:: Did you Know?

At the Caledonian other riders who stayed were Tommy Hales who spent most of his earlier life in the District. Tommy went on to win a Melbourne Cup, the VRC. Derby seven times, the Oaks five times, the St. Ledger ten times and three Sydney Cups.

Caledonian Inn

Adam Lindsay Gordon met his wife-to-be Maggie Park who was a house maid at the Caledonian Inn when he was recuperating there from injuries in a racing fall. At the time he was in Robe, Gordon was breaking horses at Stockdale's Lake Hawdon Station which sent 27,000 head to the British army in India. During the 1860s Gordon rode winner after winner on the Robe course.

The Hotel was the subject of a grant of a "Public House" licence to Peter McQueen on 27 July 1858. It was then built in 1859 and has many historic associations of interest. The ships doors and some of the timbers used in its construction came from Koning Willem De Tweede and Phaeton that were wrecked in Guichen Bay. Each ship had brought Chinese to the Port of Robe to avoid paying the Poll Tax for landing in Victoria on their way to the Ballarat Goldfields.

(above) The Caledonian Inn