The Lerderderg State Park is rugged and remote with limited directional signage. You should be prepared for all conditions and have suitable navigation experience (not just a phone app) before venturing beyond the main picnic/parking areas or Grahams Dam. Many rescues have occurred in this park that could have been avoided.
The East Walk to Mine Camp is a 13-kilometre return hike in Lerderderg State Park, Victoria, offering a rewarding mix of natural beauty, historical interest, and family-friendly adventure. Graded as a level 3 walk, it typically takes around four hours to complete, making it an ideal day out or a gentle overnight option, particularly suited to families with children. The relatively flat terrain and the inviting riverside campsite at Mine Camp add to its appeal as a relaxed yet engaging introduction to overnight hiking.
The trail begins at O’Briens Crossing, where you cross the shallow ford and pick up the clearly marked East Walk. From here, the track follows the east bank of the Lerderderg River, winding through sections of open forest and dense undergrowth. There are areas where the path narrows or has been affected by past flooding, so you’ll want to watch your footing as you pick your way through scattered debris. At times, the trail edges close to the river, particularly in places where erosion has taken its toll, and care is needed when water levels are high.
Along the way, the walk passes relics of the area’s gold mining past. Keep an eye out for old diggings, remnants of water races, mullock heaps, and the occasional collapsed tunnel entrance—all reminders of the region’s bustling mining days in the late 1800s. These historic features are slowly being reclaimed by nature, adding a sense of quiet intrigue to the journey.
Mine Camp itself is a wide, flat clearing near the river, opposite Nolan Track. It's a great place to pause for lunch, take in the sounds of the bush, or set up camp for the night. The open space makes it easy for families to spread out and relax, and the proximity to the river means there's often the gentle sound of flowing water in the background. After an overnight stay, simply retrace your steps along the East Walk to return to O’Briens Crossing.
Whether you're introducing the kids to their first overnight hike or simply looking for a quieter track through a part of the park that feels a little off the beaten path, the East Walk to Mine Camp offers a rewarding experience, rich with nature, history, and space to slow down.
- At times of high river levels short sections of the East Walk along the river might become inundated.
- This track is also narrow in places, with some sections of instability.
Please don’t copy GPX files or content from this site to AllTrails or other platforms. Each trail has been personally mapped, documented, and refined to support Australia’s bushwalking and hiking community. While some details come from land managers, every listing reflects significant personal effort. This is a free, community-driven initiative—your respect helps keep it that way.
Total distance: 13361 m
Max elevation: 466 m
Min elevation: 401 m
Total climbing: 479 m
Total descent: -479 m
Getting to the trailhead: Lerderderg State Park.
Drive to Blackwood on the Western Highway via Melton and Bacchus Marsh, taking the Greendale-Myrninong Rd turn-off from the highway and then the Greendale-Trentham Rd to approximately 2km south of Blackwood and turn into O’Briens Road. Follow O’Briens Road east for approximately 5.5km to O’Briens Crossing. The walk starts and finishes from this point. Parking is available on the west bank of the river.
Closest towns to this walk: Bacchus Marsh, Ballan, Blackwood, Bullengarook, Coimadai, Darley, Daylesford, Gisborne, Kyneton, Macarthur, Macedon, Maddingley, Melton, Myrniong, Sunbury, Trentham, Woodend
- 2WD Access
- Gravel Road
- Winding Road
- Small Car Park
- Accessible Toilet
- Public Toilets
- Untreated Water
- Picnic Shelter
- Picnic Table
Rising in the Great Dividing Range, the Lerderderg River has cut a 300 metre deep gorge through sandstone and slate, almost bisecting the park. The park has a wide variety of vegetation and wildlife and some interesting relics of gold mining. Lerderderg State Park encompasses scenic and geological gorge formations surrounding the Lerderderg River as well as the volcanic cone of Mount Blackwood. The adjacent and separate block called the Pyrete Range forms part of the park. The Lerderderg is known for its remote setting and the 300m deep Lerderderg River gorge is a dominant feature. Private land abuts the park to the south and the Wombat State forest abuts to the north and west.
Lerderderg State Park (incorporating the former Pyrete State Forest) is a 14,250-hectare park located between Bacchus Marsh and Blackwood, an hour's drive from Melbourne, Australia. There are several maintained tracks for walking through the park and camping is allowed.
