Lerderder Gorges 2025

A revisit pack-carrying walk in the Lerderder Gorges.

Getting There

Follow the Western Freeway M8.

9 km past Bacchus Marsh, take the Myrniong exit. 

Continue along the Myrniong-Greendale Road about 1km, turn right on the Mt Blackwood Rd.

Continue on the sealed road for 8 km to Lohs Lane turn off on the right.

A further 0.5 km to the start.

Grade  Hard (not many kms, off track, many river crossings, very steep spurs). 

Hiking boots and trekking pole/s recommended. Do it when weather permitting.

Map: Lerderder State Park Visitor Guide. Preloaded map on phone for offline use.

Phone use only if need be. Pack a spare light-weight & compact power bank for a demanding walk.

Lohs Lane car parking and signpost to Lower Chadwick Track

The Start

Day One:  Lohs Lane – Lower Chadwick McKenzie Tracks 5 km, 2.5 hrs

the walk in 2011.

I am now 14 years older than I was in 2011 and carried a 3-night pack, which was loaded with warm clothes for winter conditions, gear for cooking & sleeping, and equipment for navigation & safety.

Go through a gate and shut it. Follow Lohs Lane past a few houses on your right and after about 700 m, you will reach an entry gate into the park. Go through the gate and please shut it. There is a signpost indicating the start of Lower Chadwick Track, that used to be a vehicle track. 

 

After about 1.2 km of a gentle downhill and a gentle uphill, I reached the junction of Lower Chadwick and McKenzie Tracks. I turned right into McKenzie Track and followed it east for about 300 m down to a saddle, then a walk up about 100 m took me to the knoll at an elevation of 480 m.

The saddle, the easy part on the walk.

GPS full route & the graph of Lohs Lane to the Lerderder River via Lower Chadwick McKenzie Track.

The final section down to the Lerderder River was very steep and care should be taken. My trekking pole was very useful for the descent. Carrying less water on the day was a bonus because the campsite was near the river. 

Finally, I reached the Lerderder River. Water was perfect and it was so crystal clear.

McKenzie Camp on a nice river flat surrounded with tall eucalypts.

I was 14 years older - the same route-in, the same river & campsite, the same jacket.

Lerderder 2011 Walk The old light-weight hiking tent has been used for car camping.

Day Two:  Along Lerderder River and up Hogan Track  6.4 km

At the start of the day, the first thing to do was to cross the river, which was thigh depth. The river water height depends on the recent rainfall. There was also a log that could provide some form of assistance for the crossing. From here, if you don't like walking with wet feet, I suggest you return the way you came because the rest of the walk involves a lot of river crossings.

Views on the other side of the river.

After this river crossing, walk downstream. Stick to the bank and follow the foot pads, instead of walking on stones or rocks in the riverbed. Keep an eye out for the easy side of the river for crossings. There were about 8 crossings along the 4.5 km river walk to the Ah Kow Track, where there was a marker showing direction to the Ah Kow camping area. While I was having a break looking at the paper map and the map on the phone, I saw 2 walkers with day packs and 1 day walker with 2 walking poles but without a pack, descending from Hogan-Ak Kow Spur. They were on their way out via Ah Kow Track on the other side of the river. 

The walk up Ak Kow Spur - Hogan Track was a tiring climb (with an overnight pack). Like when descending the McKenzie route, extreme care should be taken. I was so tired when I reached the top of the spur. A check on the phone message from my contact gave me a warning of a short rain burst in the area in the late afternoon. Therefore, I called it a day, looked for a suitable spot, and quickly pitched the tent up before the rain hit. Glad that I missed the rain? 

The green graph is of the walk along the Lerderder River and the steep & tiring climb. 

Day Three:  Hogan Track - Lerderder River - McKenzie Camp/Route - Back out.

I started early this morning to avoid possible rain. I followed Hogan Track for about 100-120 m trying to find a starting point and/or a foot trail descending to the Lerderder River, but I had no luck. While I was checking out options, there was a light shower. Fortunately, it was short, however, having to keep changing the rain gear, the rain jacket and the pack cover, cost me my beloved beanie that had been with me for a few decades and had travelled with me all over the place in the state of Victoria, other states around Australia as well as some other parts of the world. I will miss it. What a beanie!

Finally, a decision was made. The aim was to descend 450 m NNW to the closest river bend. I started moving with the compass in hand, looking for a walkable pad. After a zig zag descent of about 70 m, I saw a reasonable-sized rock, possibly intended as a location marker for the way ahead which was about 80 m down a water race, a channel, or a gully. 

