Walk Category:Day
Getting There: Car
Nearest Town: Daylesford
Walk Area: Central Victoria
Distance from Melbourne GPO: 119 km
Mobile Phone Coverage: Yes but coverage varies by provider
Walk Details Collated: May 2015
Walk Details Provided by: Federation 2015; Bayside Bushwalking Club & Great Dividing Trail Association
Important Note
This walk involves off-track walking and should therefore only be attempted by parties experienced in the use of map and compass and equipped with a topographic map covering the walk. The provided walk map is unsuitable for navigation purposes.
Walk Details
Start the walk at the Blowhole car parking area (Grid Reference (GR) 446669) and follow the marked Great Dividing Trail which descends to Sailors Creek. Cross the creek taking care during or after heavy rain. After crossing the creek, climb to a junction of four tracks (GR 439671). Take the right-hand vehicle track heading north then north-east and from GR 446680 in a northerly direction. After 2.9 km pass through an old gate (GR 444695) and walk off-track through moderately dense scrub passing a deserted stone house on the right 300 m after the gate. After a further 500 m join Wayman Road and turning right follow it to the junction with Hepburn-Newstead Road. Continue along on the grass verge in a north-westerly direction for 1.4 km. Leave the sealed road at the Willow Café and follow Shepherds Flat-Weroona Road for 700 m before taking a minor track heading south at GR 434709.
Continue in a southerly direction off-track along a spur for about 1 km before meeting a track (GR 431700). Turn left and follow the track south-east and then south for 1.6 km keeping a watchful eye for open mine shafts until joining Basalt Gully Road (GR 429687). Follow the gravel road for 600 m then make a left turn along Boots Gully track with its steady climb for 1.2 km in a southerly direction. Turn east-north-east along Blowhole Track for 200 m before turning east-south-east (GR 433673) along a poorly defined track which after 200 m becomes more clearly defined. Continue a further 800 m to a track junction visited earlier in the walk (GR 439671). Turn right along the track heading south-east and follow the remains of a former water race, which meanders along a contour in a south-easterly direction. Turn in a north-north-easterly direction to the Blowhole viewing site and then return to the car park.
Walk Map
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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 continue north on Main Road for about 4 km, turn left onto Hepburn-Newstead Road and continue for 1.3 km to Eighteenth Street. Turn left and follow this road for 800 m and turn right into Blowhole Road. Continue for a further 600 m to the Blowhole parking area.
Total uphill: 550 m
Gradient: short hills to 20%
Path: Mostly on walking tracks and sealed roads with some off-track
Maps:
Vicmap Topo 1:25000 A0: 7723-3-N DAYLESFORD NORTH
Vicmap Topo 1:30000 A4: 7723-3-4-1
Parks Victoria - Hepburn Regional Park
Daylesford and Hepburn Springs – tourism and accommodation
Mobile Phone Coverage: Telstra, Optus, Vodaphone