A 12km flat walk, along the bay shore paths from Brighton Beach railway station to Beacon Cove light rail station. Should be delightful on a clear winter day!

Meet at "Allister McAllister Cafe". Walking to start at 10am or soon after, so if you want a coffee and a muffin (they're highly recommended) get there at 9.30am or thereabouts. The cafe address is 9 South Road, Brighton - they're just a little way SE of Brighton Beach Station.

The walk will conclude at Beacon Cove, from where you can catch the light rail back to the city.

This is a repeat of the Wednesday walk  held in April this year, but starting from Corio Station instead of North Shore Station. This eliminates the noisy industrial area experienced in the early stages of the April walk.  We will meet at the Vintage Clock at Southern Cross Station by 8.35 am. in time to catch the 8.50 am. V Line service to Waurn Ponds , due to arrive at Corio Station at 9.40 am. This train stops to pick up passengers at Footscray (8,58 am.), Sunshine ( 9.03 am.), Deer Park (9.08am.), and Tarneit ( 9.17 am.).

Starting the walk at Corio Station, we walk around the perimeter of the Viva Energy tank farm  to get to Foreshore Road and head north easterly , passing Geelong Grammar School, Lagoon Boat Jetty (toilets), and on to the start of the Hovell Creek Trail. This takes us to the start of Hovell Creek, which the trail follows to pass under the Princes Freeway and on to Hovell Creek Reserve for a lunch stop. 

From here it is a short walk into Lara where we will visit the Kevin Hoffman Walk before heading to Lara Station for the journey home after a stop for afternoon tea for those wishing to indulge.

If you prefer to drive, there should be ample parking space at Corio Station, but not every train stops at Corio Station for your return to pick up your car.

This walk in the Southern section of the Brisbane Ranges has something for everyone.  After a 1km flat walk there is a steep climb on a rocky track to the top of the ridge for about 300m.  Once on top of the ridge the track meanders along until there is a detour to a lookout with views into the valleys of the park.  The track continues along the ridge to another lookout point then descends to a little valley before ascending to the top of the hill.  It then descends to the Stony creek picnic ground.  A short detour will take you to the old Stony Creek Reservoir.  It is then a 3km walk back through the Anakie Gorge to the cars.  As spring is approaching the wildflowers are starting to make a good show.

The walk starts at Lara Station and is a circuit walk visiting the wetland areas of Lara. These include the Lakelands Wetlands, Westlakes Boulevard Park, the Hovel Creek as it passes through Lara , and a visit to the Kevin Hoffman Walk.

We will meet at the Vintatage Clock at Southern Cross Station by 8 .35 am. and travel by VLine on the 8.50 am. service to Waurn Ponds, due to arrive at Lara Station at 9.36 am. This train stops to pick up passengers at Footscray (8.58 am.), Sunshine (9.03 am.), Deer Park ( 9.08 am.), and Tarneit ( 9.17 am.) 

If you wish to travel by car to Lara, the Lara Station Car Park is usually full early in the morning during midweek, and you may need to find a local side street to park.

One of my favourite winter circuit walks and I've included a Pub Lunch as a reward for a cold winters day walk. As I've shortened the walk to just the most picturesque section we will be finished in plenty of time so just bring your morning tea. We normally do a river crossing but that will depend on conditions so boots and poles highly recommended.

The walk follows the Werribee River to the Camping Ground where we have morning tea and view the remants of the old Spargo Creek Weather Station.This is where we are likely to cross the Werribee River but depends on the conditions,  If we can't cross then we go back on a different track while still following the river. 

Directions:

Take the Western Hwy and exit at the Ballan Daylesford Road and head towards Daylesford. Approx 9ks down the road, turn right into Bunding-Blakeville Road and keep driving till you come to a lovely little picnic area and park there. Note there are NO toilets at either picnic ground.

NOTE: The turnoff into Bunding-Blakeville Rd is an unsealed good quality (at least last time it was) but its easily missed from the main road as its just before a bend. 

