Hike at a glance

12,814

Quick overview: Discover the rugged beauty of Cathedral Range State Park on the 15km Cathedral Range Northern Circuit, a Grade 4 hike that starts and ends at Cooks Mill Camp Ground. Located in Victoria, just a short drive from Taggerty and 125km from Melbourne, this hike takes you past notable landmarks like South Jawbone Peak, North Jawbone Peak, and Little Cathedral Peak. Expect breathtaking panoramas of sprawling forests and farmland. Remember to pack water, sunscreen, and your camera to capture the stunning views.

Hike length

15km

Average duration

7 hrs

Trail Difficulty

Grade 4 (Hard)

Hike Type

Circuit

Technical details

Max elevation: 829m
Min elevation: 325m
Total Ascent: 822m

Start: Cooks Mill Camp Ground

End: Cooks Mill Camp Ground

Location: Cathedral Range State Park

State: Victoria

Nearest town: Taggerty

State capital distance: 125km

Latitude: -37.37947930738363

Longitude: 145.76089382171634

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 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.

Hike details

Difficulty

Planning

Safety

Getting there

The region

Nearby hikes

Weather

Trail details

The Cathedral Range is a special place that has a lot to offer hikers, but it should not be underestimated. The terrain is dominated by rocky ridges and outcrops, requiring navigation of steep climbs, uneven surfaces, and potentially slippery sections. Weather conditions can shift rapidly, so trekkers must be prepared for all possibilities.

Hike summary

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.

Additional Information:

Camping in the Cathedral Range State Park

Cathedral Range State Park offers several camping options to suit different preferences.

Cooks Mill campground provides a scenic riverside location with shade and a variety of sites suitable for tents, campervans, and a limited number of caravans. Amenities include pit toilets, fireplaces, picnic tables, and shelters.

For a more secluded experience, Neds Gully campground is accessible by a short walk across a swing bridge. This campground is limited to tents only and offers basic amenities like pit toilets and fireplaces.

The Farmyard, designed for experienced hikers, provides a remote overnight camping option directly on the range. This location is accessible only on foot and has no facilities. Campers must bring their own drinking water, gas stove for cooking, and firewood (purchased from nearby towns as collecting firewood within the park is prohibited).

Regardless of your chosen campsite, remember to book online in advance for Neds Gully and Cooks Mill (bookings can be made through parks.vic.gov.au or by calling 13 1963). Specific campsites cannot be reserved, so selection happens upon arrival. Additionally, bring your own cooking plates and drinking water for all locations. Campfires are only permitted in designated fireplaces using purchased firewood, not collected from the park.

Track difficulty

Grade 4 (hard) badge

Grade 4 (Hard)

Steep, rough, and demanding
These are challenging walks suited to experienced hikers. Expect sustained climbs, rough and uneven terrain, and longer distances.

Tracks may be less defined, and signage can be limited, so navigation awareness is important. These walks require good fitness, confidence on difficult terrain, and the ability to manage fatigue over time.

Safety note: Fatigue, poor navigation, or a sudden weather change can turn a hard walk into a serious situation.

Planning essentials

Practical Information:

The Cathedral Range should not be underestimated.
The terrain is dominated by rocky ridges and outcrops, requiring navigation of steep climbs, uneven surfaces, and potentially slippery sections.
Weather conditions can shift rapidly, so walkers must be prepared for all possibilities.
Be aware that many trails are steep and rocky, and can become slippery after rain or in misty weather.
Only attempt to summit Sugarloaf Peak if you are comfortable with heights and exposed sections requiring scrambling.
Follow the orange trail markers provided in designated areas.
Plan for slower progress due to the rugged terrain. Expect to cover 1.5-2km per hour in some sections.
Hiking poles are highly recommended for certain sections of the trails.
Let someone know where you are hiking and when you expect to return.

Trail Features:

Alpine Region
Scenic Viewpoints
Exposed Ledges
Rock Scrambling
Steep Terrain
Overnight Campsites

Map and GPX file

Cathedral Range: Northern Circuit Hike (15km)

Total distance: 14855 m
Max elevation: 829 m
Min elevation: 325 m
Total climbing: 822 m
Total descent: -822 m

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

Safety and preparation

Planning this hike?

Small oversights can compound quickly in Australian conditions. See how it happens in the Interactive Safety Scenarios. Then refer to the Hiking Safety Systems, planning calculators, and make sure a trusted contact has your trip plan before heading out.

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 →

Planning something more serious? The comprehensive trip intentions form is designed for remote, overnight, and off-track trips where your emergency contact needs more detail. Register your advanced plans here →

Free checklists

Download the 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.

Getting there

Cathedral Range State Park

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.

