Hike at a glance

4,116

Quick overview: The 9.6 km hike from Big Pats Creek to Starlings Gap winds through the Yarra State Forest, characterised by moderate terrain. Along the way, you'll encounter significant sawdust piles and views of Big Pats Creek. The trail includes sections where you may need to navigate around fallen trees. Plan for approximately 3.5 hours to complete this one-way hike.

Length

9.6km

Duration

3.5 hrs

Difficulty

Grade 3 (Moderate)

Trail type

One Way

Trail details

Max elevation: 789m
Min elevation: 217m
Total Ascent: 761m

Start: Big Pats Creek

End: Starlings Gap Campground

Location: Yarra State Forest

State: Victoria

Nearest town: Warburton

State capital distance: 75km

Latitude: -37.76376015259581

Longitude: 145.75311541776574

Check current conditions
Track conditions, access and closures can change quickly due to weather, fire, maintenance or safety concerns. Always check the relevant land manager’s website and conditions before you visit. Trail Hiking Australia does not provide real-time track and closure monitoring, and land managers remain the authoritative source for current alerts, closures and access restrictions.

About the trail

Difficulty

Route map

Preparation

Getting there

Photos

The region

Weather

About this trail

Route in detail

The Big Pats Creek to Starlings Gap hike is the beginning section of the Walk into History. It starts at Big Pats Creek and continues on a gradual uphill to Starlings Gap. The area is very lush and a delight to hike through.

Initially the track follows very closely Big Pats Creek, and there are some really lovely views of it along the way. The track will then climb gradually. Take time to admire the surroundings. At the time of writing there were a few fallen trees along the way. Nothing too difficult, but worth considering. After roughly 6km keep an eye out for a small opening to the right of the track. This leads to the top of a huge sawdust pile. It is more interesting than what it sounds! There are some great views from the top of it.

Continue back up the trail and at shortly after 9km mark there is another huge sawdust pile that is worth having a wander over. Again, it might not sound that interesting but it is worth a look. You'll then arrive back at the road at Starlings Gap.

Trail difficulty

Grade 3 (moderate) badge

Grade 3 (Moderate)

Moderate walks with some obstacles

Grade 3 walks may include short steep hills, formed tracks with some obstacles, rougher surfaces and many steps. Some bushwalking experience is recommended, and walkers may encounter natural hazards such as steep slopes, unstable surfaces or minor water crossings. Grade 3 walks are no longer than 20km.

Good to know: Not every Grade 3 characteristic will apply to every walk, so check the route description for the specific challenges of this hike.

Map and GPX file

Big Pats Creek to Starlings Gap Hike (9.6km)

Map of the route “Big Pats Creek to Starlings Gap Hike (9.6km)”: 9.64 km, 761 m of climbing and 196 m of descent, elevation between 217 m and 788 m. It starts at -37.76378, 145.75310 and ends at -37.81438, 145.80035 (latitude, longitude).

Total distance: 9.68 km
Max elevation: 789 m
Min elevation: 217 m
Total climbing: 761 m
Total descent: 196 m

GPX files, maps and content are copyright Trail Hiking Australia. Not to be copied, redistributed or uploaded to other platforms including AllTrails.

Preparation and safety

Trail tips

Leeches can be common here, so bring your favorite leech remedy/repellent.

Plan and prepare

Australian conditions can turn a small oversight into a serious situation faster than most walkers expect. For a half-day hike, that means sturdy footwear, enough water and snacks, sun protection and a warm layer in case the weather turns. The day hike planning guide walks you through it.

The Hiking Safety Systems and planning calculators help you understand and close the gaps before you leave home. The Interactive Safety Scenarios show how small gaps turn into real incidents. If you’re new to planning hikes, start with the hike preparation guide.

Download the free hiking preparation and safety checklists before leaving home to help you think through your plans. They help ensure important considerations are not overlooked and support safer decision-making on the trail.

Let someone know

Before you go, complete a trip intentions form and share it with a trusted contact. Agree on a Late-Back Time and ask them to call 000 (Police) if you have not checked in. A clear trip plan is one of the simplest and most effective safety steps you can take, and it only takes two minutes.

Let someone know your plans →

Heading somewhere remote, off-track or overnight? Use the comprehensive trip intentions form instead, as your emergency contact will need more detail. Register your trip plan here →

Getting there and where to stay

Directions

Note: You will need to arrange a car shuffle to get back from Starling Gap to Big Pats Creek after you have done the hike.

There are various ways to reach Starling Gap. One way is to go to Powelltown, then after approx 10km you will see the turnoff up Big Creek Road. Or you can travel via Warburton. Approx 10km after Warburton take the right to Riverside Dr and then left onto Big Pats Creek Rd. After a few km you'll reach the small settlement of Big Pats Creek. Shortly you will come to a bridge where there is a pullover to park where you can return to after leaving a car at Starlings Gap. Take the right immediately after the bridge, you will see the track start to your right just after the corner. After 1km you will pass the Big Pats Rec area carpark, you could start the track here as well, but you'll miss the first km. Continue up to Starlings Gap to park one car there and return back to Big Pats Creek.

Once back at Big Creek Road, follow the signs (some may be missing) to reach Starling Gap. This is roughly 11km from the junction.

Get there with Google Maps

Accommodation nearby

Search accommodation in nearby towns: Gembrook, Healesville, Marysville, Noojee, Seville, Warburton, Woori Yallock, Yarra Junction

Find somewhere to stay near the trailhead. Click the button below to open an interactive map automatically centred on this hike's location.

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Travel arrangements

Whether you are travelling from across Australia or exploring closer to home, these options can help you organise your journey to the trail and make the most of your visit.

