Distance: 11 Km | Duration: 3 Hrs | Grade: TBA | Rating: | Style: TBA | Map
Best Season: All Year
About the Walk
Overview
From the top of Mount Franklin to Jim Crow Creek near Franklinford, traverses and interprets much of the former Mt Franklin Aboriginal Protectorate (1842-9), one of the best-documented (but not publicly recognized) sites of early Aboriginal contact in south-eastern Australia. The first and final parts of the walk include a walk around the Mount Franklin crater rim, and Clarkes Pool, on a billabong on Jim Crow Creek. Requires a car shuffle.
The Walk in Detail
This walk, along mostly minor roads and roadsides, in mostly cleared country from the top of Mount Franklin to Jim Crow Creek near Franklinford, seeks to interpret the volcanic plains country and changes to the landscape during the contact period between 1838 and the settler re-discovery of gold in 1851. It traverses and interprets much of the former Mt Franklin Aboriginal Protectorate (1842-9), one of the best-documented (but not publicly recognized) sites of early Aboriginal contact in south-eastern Australia. The first and final parts of the walk include a walk around the Mount Franklin crater rim, and Clarkes Pool, on a billabong on Jim Crow Creek.
Start the walk at the car park inside the Mount Franklin crater. Follow the walking track which initially starts north-west and curves right around to south-east before swinging left and up a steep climb, including some steps, to meet a gravel road on the rim to the north of the crater. Walk 1.5km on this road, past the fire tower, around the rim and down to the bottom of the crater and the car park at the start of the walk.
Leave the crater via the bitumen Mount Franklin Road and walk 1.5km back to Midland Highway. Cross to the left (west) side of the highway with care and walk 500m to Carrolls Lane. Follow this gravel road (west) for 2km to the junction with Hepburn-Newstead Road. Turn right and walk along the side of the bitumen road for 2.5km to the junction with South Street. Turn left along South Street at the Franklinford sign, passing the Aboriginal school site, to Clarkes Road. Turn right for about 50m then left to take a short side trip to both the Franklinford Spring and Cemetery before returning to Clarkes Road.
Turn right and continue for about 800m south-west to the end of Clarkes Road at Clarkes Pool on Jim Crow Creek. This is the end of the walk.
Execute the car shuffle to return back to base.
Getting There
From Melbourne head west via the M1, M80 and the Western Freeway/Highway (M8) and take the C141 exit, turning north to Daylesford. From Daylesford drive via Howe and Raglan Streets onto the Midland Highway (A300) After about 11 km from Daylesford, turn right onto Mount Franklin Road on the right. Follow this road 1.5 km to the end within the volcanic crater. This is the start of the walk.
Cars needed at the finish of the walk for the car shuffle should return via Mount Franklin Road to the Midland Highway and turn right. Drive north for just over 1 km and turn left onto Powell Extension Road. Continue for about 3 km to Franklinford and turn left onto Clarkes Road. Follow this road to the end at Clarkes Pool and the end of the walk.
Walk Precautions
Take care crossing roads, e.g. the Midland Highway, and watch for road traffic while walking along the side of sealed or gravel roads. Some steeper gravel roads could be slippery.
Additional Information
Mount Franklin crater 
Franklinford Cemetery