20 October 2013

Moonlight Circuit

The Moonlight Track at Mt Worth is located at the western end of the Strzelecki Ranges and 125km southeast of Melbourne with the access via Princes Fwy (M1) to the closest towns namely Warragul and Darrum, which is about 15km north of Mt Worth State Park.  On leaving the freeway, follow the parks signpost and take the Darrum – Allambee Road for over 10km until reaching McDonalds Trak.  Turn left here and continue 1km to reach the turn off at Allambee Estate Road then further 2km on the gravel road to Moonlight Creek Visitor Area with an information board, toilets, tables and a shelter, which is useful if raining. It takes about 1½ hours.  Roads are narrow and winding, so take care.

A slightly less challenging drive to reach the park is to go to Leongatha and then take the Strzlecki Highway to the Grand Ridge Road and then take McDonals Track.


At the visitor area there are two walking track signposts.  The Moonlight Circuit is 8.5 km, 3 hours return, and the Giant’s & Gardiners Mill Circuit is 3.3km, 40 minutes.

After lunch we set off for the Moonlight Circuit and we did it in a clock-wise direction: Moonlight Divide Track – Moonlight Link Track – Moonlight Creek Track.

 A shelter at Moonlight Creek Visitor Area

The Moonlight Divide Track starts with a rather steep climb to the ridge.  We met two walkers, who had started about 10 minutes before us and were having a rest.

Tracks junction

The Moonlight Divide Track is a rather uneventful roller-coaster of a walk along a wide fire trail so it is very easy to follow.  Towards the end of the Divide Track, there is a left turnoff to a ribbon-marked link track to the Giant’s Circuit and Gardiners Mill Track, which we explored for about half a kilometre before turning back to the Divide Track.   

The Moonlight Link Track is well marked and easily found.  This fire trail takes you downhill to the Moonlight Creek Track junction where you turn right to go along the Moonlight Creek.

 Fern gullies

The Moonlight Creek Track

About 1 km down the Creek Track is a beautiful waterfall on a short detour to the left.

 Moonlight Creek Waterfalls

The whole track us bordered by tree-ferns which, on the day, were sprouting beautiful green shoots.  There are also several marked wood mill sites and several sitting benches with great views of the ferns trees and creek.  

 


 Great views from Maslins Mill Site

The track takes you back to the Moonlight Creek Visitor Area.

Maps 

GPS track on OSM-AU-Vic-10m (desktop view)

GPS Track on Garmin Topo v3

GPS- gpx file of Track overlaid on memory-map VIC Maps Topo.