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Photo gallery

Big Pats Creek to Starlings Gap Hike (9.6km)

Photos: Darren Edwards

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Explore the region

About the region

South of Warburton and around Powelltown, Yarra State Forest spreads across the wet foothills where the Yarra Valley gives way to the Central Highlands. This is a forest of steep gullies, creek flats and tall eucalypt slopes, with mountain ash dominating many areas and pockets of cool temperate rainforest surviving in the dampest folds. The contrast between towering ash forest and fern-dark creek lines gives this part of Victoria a distinctly deep-forest character, even though it sits within reach of Melbourne's outer east.

Water is a big part of what shapes the country here. The forested headwaters feeding Britannia Creek, the Little Yarra River and Hoddles Creek help link these uplands to the broader Yarra catchment, and some of those streams are noted for their strong riparian condition and good water quality. In practical terms, that means many walks in the area feel tied to running water, shaded gullies and dense vegetation rather than to open ridgelines or exposed peaks.

Yarra State Forest also carries the marks of a long timber history centred on settlements such as Powelltown, and that history still influences how the landscape is read today. Regenerating ash stands, old logging country and remnant giants all sit within the same broader setting. The Ada Tree, a mountain ash estimated to be more than 300 years old, survives as one of the best-known reminders of the scale these forests can reach when left to mature, rising 76 metres above the surrounding rainforest.

Wildlife values in and around the forest are significant, especially along waterways and in the wetter vegetation communities. Nearby planning documents for the Little Yarra and Britannia Creek corridors identify threatened species including Australian Grayling, Macquarie Perch and Tall Astelia, as well as platypus in local waterways. More recently, the end of native timber harvesting in Victorian state forests has become part of the region's story too, adding another layer to a landscape that is now understood as both a working forest legacy and an important block of the Central Highlands' remaining tall forest country.

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Weather on the trail

The map shows the rain forecast for the trail area. Use the toggle in the top right corner to switch layers, including wind, temperature, UV index, thunderstorms, fire danger and weather warnings. Windy is a forecast model, not an official warning service. Check the Bureau of Meteorology for current warnings before you go.

Trail reviews

8 Reviews on “Big Pats Creek to Starlings Gap Hike (9.6km)”

Overall rating

Julian Brown

Completed 29/12/2024
The section between Big Pats Creek campground and Burns road is marked as closed due to a tree that has fallen and crushed a small footbridge near the Big Pats Creek campground entrance. Due to the dry condiitons at the time the water level of the creek was low and the fallen tree and broken footbridge were easily stepped over.
The trail is quite wide for a lot of it but covered with heavy forest litter – careful you don’t trip on strips of bark! No snakes or leeches encountered.
A gentle gradient through some-what nice bush but no views. A relatively unremarkable hike.

29/12/2024, 06:13

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Marcus Boer

Asher Vander Reyden – full day 20km?

24/03/2022, 05:18

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1. Matt 0
  
  The comment about snakes being harmless is not a good one for those who don’t know Australian snakes, some of which have the potential to be deadly. Obviously mitigate your risk and avoid them.
  
  12/05/2021, 09:54
  
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2. Michael Dickson
  
  Is this hike not wheelchair friendly?
  
  24/03/2022, 05:18
  
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3. Cintia Ossab
  
  Looks like a great walk. Just wanting to check that this is ok to do as a return walk…? Any reasons not to?
  I’m trying to pick a good walk to do next week. Staying around the area overnight so looking for two seperate day hikes to do.
  Cheers
  
  24/03/2022, 05:18
  
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4. Michael Dickson
  
  Mad invite…
  
  24/03/2022, 05:18
  
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5. Marcus Boer
  
  Michael Dickson #legless
  
  24/03/2022, 05:18
  
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6. Asher Vander Reyden
  
  Michael what about using a stretcher?
  
  24/03/2022, 05:18
  
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7. Ayse Z (Addict Of Travel)
  
  My friend and I started this hike. About 1km in, I spotted a small snake (about 40cm). We thought it was a one-off. Then within 10m, there was a large brown snake on the trail. We decided to turn back as we assumed there would be more snakes…
  There were also loads of large spider webs as well.
  Just thought you should know…
  
  24/03/2022, 05:18
  
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8. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  Of course it would be. Simply turn around and walk back.
  
  24/03/2022, 05:18
  
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9. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  The joys of hiking in Australia. This time of year I would expect to find snakes on any hike. Australian sakes are deadly and should be avoided at all costs. The best policy is to leave them alone and wait for them to move on
  
  24/03/2022, 05:18
  
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10. Rhiannon Riches
  
  Vaughan Bowman
  
  24/03/2022, 05:18
  
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Acknowledgement of Country

Big pats creek to starlings gap hike (9. 6km) - trail hiking australia

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.

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia

Last checked:

August 12, 2026

Hike at a glance

Trail details

About this trail

Route in detail

Trail difficulty

Grade 3 (Moderate)

Map and GPX file

Preparation and safety

Trail tips

Plan and prepare

Let someone know

Getting there and where to stay

Directions

Accommodation nearby

Travel arrangements

Photo gallery

Explore the region

About the region

Discover activities

More hikes nearby

Richard’s Tramline Hike (22.6km)

La La Falls Walk (3.2km)

Californian Redwood Forest Walk (2km)

Backstairs Track – Little Joe Loop – Tramway Hike (12km)

Explore hikes by town

Weather on the trail

Trail reviews

8 Reviews on “Big Pats Creek to Starlings Gap Hike (9.6km)”

Leave a Review. Cancel reply

Notice something different about this trail?

Acknowledgement of Country

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia

Last checked:

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