Need a rental car to get you to the hike? Find one here →

Get there with Google Maps

Access Conditions:

2WD Access
Gravel Road
Large Car Park
Public Toilets
Picnic Table
Campfire Pit
Camping Area

Accommodation nearby

Find hotels, cabins, and campgrounds near the trailhead. Click the button below to open an interactive map automatically centred on this hike's location — no searching required.

Find Accommodation

Or browse accommodation in nearby towns: Acheron, Buxton, Eildon, Marysville, Narbethong, Taggerty, Thornton, Yarra Glen

Discover more

About the region

Cathedral Range State Park boasts a dramatic landscape with jagged ridges offering stunning views and hiking trails. Hikers of all levels can explore the park's amazing and rugged beauty. The Friends Nature Trail provides a gentle introduction for families, while experienced walkers can traverse the challenging Razorback or longer circuit routes. All trails reward hikers with breathtaking views of the surrounding forests and valleys.

Camping allows visitors to experience the park under the starry night sky, sharing the environment with native wildlife like kangaroos and lyrebirds. Cooks Mill campground offers historical charm, while The Farmyard provides a secluded escape accessible only by foot.

Beyond hiking, the park caters to rock climbing enthusiasts. The Boulders offer a perfect training ground for beginners, whereas Sugarloaf Saddle and North Jawbone present a steeper challenge. Sugarloaf Saddle also boasts a stand of Mountain Ash, one of the world's tallest flowering trees, with some specimens reaching an astonishing 90 meters.

The Cathedral Range's rugged beauty demands respect. Hikers should be aware of the prevalent rocky terrain with steep climbs, uneven surfaces, and potential for slippery conditions. Weather changes rapidly, so be prepared for all possibilities.

The park holds significance for the Taungurung Traditional Owners, and their ongoing connection to this land is acknowledged and respected.

Explore nearby hikes

Photo gallery

Cathedral range northern circuit hike 39

Cathedral range northern circuit hike 10

Cathedral range northern circuit hike 36

Cathedral range northern circuit hike 34

Cathedral range northern circuit hike 16

Cathedral range northern circuit hike 22

Cathedral range northern circuit hike 13

Cathedral range northern circuit hike 19

Cathedral range northern circuit hike 25

Cathedral range northern circuit hike 14

Cathedral range northern circuit hike 41

Weather on the trail

Cathedral Range State Park

The map below shows the rain forecast for the trail area. Tap the toggle in the top right corner to explore other layers including wind, temperature, UV index, thunderstorms, fire danger, and weather warnings — all useful for planning a safe hike.

Trail Reviews

4 Reviews on “Cathedral Range: Northern Circuit Hike (15km)”

Overall rating

david bob

Did this today. I still prefer the southern circuit. Northern circuit was overgrown with very prickly bushes and I got scraped up pretty bad on them. The GPX file was very helpful (thank you!). As someone else mentioned, it’s all marked as grade 5 now. Although I think the southern circuit is a bit harder with more scrambling.
This hike is very long. It took me 6 hours with all the side trips and I was running some of the flat sections.

19/02/2025, 19:20

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1. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  Thanks heaps for the update Chris. I prefer the Southern Circuit too. Much more scenic, without all the scrub to make your way through. Can I ask if you are meaning this walk is now also signed as Grade 5? If so, I will update the hike info here. It is a long one, hope you enjoyed it though.
  
  19/02/2025, 21:29
  
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Joanna MItchell

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.

24/03/2022, 05:23

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Norby Boss

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?

24/03/2022, 05:23

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Venetia Stewart

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!

24/03/2022, 05:23

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John Jore

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.

24/03/2022, 05:23

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1. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  I don’t this those sections relate to this walk. That’s the Southern Circuit you are referring to.
  
  19/02/2023, 21:30
  
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Acknowledgement of Country

Cathedral range: northern circuit hike (15km) 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 modified:

February 25, 2025

Hike at a glance

Technical details

Trail details

Hike summary

Camping in the Cathedral Range State Park

Track difficulty

Grade 4 (Hard)

Planning essentials

Map and GPX file

Safety and preparation

Planning this hike?

Let someone know

Free checklists

Getting there

Accommodation nearby

Discover more

About the region

Explore nearby hikes

Cathedral Range Ridgeline Circuit Hike (18km)

Cathedral Range: North & South Jawbone Peaks (7.5km)

Cathedral Range: Southern Circuit Hike (11km)

Cathedral Range: Cathedral & Jawbones Hike (13km)

Photo gallery

Weather on the trail

Trail Reviews

4 Reviews on “Cathedral Range: Northern Circuit Hike (15km)”

Leave a Review. Cancel reply

Notice something different about this trail?

Acknowledgement of Country

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia

Last modified:

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