walhalla history Page 122

Walhalla is the tiny Victorian mountain town that struck gold—literally—when prospectors hit rich quartz reefs in the 1860s and the population promptly exploded.

At its peak it had banks, hotels, and an absurdly steep cemetery, funded by the Long Tunnel Extended Mine chewing through rock and spitting out serious bullion.

When the gold thinned and costs rose in the early 20th century, the exodus began, the railway arrived too late to save it, and quiet moved in faster than a winter southerly.

Today it’s a preserved time capsule with mine tours, a revived tourist railway, and enough ghost-town charm to make your phone camera feel important.