East Walk - Mine Camp is a 13km, grade 3 hike located in the Lerderderg State Park, Victoria. The hike should take around 4 hrs to complete. Its also a great overnight hike for kids.
Warning
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.
Hike overview
This is a great overnight hike for the family as the terrain is relatively flat and Mine Camp offers a large open campsite close to the Lerderderg River. The East Walk - Mine Camp hike follows the Lerderderg River downstream from O'Briens Crossing through to Mine Camp. The trail, which initially hugs the Lerderderg River is rough and narrow in places and subject to flood damage.
From O'Briens Crossing cross the ford and locate the signposted East Walk. The track meanders and undulates downstream along the east bank of the river through a mixture of light forest, patches of gorse and a few sections of heavy flood damage where you will need to walk carefully across the debris. The track passes remnants of nineteenth century gold mining activity, including diggings, water races, mullock heaps and collapsed adits. At times the track traverses close to the water, and some caution is required at times of high river levels.
Mine Camp is an open, flat level area on the right, opposite Nolan Track and is a great spot for lunch before returning via the same route to O'Briens Crossing. This is also an excellent spot to camp if you are looking for a short overnight hike, especially with the kids.
Route and GPX file
Max elevation: 466 m
Min elevation: 401 m
Total climbing: 479 m
Total descent: -479 m
Trail features
- Gravel Path
- Rough Trail
- Trail Running
- Dog Friendly
- Rivers
- Goldfields & Mining
- Untreated Water
- Overnight Campsites
Tips
- 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.
Trail location
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Getting there
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.
Access conditions
- 2WD Access
- Gravel Road
- Winding Road
- Small Car Park
- Accessible Toilet
- Public Toilets
- Untreated Water
- Picnic Shelter
- Picnic Table
About the region
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.
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Gear to consider

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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.
0 Reviews on “East Walk - Mine Camp (13km)”
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.