The park is named for the Lerderderg River which has cut the 300 metre deep Lerderderg Gorge through sandstone and slate, almost bisecting the park. Parks Victoria maintains six designated walks: three short walks of 3.5 km or less; Blackwood-O'Briens Crossing and return (22 km); O'Briens Crossing-Cowan Track loop (14 km); and the overnight walk O'Briens Crossing to Mackenzies Flat (20 km).
In addition, one leg of the Great Dividing Trail, the Lerderderg Track, passes through the park, entering from Blackwood in the park's northwest, and exiting south towards Bacchus Marsh. Bicycles are prohibited from one section of this track, due to a conservation area.
Looking for more walks in or near Lerderderg State Park? Try these trails with a similar difficulty grade.
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Grade 3 (Moderate) - Walks for Most Fitness Levels: Grade 3 on the
AWTGS represents moderate walking tracks. These are ideal for walkers with some fitness who are comfortable with some hills and uneven terrain. While suitable for most ages, some bushwalking experience is recommended to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Tracks may have short, steep hill sections, a rough surface, and many steps. The total distance of a Grade 3 walk can be up to 20 kilometers.
Plan ahead and hike safely! Carry enough water, pack layers for changing conditions, and bring safety gear like a torch, PLB, and reliable communication device. Check official sources for trail updates, closures, and access requirements, and review local weather and bushfire advice. Most importantly, share your plans with someone before you go. Being prepared makes for a safer and more enjoyable hike! Stay Safe, Explore More, and Always #ExploreSafe.
What you carry in your pack depends on factors like weather, terrain, and your adventure type. Not sure what to bring? My free planning, food, and packing checklists are a great starting point, covering day hikes, overnight trips, and multi-day adventures. Use them to customise your kit and always prioritise safety.
Before heading out, take a moment to fill out your trip intentions form. It’s a quick way to share your hike details with family or friends. If something goes wrong, they can notify emergency services, ensuring a faster response and peace of mind. Stay safe and enjoy your adventure
Spotted a change on this trail? Maybe there are new features, the route has shifted, or the trail is permanently closed. Whatever the update, I’d love your input. Your feedback helps fellow hikers stay informed and ensures that our trail info stays fresh and reliable.
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7 Reviews on “East Walk to Mine Camp Hike (13km)”
Did this hike yesterday, having done it 12 months ago with dogs, there is a new sign that says no dogs. Given this is state forest, not sure on why this is up?
Kids update!! Just hiked this on 14-15 November as an overnight with kids. The second half in particular is quite overgrown with quite a few narrow sections and path broken away. No problem for the average adult hiker but watch this with kids. Just after the section marked (disused site), and before you’d cross the river to Mine Camp, there is a decent sized land slide (fallen tree) with a very very narrow make-shift path with dry-ish earth that I would only navigate if you are very confident with your pack and on your feet. We ended up turning around and trying to find a camp which is practically impossible because of the rocky river bed. I’d also say the 2.25 hours indicated on the Lerdi map is for a relatively speedy adult, i.e. not the usual “relaxed” timing I find on some maps. Absolutely beautiful though, plenty of water in the river and just stunning.
The water is flowing in the river at this point in time from the rainfall which is great. I turned this into an overnight walk staying at the campsite near the end of the trail. The track is fairly straight forward, a few points where there are wash outs and fallen trees are a little tricky with a large backpack on but walking poles proved useful for these sections. There is a point on the trail where it turns into a goat track up and around a cliff edge as the original trail has been washed away. This is quite demanding and care should be taken on this section. Slow and steady is an understatement. If doing the circuit back to obriens crossing via Cowens track, there is a long steep section but doable. With many breathing stops 😉
Plenty of water should be taken if doing this as a day walk, Would suggest no less than 2ltrs per person. Pref 3 Ltrs.
Loved doing this hike with my boys. Such a great intro to an overnight pack carry for them
Hiked in with my two boys aged 13 (seasoned pro) and 10 (first Hike) this weekend. We saw 3 goats at the camp-site which was pretty special. Had the camp all to ourselves. Easy to find the way with the direction. A bit tricky in places, but nothing we couldn’t handle. Good distance. Took us 3hrs 15 min on way in but only 2hrs 30 min on way out. Go figure!! Great hike would do it again for sure.
It is a fantastic hike, especially with the kids. My boys loved it and spent a lot of time exploring around Mine Camp.
Just completed this. Really nice time of year for it. The river is flowing well, making for a very scenic stroll.