'"''''■' "I AuDAS, The Victorian Grampians. 149 



"Borough Hut," whence a very early start must be made, and 

 after crossing- Bovine Creek and Fyans Creek the weir of 

 the Stawell water supply is reached. Hence all track and 

 guide marks are left behind, and, striking a sideling slope, one 

 follows hopefully along, feeling quite sure that the summit 

 must be very near at hand, but surprise is great indeed when 

 one suddenly emerges upon a giant cliff face, with a beautiful 

 valley lying thousands of feet below, and Mount William in 

 sublime majesty towering up from the further side of the 

 valley. A winding- track leads down the gorge, and, looking 

 back upon the enormous rock, one is reminded of some great 

 church or monument, and realizes that he has just passed 

 the famous Cathedral Rock. The rest of the journey is 

 accomplished by ascending a winding track around the 

 mountain side, and when the top is really reached one pauses 

 in wonder, feeling awed by the grandeur of the spectacle 

 before, or, rather, beneath him. Stretching away into far 

 distance are the fertile plains of Western Victoria, outlined by 

 the faint blue of far-off mountains, while nearer at hand, and 

 seennngly beneath one's feet, are crowded in gigantic con- 

 fusion the other densely-wooded peaks of the Crampians and 

 also Serra Ranges. 



One could gather from my preceding remarks that this 

 district would prove attractive to people of varied interests. 

 All could find some material for his hobby, be he geologist, 

 botanist, or artist, while those devoted to sport would soon 

 find prey for rod and gun The agriculturist, even, in his 

 quieter tastes, could find relaxation and possibly enlighten- 

 ment in a trip to the Pomonal orchards, which are five or six 

 hundred acres in extent, and yield the rich harvest of 1,000 

 tons of fruit annually. The crop, being mostly apples of 

 keeping qualities, is shipped to the German and English 

 markets. This ideal little settlement, occupying a semicircle 

 at the foot of Mount Cassel, has a very prosperous appear- 

 ance. Many line residences are surrounded by ornamental 

 trees and handsome shelter belts of olive, hazel, and walnut. 



To reach Pomonal from Bellfield one follows the main road 

 up the h'yans Creek valley, then across Myrtle Bank Farm, 

 which is owned by Mr. Warren, a successful potato-grower, 

 to the tunnel of the Stawell water supply, which has been 

 cut for three-quarters of a mile through the mountains, the 

 outlet being near Pomonal. Thence the water is conveyed 

 eighteen miles over fairly level country to Stawell. and com- 

 jtletes a siphon, which is one of the best water schemes in 

 the State. Between Pomonal and Hall's Gap. along the 

 eastern face of the Mount William Ranges, is a stretch of 

 about 4.000 acres of fruit-growing land, lying waste, equal- 

 ing in richness the first-named settlement, and which is to 

 l)c innnediately thrown cpen for selection. In this neglected 



