BONNIE DOON FILLS
Tuesday 31, Aug 2010

Bonnie Doon residents are rejoicing, with water flowing under the town’s iconic bridge for the first time in years.
News of water making its way up the Bonnie Doon arm of Lake Eildon has already sparked a tourism rush, with businesses inundated with calls from interested visitors.
It’s a sight that has Bonnie Doon’s Lakeside Leisure Park in a spin.
There’s water flowing into the lake and residents are lapping up the “hours of serenity”, just watching the water level climb.
“And now with the water being the way it is, and that many boats now out there fishing and water skiing, it is amazing to watch it come up how quick it has,” Leisure Park greenskeeper Steve Spencer said.
When Yvonne Dyball’s family took over the leisure park in two-thousand-and-six, the Bonnie Doon stretch of Lake Eildon was next to bone-dry.
They began transforming the park to focus away from the lake that was; never expecting the water would return so rapidly.
Now the tide has changed, and Dyballs are already preparing for a bumper summer, expecting many more tourists will be singing ‘we’re going to Bonnie Doon”.
“It’s going to make a difference, instead of doing 12 hour days, I’ll be doing 18 hour days over Christmas. But no, the atmosphere is going to be awesome,” Ms Dyball said.
Lake Eildon was at just 31 per cent at the end of July.
Now just one month later, it’s jumped to almost 44 per cent, and is still rising.
Water’s already swamped one of the leisure park’s boat ramps; Ms Dyball estimating the shore has receded 17 metres in seven weeks.
“It was about eight inches a day, so we were told, but I reckon it’s a lot more.”
With heavy rainfall forecast for the region this weekend, and during the next three months, there are predictions the lake may reach sixty per cent.
At least that’s the tip at the Bonnie Doon pub, where the bets are on, with a round of beers at stake.

Goulburn River High Country Rail Trail – Trail Description

Bonnie Doon Bridge

Location: Goulburn Valley, 105km from Melbourne

Start/end: Yea, Bonnie Doon to Mansfield Region: Northern Victoria, Victoria Length open: 21km    Surface: Gravel

Features

 

• A high standard rail trail traversing undulating farmland.
• Will be a total of 134km in length when completed in early 2012.
• Features the only tunnel on a rail trail in Victoria and a long bridge across Lake Eildon.
• Almost all of the bridges have been made trafficable and the few low crossings are easily graded.
• There are several crossings of major rural highways
• The surface is either a bitumised granite, which is suitable for wheel chairs and prams, and compacted gravel which may not be suitable for wheel chairs and prams in sections.  Where possible a separate bridal path is provided for horses.

While the map shows the enitre trail open some sections will not be completely passable until March 2012. Refer below for more detail.

 

Description

 

Access Points

Th following are major access points

• Tallarook
• Trawool – Car park at the resort
• Homewoood
• Yea – At the railway station
• Cathkin
• Merton
• Bonnie Doon – Car park on the Melbourne side of the bridge
• Mansfield – Old station / tourist information centre on the Melbourne side
• Alexandra – Old railway station on the north side of town

Tallarook to Yea (38km)

The 19km Trawool to Homewood section in the middle of this section will not open until March 2012

• Follows the Goulburn River up a picturesque valley
• Compacted gravel surface trail

Yea is a medium sized regional town with several eating establishments.

The former Yea Station building has been restored and is now occupied by the local tourist information centre, as has the goods shed which is occupied by local artists. The station also has a great playground and picnicn facilities along with the well equiopped town.

Yea to Cathkin (21km)

The 2km Molesworth to Cathkin section will not be open until March 2012

• Features the 200m long Chevoit tunnel and the hilliest section of the trail.
• Compacted gravel surface trail

Molesworth is a small town with basic facilities.

There is nothing except interpretive signs and toilets at the former junction station of Cathkin. Go straight on for Bonnie Doon and Mansfield or veer right for Alexandra.

Cathkin to Bonnie Doon (40km)

This section will not have all bridge corssings completed until early 2012.

• This section has a climb up to the highest point on the rail trail at Merton Gap.
• Compacted gravel surface trail

Yarck and Merton are small towns with basic facilities, while Bonnie Doon has more facilities for visitors.

Bonnie Doon to Mansfield (22km)

• No real hills in this section
• Features the 385m long bridge over the Brankeet arm of Lake Eildon, a real sight when there is water under it.
• Approaching Mansfield on a clear day, Mt Buller is clearly visible, a real treat when covered in snow.
• Bitumised granite surface trail

Mansfield is a major regional and tourist centre with many facilities for visitors.

Cathkin to Alexandra (13km)

This section will not open until March 2012

• A signficant climb either way on this section with panoramic views of the valley.
• Compacted gravel surface trail

Alexandra is a major regional centre catering for visitors.

The former Alexandra station site is now home to the Alexandra Timber Tramway

 

Background Information

 

This broad gauge branch line opened to Yea in 1883 and Mansfield in 1891.  A further branch off from Cathkin reached Alexandra in 1909.  The entire line closed in 1978 along with many other branch lines across Victoria.
Apart frrom the Bonnie Doon bridge, which opened in 2000, the  first major stage of the rail trail opened in August 2010.

