Dry Diggings and Porcupine Ridge is a 16.4km, grade 3 hike located in Hepburn Regional Park, Victoria. The hike should take around 5 hours to complete.
Hike overview
The Dry Diggings and Porcupine Ridge circuit commences at the junction of Midland Highway and Sawpit Gully Road. Follow the Great Dividing Trail signs initially north and then swinging west for 1 km to where it crosses the Midland Highway opposite the Chocolate Mill. The track turns south outside the left-hand gate of the car park. Follow the Great Dividing Trail signs passing steep gullies formed by severe erosion from sluicing. At the junction of Mannings Road there is a good spot for a break with views north to Mount Franklin. Turn right and walk south along the unmade road to the junction with the Back Hepburn Rd. Cross with care and walk into the Hepburn Regional Park at the park sign.
Continue south along a disused track to the Midland Highway. Cross with care and continue south off-track along the fence line through rough ground to the junction of Richardsons Road. Turn left and walk east for 1 km along this unmade road passing small farms with varied agricultural land use. Turn left (north) into Scotts Lane and walk along the lane through open forest. Walk steeply up to the junction with Porcupine Ridge Road and admire the sculptured mail boxes at the corner.
Turn left (north) and walk along the rough ground beside the property fence line, thus avoiding the roadside. Cross at the junction with Pine Court and walk along the road on the verge. Continue along the ridgeline to a great viewpoint overlooking the surrounding countryside for a lunch break. After lunch, continue along Porcupine Ridge Road to where it forks. Take the left fork marked Leslies Road which is an unsealed rough gravel lane. A very steep rough descent follows for 1.7 km down to a ford over Middleton Creek. Gradually ascend to the junction of Sawpit Gully Road. Turn left (south) and follow this road past small farm holdings and a quaint miner's cottage and orchard back to the cars.
Route and GPX file
Max elevation: 586 m
Min elevation: 443 m
Total climbing: 295 m
Total descent: -296 m
Trail location
Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again.
Sorry, unable to load the Maps API.
Getting there
From Melbourne head west via the M1, M80 and the Western Freeway/Highway (M8) and take the C141 exit, turning north to Daylesford. From Daylesford, drive via Howe and Raglan Streets and continue on the Midland Highway (A300) for about 8.5 km to the junction with Sawpit Gully Road on the right. At this junction there are several letterboxes in a long row where there is ample off-road parking for the start of the hike.
Gallery
If you have any photos from this hike and are happy to share them, please upload your .jpg files here.
Please note: Uploading photos does not transfer ownership of copyright away from you. If requested, you will be credited for any photos you provide and can ask they be deleted at any time.
About the region
Hepburn Regional Park nestles around the famous mineral springs townships of Daylesford, Hepburn and Hepburn Springs. Rich with natural springs and relics from the gold mining era, the park abounds with opportunities for bushwalking, mountain bike and horse riding, picnicking and nature study. Mount Franklin is a small volcanic crater with basic camping set amid exotic trees.
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.
Suggest an edit
Does this hikes information need updating? Sometimes the route, trail features or access conditions change.
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 “Dry Diggings & Porcupine Ridge Hike (16.4km)”
Give this trek a miss, and definitely don’t bother on foot. Quite a dull 4 hour walk with very few views. The entire second half of the walk is on dirt roads with no real atmosphere.
The “sculptured†mailboxes are just generic rickety old mailboxes, and there’s nowhere to properly stop for lunch as the entire second half of the walk is along roads (so you can sit directly on the side of the road and that’s about it).
If you’re lucky, the first half of the walk could surprise you with Echidnas (we spotted 3).