Essendon Bushwalking Club

We will meet in Lilydale, near the public toilet block on Main St (AKA Maroondah Hwy) between the Olinda Creek Hotel and Olinda Creek.  There is car parking available at this location and it is 400 m east of Lilydale Train Station. 

Initially the walk follows the Warburton Rail Trail to Mt Evelyn where we wil have morning tea.  We willl then continue on the Mt Evelyn Aqueduct Trail before looping back through the Dandenong Ranges National Park.  After lunch at Mt Evelyn Reserve we will cut across to the Olinda Creek trail, taking in a section of Quinn Nature Reserve.  We will then return to our starting point via Lillydale Lake Park.  The walk is all on track with some undulation (ie hills!).  

Following the walk there will be opportunity for coffee at The Frollicking Frog or other cafe of your choice in Lilydale.

This is a weekend pack-walk along the Southern section of the Burchell Trail (a 3-day walk in the Brisbane Ranges). The Brisbane Ranges are at their best in Spring, so in itself it's a good outing. However, another purpose is to give new (or returning) pack walkers an opportunity to "test out the gear". 

The overnight camp location will be at "Old Mill" campsite, a walker's only campsite, the first overnight camp on the Burchell Trail heading North from Stieglitz.

The exact route will depend on the number of participants (vehicles actually). If we are able to leave 1 vehicle at Anakie Gorge Picnic Area, the walk will be from Steiglitz to Old Mill, then Old Mill to Anakie Gorge the next day. If we can't do that, it will be Steiglitz to Old Mill, then back again the next day.

I've booked one of the two camp-sites at Old Mill (up to six people), the other can be booked if necessary.

We can arrange car-pooling as necessary.

Easy medium 13.7klm walk around Buninyong  Mostly on back roads. With views to the west when walking across the slopes of Mt Buninyong.  There is a climb of approx 200mtrs over the first 3klms, but fairly easy from there on. 
Meet opposite Buninyong Service station 501 Warenheip street Buninyong. 
Don't forget daylight saving starts today

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

This year, the bus and train fares for pensioners/concession are free during the second week of the 2024 Seniors Festival ie 6-13 October. Port Phillip Ferries "will be offering discounts and maybe some exciting events for Seniors Week, we just haven't finalised the details yet".

There is no Ferry Service returning from Portarlington to Docklands on Tuesday afternoons. Wednesday 9 October is EBWC Meeting night and therefore not a suitable day. The date for this Annual Event is therefore Thursday 10 October. 
For those not familiar with this annual event, the idea is to travel by train to Geelong, bus from Geelong to St. Leonards, walk around St.Leonards, bus from St. Leonards to Portarlington, and after some free time and afternoon tea in Portarlington, catch the ferry back to Docklands.

The proposed timetable for the day is therefore as follows:

Meet at Southern Cross Station Vintage Clock by 8.15 am. Catch the VLine train to Geelong at 8.30 am. ( pick up at Footscray (8.38am), Sunshine (8.43am), Deer Park( 8.48 am), Tarneit (8.57 am), Wyndham Vale( 9.04 am).  This Train is due to arrive at Geelong Station at 9.32 am. Bus Route 60 leaves Geelong Station for St. Leonards at 10.04 am.which gives time at Geelong Station for morning tea and toilets etc. The bus arrives at St. Leonards at 11.05 am. and the walk starts on arrival.

The walk takes about 2.5 - 3 hours for 9-10 km. Including a stop for lunch. The Bus Route 60 leaves St.Leonards shopping area at 2.00 pm. arriving at Portarlington at  2.20 pm. Here you have " The Freedom of the City of Portarlington" for an hour or so , giving time for afternoon tea/coffee or retail therapy etc. in the town.

We will re meet at the Portarlington Pier by 3.30 pm. ready to board the ferry at 3.40 pm. for departure at 4.00 pm.,and due at Docklands at 5.10 pm.

