Cathedral Range Northern Circuit is a 15km, grade 4 hike located in the Cathedral Range State Park, Victoria. The hike should take around 6 hrs to complete.
Hike overview
The Cathedral Range is a spectacular seven kilometre ridge of sharply upturned sedimentary rock, offering a variety of walking tracks that cater to hikers of all skill levels. Get ready for an unforgettable journey to the park's crown jewels, the peaks that offer breathtaking panoramas of forests and farmland sprawled across the valley below.
The Cathedral Range Northern Circuit unveils the northern expanse of the range, taking you past South Jawbone Peak, North Jawbone Peak (an optional side trip), The Farmyard, Little Cathedral Peak, Neds Peak, and Neds Gully.
Your adventure begins at Cooks Mill, where you'll head west along the well-maintained Cerberus Road. Shortly, you'll encounter Saint Bernards Track to your right. Follow this trail to its end, reaching the Jawbone Car Park. From the car park, ascend the Jawbone Creek Track, navigating a long flight of rock steps that lead to The Farmyard. If you're seeking exceptional views across the Cathedral Range and the valley below, consider a quick detour up the South Jawbone Track to South Jawbone Peak.
Retrace your steps and continue northbound along the Farmyard Track. After approximately 700 meters, you'll come across the North Jawbone Track on your right, offering an alternative side trip to North Jawbone Peak. Proceed northwards, tracing the ridge line that guides you all the way to The Cathedral Summit and beyond to Cathedral North and Little Cathedral Peak, marking the end of the range.
From the pinnacle of Little Cathedral Peak, retrace your steps until you encounter a signpost indicating the Little Cathedral Track. Descend along this track into Neds Gully, venturing towards the Neds Gully camping area. Just before reaching the camping area, you'll find the Little River Track branching off to your right. From this point, it's a leisurely one-hour stroll through the forest, leading you back to Cooks Mill and the starting point of your exhilarating hike.
Cooks Mill Camping Area
Nestled amidst the picturesque Cathedral Range State Park, Cooks Mill Camping Area invites you to step back in time and experience the serenity of nature. Once the site of a bustling sawmill in the 1940s and 1950s, the campground now offers a tranquil escape amidst towering manna gum trees.
Explore the nearby Heritage Site and immerse yourself in the rich history of the area. Embark on a leisurely stroll along the Friends Nature Trail or the Little River Walk, and keep your eyes peeled for koalas snoozing lazily in the branches above.
As you arrive at the campground, select your campsite from a spacious selection of unallocated sites. Pitch your tent or park your campervan, camper trailer, or caravan, and prepare to embrace the rustic charm of this secluded haven.
Advanced bookings and payment are required year-round to secure your spot. Upon arrival, the campground's amenities, including non-flush toilets, picnic tables, communal fireplaces, and a shelter, will cater to your every need.
Let the gentle sounds of nature lull you to sleep under a canopy of stars. Discover the tranquility of Cooks Mill Camping Area and create unforgettable memories in the heart of the Cathedral Range State Park.
Route and GPX file
Max elevation: 829 m
Min elevation: 325 m
Total climbing: 822 m
Total descent: -822 m
Trail features
- Rough Trail
- Alpine Region
- Exposed Ledges
- Rock Scrambling
- Steep Terrain
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Overnight Campsites
Tips
Many of the trails are steep and rocky and can become slippery following rain or misty weather. Orange trail markers have been provided in places. Generally rugged terrain will result in slower progress times. Allow 1.5-2km per hour in places.
Trail location
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Getting there
Cathedral Range State Park is 2 hrs 15 min from the Melbourne CBD. From Melbourne follow the Maroondah Highway to Buxton. Continue past Buxton for 9.5km and turn right into Cathedral Lane to find the park entrance 2.5km on your right. Continue past Neds Gully and Cooks Mill Camping Area is located at the start of Lowerson Track off Little River Road just before it crosses the river.
Access conditions
- 2WD Access
- Gravel Road
- Large Car Park
- Public Toilets
- Picnic Table
- Campfire Pit
- Camping Area
About the region
The jagged ridges of the Cathedral Range offer spectacular views and some of the best hiking in the state. Take a gentle walk along the Friends Nature Trail or prepare to tackle the rugged and challenging Razorback Trail or circuit routes. Either way you won't forget the awesome views. The Cathedral Range is a spectacular seven kilometre ridge of sharply upturned sedimentary rock.
A variety of walking tracks ranging in difficulty from easy to challenging offer the opportunity to explore the park’s main features and climb the peaks to enjoy views of the forests and farmland in the valley below. Rock climbing, fishing and camping are other popular activities that can be enjoyed in this park. Advance bookings and payment for camping are required year round.
Similar trails nearby
Explore Safe
While planning your hike, it’s important to check official government sources for updated information, temporary closures and trail access requirements. Before hitting the trail, check local weather and bushfire advice for planned burns and bushfire warnings and let someone know before you go. Plan ahead and hike safely.
Let someone know
Adventure with peace of mind: Fill out your trip intentions form. Before you hit the trail, fill out an online form to privately send important details about your hike to your family or friends. If you don’t return on time, they can easily alert emergency services, preventing worry and ensuring a swift response. Hike with peace of mind and enjoy your outdoor adventure to the fullest. Be smart, be safe: Register your plans here.
Gear to consider
My free planning, food and packing checklists provide an introduction to things your could consider (as well as the Ten Essentials) on your day, overnight and multi-day adventures. Customise your kit according to your personal needs, always considering safety first.Â
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Acknowledgement of Country
Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations people of other communities who may be here today.
3 Reviews on “Cathedral Range: Northern Circuit Hike (15km)”
We did this hike earlier this week – great time of year for it, with so many flowers in bloom which gave colour to the already amazing views. The lyrebirds were in full song in the area above Jawbone carpark, and easy to see/watch. Sadly a lot of garbage in the woods from recent campers at the Farmyard. ?
Excellent trail description, thanks so much for putting this together, your site really helps to find and choose between hikes. I also downloadwd the GPX file into the Trails app, which worked very well for us. Interestingly the Trails app logged our distance as 20.8km in total.
Just finished off this track with a few side trips- Northern Circuit with side hikes to Sourthern- Northern Jawbone Peaks, the Cathedral Peak, Northern Cathedral peak, Little Cathedral Peak and Neds Gully. According to fitbit 18.5km. More than 25000 steps and almost 200 floors climbed. Thank you for the above track suggestion. Followed it almost to the dot and we completed the track in just over 8 hours with our 9 year old son. Sore but proud son?
Just finished this with my 7 year old including a night at The Farmyard. Really helpful GPX, absolutely spot on for us. If anyone with little kids is interested, we started at Cooks Mill as this meant a short sharp uphill followed by time to enjoy The Farmyard and side trips, and then we were already at higher elevation for day 2s longer, more technical walk along the ridge. We were delighted to observe Lyrebird couples in the bushland between the Farmyard and start of the ridge. Sadly, we also observed a lot of weeds and dandelions too. No rubbish though!
Please note that from Cathedral peak, all the way to Sugarloaf, and both Wells Cave and Canyon track are now all Grade 5 on the signs.