West Barwon Dam to Lake Elizabeth

The Walk in Detail

From the carpark, walk across the top of the West Barwon Dam wall, then descend and follow the track to the left of the river for 400 m until you reach a concrete ford (1). Turn right across the ford and continue for 150 m until you reach a track junction. Turn right and follow the signposts for Route 2 for 3.5 km to Kaanglang Road. Cross it and continue on Route 2 to a track junction, signposted “Route 3. Red Carpet" (2). The return journey will follow this route. Keep to the right and descend steadily through tall eucalypt forest to the Lake Elizabeth carpark and follow the signs for the lake which lead upstream beside the East Barwon River (3). After about a kilometre turn right at the junction (4) to follow the lake-side walk to a boardwalk at its head and then down the northern shore, passing through a magnificent forest of tree ferns. The track eventually returns to the junction (4) near the lake outlet. Keep to the right and reverse the route back to the Lake Elizabeth carpark. Head back uphill along Route 2 then onto Route 3. Follow it across the Lake Elizabeth Road and then the Kaanglang Road descending gently to meet the outward route. Turn sharp right and reverse the outward route for 1.3 km, then turn right and follow Route 3. northwards and downwards for 1.5 km until you reach the Barwon River (5). Turn left at the river and follow Route 3 south towards the West Barwon Dam. After about 1 km, cross the river at the concrete ford, then ascend a fairly steep road back to the start.