Talbot

The small township of Talbot is located within what was a very rich gold mining area between Maryborough and Clunes.

Originally servicing a mining population of over 15,000 during the 1850s, today only a few hundred people live in Talbot. The town retains a number of historic buildings from its prosperous gold mining days which can be observed by taking a stroll along Scandinavian Crescent in the heart of the town. Some of the old shops which line this street are now home to speciality businesses, including a clothing boutique, bookshop and homewares store. The restored London House building in Scandinavian Crescent is surrounded by an attractive community garden. At the corner of Scandinavian Crescent and Fyfe Street is the Talbot Pioneers Memorial Playground with BBQ and picnic shelters. A monthly farmers market operates in Scandinavian Crescent the surrounding streets.

Just around the corner in Camp Street is Talbot's post office, an old court house (built in 1866), former school buildings, and the Primitive Methodist Church (built in 1870) which is now a museum. Camp Street is also the location of one of Talbot's oldest buildings, the Court House Hotel which was built in 1860.

At the junction of Heales Street and Ballarat Street is the shady Soldiers Memorial Park and the impressive facade of the Talbot Town Hall which was built in 1862 and has now been restored.

5 kilometres north-west of Talbot is the town of Amherst. First settled in 1855 and a bustling town in the middle of a gold belt, it is almost deserted these days. Historic attractions include the local cemetery and state school. South-west of Amherst, via Quartz Track, is the Amherst Reef Geological Reserve where there is a huge quartz outcrop. The surrounding eucalyptus forest is rich in wildflowers.