be seen to the far left. There is a range visible in the background, and a muddy road/track in the foreground.buildings, halls

The bullock team was part of a parade held on the main street of Halls Gap in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of Major Mitchell's visit to the area. There was also a plaque unveiled in commemoration of the Wildflower Show and its many volunteers.The photo is taken from the rear of a bullock team pulling a dray down a road. Three children can be seen sitting in the dray and its back is out of shot. Two men are walking to the left of the team, the closest to the camera holding a long whip over his shoulder. To the far left people can be seen lining the street and in the right background a range of peaks can be seen.events, parades

This is a pastoral scene in halls Gap. The building is the Halls Gap Public Hall.The photo shows a man with a hat and long walking stick standing in a paddock with a number of geese. In the middle distance is a building surrounded by fruit trees. Behind this tall eucalyptus trees can be seen and in the background is a rocky range.mining, equipmment