 

Links

 

The trail is managed by the Shires of Mitchell, Murrundndi and Mansfield.

Goulburn River High Country Rail Trail official website

Please report any issues to the Rail?Trail Project Officer at the Mansfiled shire on Ph: (03)?5775 8571

Contact Mansfield Motel for Play and Stay Golf Packages.

The finer weather is now here and with wonderful views of the snow capped Mt Buller, play a round of golf at Mansfield Golf Course.

Call Mansfield Motel for accommodation.

Play & Stay golf package – Mansfield  Motel

Play & Stay Packages

Play one of North Eastern Victoria’s most picturesque courses with accommodation only a short distance away at Mansfield Motel, in the heart of town.

We have packages to suit everyone including meals both lunch and dinner if required, twin share accommodation, cooked breakfasts and the best green fee pricing in the State. Our packages are competitive and very popular.

Mansfield Golf Packages, Golf Mansfield, Mansfield Motel

This is one of our other websites. As you can see, it is new and void of any information. In the meantime please go to our official website for Mansfield Motel.

You will find our LIVE Accommodation System below.

www.mansfieldmotel.com.au

We do not charge a Booking Fee. Using our server is the best way to book with Mansfield Motel.

Guests are required to include a valid credit card at time of booking to secure room. Payment for full amount will be debited from the supplied credit card on confirmation of your booking. Invalid cards will result in immediate cancelled booking. An email will be sent informing guest that booking will be voided unless other arrangement is made.) Guests will have an opportunity to rectify this. An email confirmation will be sent, confirming successful payment and securing of booking. If your card has been debited, you will be notified by email immediately. American Express, Diners Club and International cards will attract a 3.6% transaction fee. All other cards do not attract any fee.

Rooms are serviced daily except for weekends and public holidays. Towels and rubbish bins changed every day. To protect your privacy, our service staff are instructed not to service beds if personal items are left on the beds.

Office Hours are 0830-2030 on Mon to Fri.
Office opens at 0900 on Sat and Sun.

Parking Policy.
Parking during your stay is FREE. It is undercover and each space will be outside your room. One space per room. During winter months we are regularly asked to allow parking at the rear of the motel property. Long Term Parking is available to guests only. Vehicles will be parked at rear of property on unsecured carpark. All reasonable care and attention will be given to vehicles but Mansfield Motel takes no responsibility for vehicles in any way. Keys must be left with reception and payment for parking must be made prior to leaving vehicles. Guests will be charged at $20 per day including any part of any day that the vehicle is parked. Management reserves the right to move any vehicle for the purpose of access for vehicles and pedestrians. Any extra days must be paid for prior to return of keys. By paying the fee and leaving keys with management guests are acknowledging that they have read these conditions.

Cancellation Policy
Mansfield Motel has a relatively relaxed cancellation policy. We try to please our guests and we want you to return. Compare us with other properties. Some have 14 day cancellation policies.
Cancellation up to 48 hours prior to stay will not incur penalty, otherwise one nights accommodation will be charged. For stays more than one night/during peak season, subsequent booked nights may also be charged, Guests must call Reception on 03 5775 2377 to make such arrangement. Cancellation or shortening of stay, during stay will not be refunded unless guests have discussed the likelihood on arrival. NO SHOW will incur full charges for booked period and will lose remainder of booking.

Late Checkout
Late checkouts are incremented by the hour at $35 per hour for the first 3 hours. Checkouts later than 3 hours will be charged at full day rate. This rate will be the same value of the previous days rate.

Extra Guests
Undeclared extra guests and extra beds used, will be charged at advertised Extra Guest rates.

Damage Policy
All damage, including damage to mattresses and bedding and breakages must be paid for. Unclaimed damage to room or property will result in charges to the supplied credit card.  Disclosed damage can be negotiated.  Damage will be funded by guests at replacement or repair costs determined by management.

Cooking
Cooking in rooms is not permitted other than by microwave oven and toaster provided. NO naked flames, fires, electric pans or cooking tops are allowed in rooms. Odours caused by cooking other than microwave or toaster will attract a deep cleaning fee. Min $200.

Our rooms are clean, fresh and free from chemical smells. Many guests compliment us on how clean and fresh our rooms are. We stay in motels too and we love to walk into a fresh clean room free of horrible chemical smells and stale cooking smells. We presume that our guests appreciate such an experience too. Strong chemical and deodorant smells usually mean they are covering another worse smell. If a guest were to cause an irremovable smell in the room then we will go to the extravagant length of repainting the walls, steam cleaning the carpets and furnishings. Funding will be contributed by the offending guest up to $300.
We would like our guests to enjoy the comfort of our rooms. Our policies help to protect this enjoyment.

By supplying a credit card at booking or arrival guests are making a promise to adhere to our rules and are giving permission to Mansfield Motel to withdraw funds from the supplied credit card for damage, cleaning costs (in case of cooking or smoking in rooms) and any costs associated with mini-bar payments.

Thank you for reading our policies. We aim to provide an excellent experience for our guests.
Please inquire with motel for any clarification.