There were options when I reached there. After a check on the map, with the phone and the compass, I stuck to the plan by following the rocky water race. The river was not far away, but it was a demanding descent through scrub - one step at a time - and I lost one of my crocs, which was hanging on the back of my pack. Then, it was a relief to hear the sounds from the river flowing below and it came into view. The river bank was an ideal spot for morning tea.

Descending from the water race (L) and retracing steps by walking upstream for about 500 m north 

back to McKenzie camp (R).

From McKenzie camp, I avoided the direct climb to the top of the hill by skirting the base to reach its highest point at 480 m elevation, where I kept an eye out for a foot trail to follow. After an easy 200 m walk down to a saddle, the trail turned into a narrow goat track, which required a test walk without the heavy pack and with the trekking pole to check its safety. Glad that it was only a short distance.

After this tricky bit, the 2 km track back to the starting point at Lohs Lane was easy to follow. However, there were quite a few ups and downs. Near the end of Lower Chadwick Tk, I met a few visitors who just started their short day hike.

All in all, it was a challenging walk. I enjoyed it, apart from the loss of the beanie. To my beloved friend who kept me up-to-date with the forecast, a lot of thanks.

Black Hill Ridge Track

Ridge Track at Black Hill Reserve is located in the town of Kyneton's NNE and is about 5 km north of Bald Hill. From the town, follow C326 north for about 6 km to reach an intersection. Turn right here on to Ennis Road and a further 1 km will take you to the car park.

Other tracks at Black Hill include: 4 km Circuit Track and 1.7 km Revegetated area Track.

Ridge Track is also an enjoyable walk like the Granite Peak Loop at Bald Hill. The walk offers views, large rock formations, cave rocks and lookouts.

 

GPS file of Ridge Track (3.7 km, Easy-Medium, Loop) and the start of the walk after going through the gate.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bald Hill Granite Peak Loop 

Bald Hill Granite Peak Loop

Granite Peak Loop Walking Track is one of the walks at Bald Hill Reserve, which is located on Mt St Mary's Lane, off Pipers Creek Road, Kyneton,Victoria.

Car parking is limited and there is no toilet at the start/finish of the walks. If I am correct, the reserve is only about 6 km northeast from the town, in which a range of food items can be chosen to please your appetite. 

Attached below is the options for walking at Bald Hill.

 

Bin not provided. Take your rubbish home.

Granite Peak Loop is the walk I did. An enjoyable short walk through an open forest. 

GPS track of Granite Peak Loop at Bald Hill 

Black Hill Ridge Track

Wyperfeld 2025

It was worth a revisit to Hattah North Roadhouse after leaving Hattah-Kulkyne NP. For three days without a shower, I enjoyed a hot shower there. A big thank you. I also had food and a cuppa at the roadhouse before the drive to Wyperfeld NP via Calder Hwy A79 back to Ouyen and Sunraysia Hwy B220 at Lascelles then Hopetoun where there was a signpost to Wyperfeld NP.

 

Hopetoun is the closest service town and it is the last opportunity to top up fuel and get general supplies. The access road to Wonga Camping area in the south is sealed. It was a pleasant drive and the park was full of wild life in the late afternoon. I also noticed the signpost of my planned walks when getting close to the camping area

 

There was a couple who arrived here before me. While I was pitching tent up, the male partner came over inviting me to join their camp fire. 'Plenty of firewood', he said. However, because an unexpected shower occured that evening, I did not join them.

 

There was an opportunity to walk with them in the morning, but I politely declined and thanked them both. They headed for the lookout walk and I tried to get ready for mine with a plan to walk the loop Wonga Camp - Weedy Lake - Meridian Walking Track - Everard Track - Lake Brambruk shore south - Discovery Walking Track - Wonga Campground. Instead, I did just a loop of less than 10.0 km. The aim was to practice with the new GPS Watch that was given to me as a present.

 

Here is the loop walk I did: Wonga Camping area - Weedy Lake (dry) junction of Black Flat Track and Cameron Track - crosscountry heading east then southeast and back to the camp ground. 

I camped on the east side of the shelter in Wonga Camping area. The magpies took a bit of my time in the morning and in the late evening. There were stories about their aggressive behaviour but these were not. It was in late June - freezing in the early morning, sunny and cool during the day (good time for walking), and cold at night.

