Walks

BUSHWALKS 

Our walks are on Sundays, they are free and non-members are welcome. We meet at 9.30am outside 30 Templeton Street, Castlemaine (Castlemaine Community House) and carpool to the start of the walk. Bring water, morning tea and lunch. Walks are cancelled on Total Fire Ban days in the area. Please check the website on the day for possible alterations.

You can read our advice to walkers document here.

For more information contact Bronwyn Silver 0448 751 111 or Jeremy Holland 0409 933 046.

BUSHWALKS 2024

17 March   Rock of Ages
This is a scenic 7 km walk at Nuggety Hill with terrific views of the surrounding countryside and interesting rock formations at the magical summit, Rock of Ages. Meet at Maldon Post Office at 9.45am or the Castlemaine Community House at 9.30am. Bronwyn Silver 0448751111

21 April   Loddon River, Baringhup: walk along stories
Walking along the Loddon River for 8 km, we go north from Baringhup. It is on public and private land with a mix of natural, cultural and historical layers. Traversing farmland and the edge of the Moorlort Plains, it is flat and gently undulating, there will be a few fences to climb and some unformed tracks.

Meet at 9.30 am outside 30 Templeton Street, Castlemaine (Castlemaine Community House)  or 9.45 am at O’Sullivan-Tilley Memorial Park Baringhup Sturdy shoes, long pants and gaiters if possible, as it will be grassy and uneven with a few fences to climb.

Bring lunch and morning tea. This is a one-way walk, and we have the Community Bus to shuttle people back to their cars. For more info call Gen Blades 0431 371 065 or Lisa Hall 0488 102 191

19 May   Forest Creek – a changing landscape

This walk starts at the Monster Meeting site on Golden Point Road and follows the Forest Creek Track from Chewton to Expedition Pass Reservoir (Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park). About 8 kms return. This is an interpretive walk through the environmental and cultural heritage as seen in the changing landscape. Marie Jones 0407 977 731

16 June
Long Walk – Boundary Creek

This walk will explore the very lovely Boundary Creek near Drummond. After a longish road bash we will drop down to the creek and follow it back either in the creek bed or on the banks. There is no track so it is quite slow going.

About 12.5 kms taking about 5 hours plus breaks. We leave Community House at 9am. Jeremy Holland 0409 933 046

Short walk – Mount Alexander

Starting from Dog rocks this is a 4 kms loop walk along the west ridge walking track to the Leanganook Camping Ground, then along the Goldfields track back to Dog Rocks. A very slow pace with plenty of chances to take photos and learn some names of fungi. Meet at Dog Rocks at 9.45am or the Community House at 9.30am. Joy Clusker 0403 828 566

21 July  Drummond North/Fryers Nature Conservation Reserve
Starting on the Old Drummond Road, we’ll take a route centred on Nener Track. This short track is the site of abundant populations of two rare plants—Round-leaf Flat Pea and Fryerstown Grevillea. It’s pretty hilly around there, so there might be a few climbs. About 5-6 kms. Bernard Slattery 0499 624 160

18 August   Black Hill Nature Reserve, Kyneton

Black Hill is a small mountain of granite 5 kms north of Kyneton, about 35 km east of Castlemaine. It’s covered in native vegetation including an area revegetated after a fire caused by lightning in 2015. The 6 km circuit walk is on tracks and has some steep uphill sections including over 250 steps -– 70 metres elevation change overall. There are mighty granite boulders, cave rocks, and two lookouts. The pace will be leisurely to enjoy the rocks, the trees and the views. Lionel Jenkins or Barb Guerin 5472 1994 or 0402 427 162

15 September   Fryers Ranges.

By the first official month of spring the wildflower show will be underway in the Fryers Ranges. Our path will take in many floral delights, from shrubs such as beard-heaths, waxflowers and early pea species to yam daisies and other flowering herbs. The route will be dependent on the nature of the season: dry/wet, cold/warm but expect a hike of some 6– 8 kms walking along driveable forest tracks with some off-track sections. Christine Henderson 0417 529 392

20 October   Crusoe Reservoir / Big Hill
Starting at Crusoe Reservoir we will follow walking and management vehicle tracks via No 7 Reservoir and High Level Reservoir to Big Hill summit ridge. We should have good views back towards Castlemaine from our lunch spot. There will be some climbing along the way but we will avoid the steepest sections of the track. From Big Hill it’s downhill all the way back to Crusoe Reservoir following management tracks. The areas should be good for wildflowers at this time of the year along with plenty of bird activity. About 12km, total altitude gain/loss c130m. Euan Moore  0407 519 091