Beechworth is well known as a town that loves to celebrate. Some people even say that it is a rare occurrence when there is now something happening in, or around, Beechworth. There is a wide variety of festivals including the very popular Celtic Festival, Golden Horseshoes Easter Festival, Drive Back in Time Vintage and Veteran Car weekend, Harvest Celebration, Ned Kelly weekend and a whole host of other events. The festivals create a real buzz of excitement around town and attract people from across Australia as well as the nearby towns. If you are planning on experiencing Beechworth during a festival weekend be sure to arrive early as parking can be scarce.
There are some wonderful spots to take in the local scenery. Most are easily accessible and others may require a short walk. View across the town or the historic goldfields are easily found and they are a great motivator to get out and enjoy some light exercise. This view is from the Precipice lookout which takes in the farming fields below that were once bustling with miners and aspiring business people. You can walk along this plateau from the Beechworth Gorge across to Woolshed Falls following the gently flowing Spring Creek. It is a well maintained track but do watch out for snacks and other critters during the Spring and Summer months when the grass is tall and dry.
When you are looking for a place to cool down during the hot Summer months then take the short drive from Beechworth out to Woolshed Falls. You can hop amongst the falls – be careful they are slippery and there is a big drop off where the water plunges into the gorge below. There are rock pools to sit in and enjoy the cool waters, historic walks to discover and maybe bring along a picnic lunch. Woolshed Falls also has an observation deck from where you can get an excellent view of the cascading waters and also the creek that heads further down Reidy Creek. This is another of Beechworth’s wonderful natural attractions, be sure to take any rubbish home with you and only to leave your footprints
Cultural diversity is just one of the many attractions about living in Beechworth. As a community our residents have arrived from all over the world and from all walks of life. Of course there are many people that have lived her for generations and the core of what Beechworth has become. The newer residents have brought with them new ideas, skills and energy, together the old and the new are driving Beechworth’s future. Each year at events such as the Golden Horseshoes festival we celebrate our past, present and future. Come along and help us celebrate, you will find the locals friendly and welcoming, and who knows, you may decide to stay for a while.
If you are someone that loves the outdoors then the Beechworth region has plenty to offer. There are some wonderful walking tracks, bike trails and viewpoints from which to take in the surrounding landscapes. And if you are a family and have not yet discovered the fun of geocaching then Beechworth is a great place to start with plenty of little ‘treasures’ to unearth. We are also luck enough to have an abundance of native Australian wildlife including koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, monitor lizards, wallabies, birds and even fish. In fact one of the often undiscovered secrets is the picturesque Lake Sambell which has a public beach, free BBQ’s, Children’s play equipment and a boat ramp.
There is plenty of fun to be had in Beechworth, especially during the many festivals that we celebrate each year. From the boutique wines and gourmet foods of the Harvest Celebration through to the hustle and bustle diversity of the annual Golden Horseshoes Festival there is something for everyone. From the smell of the petrol and grease of the Drive Back in time to the more delicate nature of model trains and antique fairs, the sounds or Celtic bagpipes to the rumblings of bushrangers and police on horseback during the Ned Kelly weekend. There are costumes and characters, rogues and rebels, all to be found in Beechworth.
Much of the success of Beechworth as a destination can be attributed to its stunningly preserved history and colonial culture. From the historic precinct and the old gaol to the old granite quarries and majestic buildings there is a taste of history to be discovered. One of the popular attractions is the regular outings of the Beechworth re-enactment group which adds to the atmosphere of colonial streets but modern day offerings. There are many other historic locations to discover including Woolshed Falls, Flat Rock, Ingram’s Lookout, the Cemetery and Mayday Hills, just to name a few. If your feel like a walk then maybe take the trail to Lake Kerferd past some of the old mine shafts. There s plenty to see and do in Beechworth.
If you are arriving in Beechworth and need a meal you will be glad to know there are plenty of options. From the fine dining experiences through to the convenience of quick local food there is something for you and your family. Of course there are several famous options but there are also a number of excellent local cafes, diners and boutique eateries. It is worth noting that not everything is in the centre of town with a number of out of town businesses also offering some delightful food options. Some of the local wineries also provide meals and a number of the accommodation providers can arrange picnic baskets and the like.
The Beechworth Football Club, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Tallangatta & District Football League. The Beechworth Football club was formed in 1861 and played in the original Ovens and Murray competition, which began in 1893. It had previously played against other mining areas such as Chiltern and Rutherglen.
Originally there were two Beechworth football teams. One was the Beechworth Football Club and the other was the Wanderers, which was based at Hurdle Flat, near Stanley. Officials of the two teams met in 1892 and the two teams were amalgamated under the name Beechworth District Wanderers Football Club and the team played in red and black vertically striped jumpers. The club was very successful in the early days of the Ovens and Murray Association and together with Rutherglen, won the most of the premierships before the First World War.
Beechworth joined the Ovens and King League in 1905 and returned to the Ovens and Murray League in 1907 for just one year. It was successful in winning three flags in a row in 1912, 1913 and 1914. It repeated this triple in 1937, 1938 and 1939. In 1923 the Beechworth Fottball club rejoined the Ovens and Murray League but did not win one game, and returned to the Ovens and King in 1929.
There was turmoil in 1930 because the football club was paying a coach and players. Quite a few of the players were from outside the town, and the locals couldn't get a game, so a second club was formed, naturally enough called the Wanderers. It played in the Chiltern and District Football Association, and wore white jumpers with a red V neck. It won the 1932 premiership in that competition. The Ovens and Kings team was coached by H. Matson and in one match its full forward Rob McNamara kicked 14 goals. Public dissension in 1936 meant that the two clubs amalgamated under the names Beechworth United Football Club and played in the current jumpers of red and black.
At the end of the Second World War, Beechworth entered the Chiltern and District league under the new name of the Beechworth Football Club. In 1946 it was admitted to the Ovens and King League and the next year a seconds team was formed and played in the Myrtleford-Bright league. This side and the thirds team were instigated by Ern Guppy who was made a life member in 1952.
When the Myrtleford-Bright league folded in 1952, the seconds side joined the Yackandandah League. In 1950, 1951 and 1956 Beechworth won premierships. In 1961 the club again won the premiership under Bill Comensoli. In this year it formed a thirds team, which was affiliated with the Wodonga Junior Football Association with Fred Jensen as its coach and G. Beel as its manager.
In 1974 under coach Mick Brenia it again was successful and D. Cooper had coached it to runners-up for two successive years, it won the 1979 flag under Rob Forrest. There was no further success until 2000, when under coach Michael Quirk, it won two in a row, and was defeated by Moyhu in the 2002 grand final.
At the end of the 2003 season, The Beechworth Football Club applied for an application to join the Tallangatta and District Football League, but was refused by the Ovens and King board, so the Beechworth Football Club took the appeal to Victoria Country Football League and won the appeal to join the Tallangatta and District Football League.
With joining the Tallangatta and District Football League, Beechworth had to choose a new nickname and new jumper style (Because Dederang-Mt Beauty were known as the Bombers) so after a vote, the Beechworth Football Club new nickname was the Bushrangers and would wear Red and Royal Blue vertically striped jumpers. In their first year of the T&DL, The Beechworth Bushrangers Football Club made the finals but lost the Elimination Final to Dederang-Mt Beauty and finished 5th.
In 2006 The Beechworth Football Club amalgamated with the Netball club and is now known as Beechworth Football Netball Club Inc.