The proposed walk is as follows:

Starting at St. Leonards shopping area, the walk proceeds along the Coastal Track heading south towards Edwards Point Wildlife Reserve, passing tennis courts and Holiday Parks/Camping areas, hence plenty of toilets. The walk takes us along the beach for a short distance. Passing St. Leonards Yacht Club, we arrive at the start of the Coastal Woodland Walk, part of the Wildlife Reserve. Here, it is a right hand turn away from the Woodland Walk as we make our way to "Charlie's Hole Walk", a bushland area in the northern part of the Wildlife Reserve. The walk then starts its return north along an inland route before diverting to wander around St. Leonards Lake Reserve and back to the shopping area in time for the 2.00 pm. bus ride to Portarlington.

Participating members will need to have their Myki Card with them, even though the bus and train fares will be free (for Seniors).

Port Phillip Ferries is offering Seniors and Concession card holders 30% off all ferry travel for 14 days (7 Oct. -20 Oct) in celebration of the Victorian  Senior Festival 2024. This means the fare for the above trip from Portarlington to Docklands will be $14.00. ( for Seniors only).
The Concession Ticket Discount Code when booking will be: VicSeniors30.

When registering for the event, please indicate which V Line station you will be departing from.

The annual walking event of Bushwalking Victoria. Registrations are still open as at 16/8.  Please DO NOT register on this website. Instead, visit https://fedwalks.org.au/ for details and registration.

A 14 kilometre walk through the Bunyip State Park, 65 kms east of Melbourne near Gembrook. Starting from the Mortimer Picnic Ground Carpark area, we weave our way in a loop through a variety of vegetation including wet eucalypt forest, heathland, swamp and fern gullies. The terrain is a mix of mainly fire trails, some dirt tracks and several steep hills. Poles and boots are recommended. Coffee, tea and refreshments in Gembrook after!!

Note: When driving to the start please allow extra time for the expected traffic on the roads.

We will start the walk  at Jacksons Reserve, pass the Man of the Valley Sculpture, follow the Merri Creek down the right side, pass the Drivein, walk to Edwards Lake. Have lunch  near the lake and return via  Edgars Creek  Head to to Deganis for afternoon tea then walk back to the cars. Bring usual walking gear, boots, pole may be useful, morning tea, snacks and lunch

This walk is through another area of Plenty Gorge - to the south of Marek's walk. The walk will be on a combination of tracks with some off-track sections. There are some steep slopes up/down and both the grass or the loose rocks can be slippery - poles will be useful. Gaiters will also be useful for the off-track sections.

Car-pooling will be from Airport West (west of Target) at 8am, for a walk start at 9am from Yellow Gum Car Park (Goldsworthy Lane, Plenty). At Goldsworthy Lane, please head to the furthest carpark - its' the Plenty Gorge MTB car park. Please note that I am happy to organise the car-pooling, but I'm afraid I'm heading in the opposite direction after the walk, so will not be able to be a carpool driver.

Westbreen Creek is a rather pleasant suburban creekside walk. We walk up one side of the creek,  then a circumnavigation of the Northern Golf Club grounds  and  then returning on the other side of the creek to the   Pascoe Vale hotel . This then should be sufficient walking to justify a lazy lunch !!   If post prandial inertia hasn,t set in and the entthususm is still there ,  the walk can be extended by 2kms along the Moonee Ponds Creek to the Strathmoore Rly St to make 10km and a qualifiying event. Being a Short Walk, the startng time is more genteel than usual.  For Public Transport users, the Craigeburn train leaves Flinders St at 9.47, Essendon St at 10.03  and arrives at Pascoe Vale St at 10.08. For drivers there is railway  parking at the front of the hotel as well as the hotel car park, It,s standard pub fare in rather pleasant surrounds, ranging from $15 to $18 (Seniors) We meet at the North end of the station, the exit end , at 10.10am. Comfortable shoes, and your usual morning tea. ( if the weather is inclement the Northern golf Club has coffee  available to the public). Guaranteed hill free walking !