Sunday 1st March - Ballarat
Well we didn't record the temperature today as we ended up having dinner in the big house with Jeanette and Gary. By the time we got back Clive had forgotten to do it. It was however a very windy day with a few clouds. Clive went to the 8am Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Mass was first celebrated in Ballarat in 1851, however the cathedral was not consecrated until some 40 years later in 1891. This was to become the first Catholic Cathedral consecrated in the Australian Colonies, making it Australia's oldest. The present High Alter and Stations of the Cross were purchased in Rome. The Alter is made od Carrara marble inlaid with precious stones. The stained glass windows were introduced in 1883, with the first three being made in Germany. The reminder were gradually added, until complete in 1910. The first organ was installed in 1867 and was replaced in 1930. Across the road from the church is a monument to Peter Lalor. Peter was a young Irishman who wanted action. He was a gifted orator and reluctantly accepted the role as leader of the diggers. He eventually led the diggers who fought under the Southern Cross Flag. He was wounded in the fight and had an arm amputated. He was elected into the Victorian Parliament where he remained until 1887. Ballarat has a beautiful Avenue of Honour and Arch of Victory. This is a memorial to those who enlisted from Ballarat and the surrounding districts in WW1. The Avenue of Honour consists of 3,771 trees planted at regular intervals of approximately 12 metres for 22km. The first planting commenced in 1917. The Arch of Victory was erected in 1920. Gary and Jeanette were due back from their family reunion in Halls Gap today, so Clive made a curry for them for dinner while I enjoyed a toasted sandwich. Not to late a night as we plan to leave at 7am tomorrow to head to Tullaramine Airport for our flight to the Gold Coast.