Essendon Bushwalking Club

The Coliban Main Channel was constructed in the 1860's and early 1870's, to deliver water to Bendigo from the Reservoir on the Coliban River at Malmsbury. Over 70km in length through hilly country, it was, and still is, an engineering marvel; not just a channel, it included numerous flumes (elevated channel over gullies), several tunnels through high ridges, a couple of inverted siphons (pipes across deep creeks) and several dissipators (artificial rapids when the channel slope needs to be high).

This is the second of a series of walks that will traverse, from Malmsbury towards Bendigo, those parts of the channel accessible to the public - about 58km in total. Several of the walks (including this one) will be "one-way", ie a car shuffle will be needed.

This walk follows the channel for about 15km as it winds its way from near Malmsbury to Elphinstone, mostly near the edge of the Fryers Ridge State Forest and Conservation Reserve.

Car pooling from Airport West available, otherwise meet at Elphinstone. 

This walk was last led in 2023 by Therese Ryan and is worth repeating. Starting from the Garden of St Erth second carpark, the walk begins with a long gradual uphill before being rewarded with the ferns and trees of Green Gully and the Lerderderg River Heritage Walk. It is mostly on minor tracks.  Boots and poles are recommended.  Refreshments will be at the Blackwood Post Office Cafe.

Note:   The meeting place is Garden of St Erth and the address is 189 Simmons Reef Road, Blackwood. When you arrive at the Garden of St Erth drive to the second car park which is on your right and up a short hill.

Essendon Bushwalking Club Committee meeting via Zoom.

The event starts with a short walk from Craigieburn Station to meet up with Aitken Creek, following it towards Craigieburn Public Golf Course. The trail follows through the middle of the Golf Course (legally of course) before crossing Aitken Boulevard and heading for Highlands Lake (toilets) . Continuing past the Central Shopping Centre ( nonstop),the walk passes through Anzac Park ( toilets) on the way to Malcolm Creek. We then walk east along Malcolm Creek Linear Park to where the Creek disappears under the Hume Highway, and we turn south to make our way back to the finish at Craigieburn Station.

Metro trains leave Flinders Street Station at 8.19 am, 8.29 am, and 8.37 am to arrive at Craigieburn Station in time for the start. All day car parking may be difficult around Craigieburn Station, so public transport is the recommended option.

The walk is mainly flat with a few "undulations " through the Golf Course, with a mixture of gravel, bitumen and concrete tracks to walk on. Most of the tracks have grass verges alongside them for a softer walking surface.

Meet outside the Craigieburn Station (western) entrance by 9.30 am.

Meeting Held at Moonee Ponds Bowling Club, Mt Alexandra Road, Moonee Ponds

Friday - 7km walk on Moe-Yallourn RT - car shuttle required

Saturday - 13km walk on Grand Ridge RT - car shuttle required

Sunday - 10km return walk on Rokeby-Crossover RT (5km each way)

Accommodation arrangements: Darren will be camping at the Moe Gardens Caravan Park. If you would like to book a cabin or campsite there, some details from the manager are below.

Saturday night we will have a meal at the local club.

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Hi Darren, 

A 21km weekend pack walk both for experienced and beginner pack walkers, 13km with some climbing the first day, 8km mostly down the second day. The area has been impacted with the 2024 bushfires but is now open for walking. While the Beeripmo track is open, many of the side tracks are closed.

We will start at Richards campground, 10am start, and camp at Beeripmo campsite Saturday night, Toilets, picnic tables, tank water, etc. Sunday we will return to cars approx 1pm, possibly lunch in Beaufort afterwards.

This is a rescheduled walk from February 28th, We start at RedGum Picnic Ground follow the Marshland Circuit and follow the river around, come to a ruin of a homestead and then continue  and rejoin the Marshland  Track back to the cars.

The second stage of the two stage walk to Lara starts at Southern Cross Station at 8.35 am to catch the 8.50 am VLine train to North Shore Station ( picking up at Footscray - 8.58am, Sunshine - 9.03 am, Deer Park - 9.08 am, and Tarneit - 9.17 am.), due at North Shore Station at 9.44 am.

The walk proceeds from North Shore Station to Moorpunyal Park (toilets), and then along Seabeach Parade to avoid the Industrial Area, We then continue along Shell Parade to reach Foreshore Road and walk past Geelong Grammar School to Lagoon Boat Jetty (toilets) and the start of the Hovell Creek Trail. After Limeburner Lagoon, we reach Hovell Creek and follow it as it passes under the Princes Freeway to reach Hovell Creek Reserve, an ideal spot for a lunch stop. From there it is about a 2 km. stroll into Lara for the VLine train back to Melbourne.

A short but exhilarating (ie, a bit tough) walk in Werribee Gorge, taking in some of the less-visited areas around Falcons Lookout. Only 8km, but rated hard - the majority is off track or very minor tracks, it's mostly rocky and sometimes scrubby, and in places quite steep (up, down and sideways). Total ascent/descent 800m. Poles, good footwear and long trousers highly recommended, consider long sleeves too. Note - there are 3 delightful places to sit for a rest on this walk, so plan your snacks accordingly - we'll have morning tea, lunch 1 and lunch 2! (and coffee in Bacchus Marsh).

The start point is Ironbark Gorge Track car-park, on Ingleston Road on the southern side of Werribee Gorge State Park. Meet 9.30am. Or car-pooling available, meet at Airport West (to the west of Target in the shoppingtown car-park) at 8.15am.