LUNCH: Will be at the Commercial Hotel at 151 Inglis Street, Ballan - Please add in the comments section when you register if you are coming for lunch as I need to confirm our numbers.

Trawool Reservoir was built in the 1890's as a water storage dam, for the nearby town of Seymour and for the railway in the Goulburn Valley below it. It is no longer used, but remains as a tranquil location perched on the Northern edge of the Tallartook State Forest, a granite plateau area near Tallarook.

This walk starts from Freeman's Camp, a picnic/camping area in the Tallarook State Forest. From there, we head North, initially level/undulating, then descending steeply to the reservoir. Heading back South from the reservoir we initially follow Falls Creek through delightful mixed forest, then climb back up to plateau level, mostly on the aptly named "Steep Track". 

Just over 16km all up, can be muddy. All on (mostly closed) 4WD tracks.

To get to Freeman's Camp. Take Hume Freeway until beyond Broadford, then look for Ennis Road on the right (just over 5km past the weighbridge near Broadford). Follow Ennis Road (changes its name to Main Rd once in the State Forest, but keep following it) for 12km. Freeman's Rd (signposted) is on the left, Freeman's Camp is near the corner. There is a car-park and toilets there.

Coffee in Broadford after the walk.

This is  a circuit walk, we start at Beasleys Nursery and follow the mullum Mullum Trail then detour to the Hill Climb(NB this short steep climb) this was one of Australia's and the world's oldest motor sport venues. The course was960metres in length. Built in 1951 by the Victorian Sporting Car club. We then go along a track which follows the Yarra River. Past the first Homestead in the area and rejoin the Mullum Creek Trail and walk past Pettys Orchard walk to Leinster Farm for Lunch. Return back along the Mullum Mullum track.

An easy medium walk from Vaughan Springs southwards, on and off the Goldfields Track, exploring 19th century gold mining sites including the remains of a Chinese store, the Tubal Cain mine and puddling machines.

Much of the walking is off formed tracks and along and across deep gullies so walking poles are recommended.  Solid boots are necessary.

The meeting place at Vaughan Springs has the only toilets we will see all day.

Mt Disappointment State Forest covers a large area to the East of Wallan, and South of Strath Creek. The northern edge of the plateau is a steep escarpment, and the local creeks and gullies often descend in waterfalls - Strath Creek Falls is the best known, but this walk doesn't go there - you can drive there and look from the lookout.

This walk will visit Tunnel Falls (in Tunnel Creek), along with Diggers Falls and Margaret Falls (along two separate branches of Diggers Gully). It's a Hard walk - not particularly onerous physically (the distance is less than 8 km) but almost entirely off track, often along creek beds with some rock scrambling, and with some very steep slopes - up, down and sideways.

Car-pooling available from Airport West.

To drive to the start yourself, the meeting point is at the junction of Falls Rd and Mcmahon's Rd, both of which are to the South of the town of Strath Creek. Park just off the side of the road; from the meeting point there'll be a short (car-sharing) drive to the actual start point, which only has room for two or perhaps three cars.

Coffee available after the walk at "The General" in Strath Creek, which stocks just about everything except ferrets - they're on sale across the road.

NOTE: If there's significant rainfall in the area in the week before the walk, or any rain, other than perhaps a light shower, forecast on the day, this walk will be cancelled - check your e-mail on Friday evening.

The Back Paddock( Bandicoot Enclosure) is once again open, after a recent lockdown for Mamagement Purposes. This walk will take walkers through the Back Padock and along that part of the new fenceline that had to be left out of the recent New Enclosure Perimeter Walk due to rhe lockdown.

The walk will include some easy off track walking , both inside and outside the Back Paddock.

Refreshments and toilets will be available at the Homestead.

If Parks Victoria spring a last minute lockdown of the Back Paddock, Plan B will be used. This will be a walk around the outside of the Back Paddock, and will include some tracks and areas unused before.