Yup, that's the one.
Benambra was the locality; the homestead property name was actually 'Mount Pleasant', after the biggest hill on it. Owned for several generations at that time, by the only P
rendergast family in the district. It's about 6k out of the township, along the Limestone Road.
That area was pioneered by the Pendergasts, and there were still so many around, that they were often listed in the 'local phone number list' put out by the local community association, by nickname as well as real name!
I was working at the 'Benambra Mine JV' [Copper and later Zinc as well] as the Mine Chemist/Labrat, ~20k from the township, from 1992-1995. The processing plant site altitude was ~1100m [much higher than the township], so I learnt a lot about working in Alpine conditions there. At first, before ore production started, I was driving my own vehicle daily from Omeo to a relocatable temporary office in Benambra township. Got used to having to scrape hard frost off the windscreen in the mornings, even in August... Edit: once I moved out to the homestead, in winter we'd check the outside thermometer, as we headed off to the mine in the mornings. -10 wasn't at all uncommon, and it got lower than that on quite a few occasions.
One night in August/September, there was a dump of snow that even covered the ground in Omeo. So it was a foot or so deep over McMillan's Gap, the high point on the Omeo-Benambra road. Luckily for me, my then vehicle was an FJ45 Landcruiser 4X4 trayback, and I had snow driving experience, so I locked the front hubs in, engaged H4, and soldiered on.
Met some Benambra locals in a normal car, who weren't carrying tyre chains, just on the other side and had to tell them that they'd have to return home, until the snow melted...
The tyranny of distance.. however, we're always looking for an excuse to travel to Victoria.
I do appreciate the offer and would be more than happy to purchase your unwanted ceramic blanket as I shall need to lay that over the top of the AGA when it is finished, so if you're serious about passing them on, I am certainly interested.
Well, I'm about 160k east of Melbourne...
And this stuff, while it was worth scrounging at the time [intended for use in an LPG-fired blacksmith forge, when I get a 'round tuit', and maybe a crucible capable 'metal melting furnace' too], isn't all that exy. List price ex GST for one of these 7.6m rolls is only around $85.
Still and all, if you should find your way across here at any time, I can spare a full roll, if you'd like it.
