Distance: 12 Km | Duration: Hrs | Grade: Grade 3 | Rating: | Style: Circuit | Map
About the Walk
Overview
Enjoy the varied scenery of the upper reaches of the Lerderderg. A long and gradual hill in the morning is rewarded with the delightful ferns and trees of Green Gully Track and the Lerderderg River Heritage walk.
The Walk in Detail
Take the unsigned 4wd track south of the car park, and head uphill for a long steady 200m climb for the first 2.5 kms along this Easter Monday Track. At the 4-way junction, continue straight ahead, uphill and westerly. (If Easter Monday mine is to be visited, the left fork should be followed instead). It is a steady uphill to the unmarked Fosters Lookout. The wide space on the left of the track is where once a picnic table was positioned to enjoy the view. No view at all now.
Continue 600m West to New Sultan Track, ignoring the track coming in from the left from Easter Sunday mine. At New Sultan Track, turn left (South), and walk 300m. At the intersection with Blackwood Ridge Road, on the Southwest corner, there is a hidden open area suitable for morning tea.
At Blackwood Ridge Rd, turn Right and follow this West, past German Track to an entrance on the right to the higher ground of McLaughlin’s Lookout, 825m. There is an old sign just after this entrance. View is very limited. Unattractive open car park here now.
Continue west along Blackwood Ridge Road for 400m, (past Wheeler Track) to Green Gully Track. Turn Right (North) here. Ignore a track on the left, and after 1.1 km from Blackwood Ridge Road, at the Y intersection, take left fork with Creek on your left. Ignore next left track, and at T intersection (Wheeler’s Track), go left to Lerderderg Rd. Cross the road and follow GDT signs, and don’t miss where it soon takes a right turn.
Follow GDT signs. On the long downhill where fallen trees have been cleared, there is a minor unclear turn. Follow track left, not straight ahead. Cross a small gap on old log and climb down and up out of small creek to a 4wd track. Good lunch spot here, left, at the river. Return the few metres to where you exited creek, follow 4wd track up a very short way and take the signed GDT track to the left. Follow the GDT back to Jack Cann Reserve, ensuring you don’t miss where the track seems to double back for a short way.
Getting There
From Trentham muster point turn right onto Falls Rd, and drive 750m to the intersection of Cosmo Rd C318) and , then turn right. Drive for 13.2 kms to Blackwood, then turn right onto Simmons Reef Rd. After 150m veer left to stay on Simmons Reef Road. After 750m veer right, then continue for a further 1.0 kms and turn left onto Simmons Reef Rd. Continue for 600m to Garden of Jack Cann Reserve and park in the second carpark. Driving distance from Trentham: 16.5 kms
Walk Precautions
Parts of the walk are on narrow former water races with steep sides. A long walk uphill from the beginning.
Additional Information
Blackwood
No
Central Victoria
2023