Discovery Walk via alltrails  Easy, 4 km, 1 hr, loop only

 

The signpost of Discovery Walk can be seen near Wonga Hut and the start of the walk is on the east side of the Wonga camping area. The track is well marked. My neighbours started the walk early. We met on the track and had a quick chat about birds and plants. 

 

Wyperfeld Park (L), Discovery Walk GPS file including side trip to Lake Brambruk (dry)

Followed the markers going clockwise. If you want just a short loop walk, leave the track leading to Lake Brambruk and take the turn to Mt Mattingley lookout in the southwest and get back to the camp ground.

 

 

 

The above right photograph was taken near the junction of Lake Brambruk and Cameron Tracks. There was a seat among the trees on the left of the track if you want to take a break.

 

I continued along Lake Brambruk Track for about 500 m and I reached Cameron Track. There was a water tank here. And a further 400 m, I reached the south side of Lake Brambruk, which was bone dry. I could not tell it had been a lake. The right photo was taken on the return near Lake Brambruk.

 

There were signposts at the junction: retracing your steps or take the foot track (above left) to Mt Mattingley and then continue to the Wonga campground.

 

 

Tyakil Nature Loop  Easy, 4.8 km, 1 hr 20 min, loop

The start of Tyakil walk is about 3.5 km west of Wonga Campground. There is a signpost on Park Road near the Park Office. It can be seen on the drive in and out Wyperfeld Park. The track is also well marked and signposted.

 

 

Tyakil Nature Walk car park. Here's also the start and end of a pack carrying North South Walk via Meridian Walking Track with an overnight camping at Remote Camp, a Walk-In Camp, which is located near Meridian Track and Nine Mile Square Track junction. I myself have done this overnight walk years ago. Will try to find photos when time permitting.

 

After walking north for about 400 m I reached Little Black Flat Track. A further 400 m I arrived at the Meridian WT turn off (Above Left). From here the track turned west for about 1.0 km, then south about 1.0 km crossing Outlet Creek and Little Black Flat Track, at which there were signposts of the track to Lookout Dune in the west, to Cameron Track in the east, and to the car park.

Lookout Dune and back  Easy, 5.1 km, return walk

I did not have time for the Lookout Dune when I was on the Tyakil Nature Loop. Therefore, I drove back to the car park the next day. Walked back to the signposts on Little Black Flat Track and followed the Lookout Dune by taking the left turn heading west.

 

Desert Walk  Easy-Medium, 6.9 km, 2 hrs, loop

 

The start of the Desert Walk is on Nine Mile Square Track and the signpost of Nine Mile Square Track can be seen on Park Road, which is about 4.5 km before Wonga Campground. The turn off from Park Road to the walk start is about 1 km, just after crossing Little Black Flat Track.

 

Take notice of the signpost (above right) that is easy to be missed. It is just about 200 m from the start. By following this sign, you head south on a foot path and walk in a clockwise loop. If you miss it by continuing on, you walk the track anticlockwise.

 

Rather nice spot for a break. So peaceful here and love it.

Kidney Track  Easy-Medium, 8.2 km, loop

 

Located about several kms north of Lake Albacutya. Access via Hopetoun, last service town for fuel and general supplies. From Hopetoun, head west taking the Hopetoun - Yaapeet Road - Wyperfeld Park Road - Park Road (5 km) - turn west along Goslings Road. For safe driving, the last 1 km of Goslings Road is suitable only when weather is dry. 

 

If you look for a basic car camping, Yaapeet Bushland Reserve is the place. There is no need to book a camp site, just turn up and arrange payment via an honesty box: $10 a night ($2.0 for a hot shower for non-camper). I had been here with my walking buddy some years ago. It looks like this campground is a popular place for grey nomads who plan to travel to SA, up North, and/or to WA to escape winter.

 

Ref: Walk 109 Albacutya. BYO water

Book 150 Walks in Victoria by Tyrone Thomas & Andrew Close. 

In fact, I did not walk the whole 109 walk. I did just a part of it. My aim was to have an enjoyable time, to see more when I was out there and so I left the 109 walk and took a shortcut track to the Kidneys Track. Then I went 200 m down the Kidneys Track and then crosscountry south to reach the Werrebean Track. From here I followed the Werrebean Track west for about 1.3 km to join back to the Outlet Creek Track. From there, I retraced my steps back to the starting point.

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Hattah Lakes 2025