Distance: 19 Km | Duration: 6.5 Hrs | Grade: Grade 4 | Rating: | Style: Circuit | Map
About the Walk
Overview
This walk comprises two circuits joined by a short (4 km) car trip. The walk passes through majestic groves of Mountain Ash and tree ferns amidst melodic birdsong in the spring. In October, flora bursts into prolific, colourful bloom, particularly the mint bush.
The Walk in Detail
We start on the wide and well-formed No. 1 Spur Track, winding along the spur to a forked junction (1). Branching right, we join Noonday Track, descending steeply following a spur to the flats above the junction of Noonday and Monday Creeks (2). Ford Monday Creek and follow the track north for 200 m to a sharp bend. Continue eastward, climbing steeply to a saddle then a spur, after which the track swings north, our climbing eases, and we reach Kaanglang Road. Turn right along Kaanglang Road (3), passing tall stumps with logging notches, to the cars at No.1 Spur Track junction.
Drive NW on Kaanglang Road to a track that leads to Lake Elizabeth, so named because it was formed by a landslide in 1952 – Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation year. During 1995/6, the Geelong Bushwalking Club constructed five bridges and cleared tracks around Lake Elizabeth: the project was funded by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (now DELWP).
We descend on a narrow but well-formed track to the picnic ground for lunch (4). Signs to the lake lead us upstream beside the East Barwon River. At the junction (5), we turn right to follow the lakeside walk to a boardwalk at the head of the lake and along the northern shore, passing through a magnificent forest of tree ferns. The track eventually returns to the junction near the lake outlet. Keep to the right and reverse the route back to the Lake Elizabeth carpark. Take No. 2 track on sign board. Of course, there is always a hill to complete a long walk and so we ascend, re-tracing our steps to the cars.