Walhalla

Discover the rich history of this goldmining town

Cricket in Walhalla: From Goldfields to Glory

I n January 1870, following an encouraging series of successes against teams such as Sale, Toongabbie, and Tanjil it was decided to form a Cricket Club in Walhalla. Mr William Gairdner, a prominent mining manager, was elected the first President of the club – which was referred to as the ‘Walhalla Eleven’ – and 42 members were recorded in its books. Among the first actions of this group was the petitioning of the then Victorian Government to permanently reserve the land they had selected and to circulate and raise subscriptions for the further clearing of the area which today forms Walhalla’s unique cricket ground.

Cricket matches were first played on the ground in 1885; and the ground produced many legendary local and regional players. George and Harry Stuckey played for Victoria in the 1890s, and wicket keeper William Carkeek graduated from statelevel competition to tour in the 1912 Australian Test team.

Another early local player, Dick Merrington, would travel almost 25 kms to Walhalla every Saturday to play cricket (or football), then travel the same distance home again at the end of the game.

"Women’s cricket had also become quite popular, and the outer metropolitan Coldstream Ladies’ Cricket Club were a formidable force."

In 1907 Walhalla hosted an exhibition match against a Melbourne Cricket Club team led by former Australian Test cricket captain Warwick Armstrong. He was caught out by Merrington who was fielding in the trees outside the boundary. Editors Note: This could have been the forerunner for today’s ODI matches where a catch can be taken from behind the boundary rope.

By the early 20th century, women’s cricket had also become quite popular, and the outer metropolitan Coldstream Ladies’ Cricket Club were a formidable force, winning premierships and openly challenging men’s teams to raise funds for charities.

The Coldstream Ladies’ Cricket Club came to Walhalla in January 1911, where they won the match beating the Walhalla men’s team by three runs.

Discover the Walhalla Goldfields Railway: A Scenic Journey Through History

The Walhalla Goldfields Railway is a charming narrow-gauge tourist railway located in the picturesque Thomson River and Stringers Creek valleys of Walhalla.

The heritage railway offers a scenic journey through the historic gold-mining town of Walhalla, providing breathtaking views and a glimpse into Australia’s past.

The railway line was originally completed in 1910 and served the declining gold-mining town until its closure in 1954. It was later re-opened as a tourist attraction in 1994 and now carries around 35,000 passengers each year. The train journey begins at the Walhalla Heritage Precinct and travels through the station yard, crossing six large trestle bridges that criss-cross Stringers Creek Gorge.

Trains run on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with additional services during school holidays. The return journey takes about an hour, while a one-way trip is approximately 20 minutes. Ticket prices vary, with options for adults, seniors, children and families. gl