Hike at a Glance

Quick overview: Immerse yourself in the natural beauty and history of Victoria with a moderate 13km return hike in Lerderderg State Park, starting and ending at O'Briens Crossing. Just a stone's throw from Blackwood and 91km from Melbourne, this trail meanders along the Lerderderg River, offering glimpses of 19th-century gold mining remnants amidst light forests and patches of gorse. Whether you're planning a family day trip or an easy overnight camping adventure at Mine Camp, remember to tread carefully on flood-damaged sections and stay alert near high river levels.

Length:

13km

Duration:

4 hrs

Grade:

Style:

Return

Max elevation: 466m

Min elevation: 401m

Total Ascent: 479m

Start: O'Briens Crossing

End: O'Briens Crossing

Lerderderg State Park

Victoria

Nearby town: Blackwood

From state capital: 91km

Latitude: -37.49616715

Longitude: 144.3610864877701

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Essential information

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

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.

Track grade

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.

Practical information

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.

Walk map and GPX file
East Walk to Mine Camp Hike (13km)

Total distance: 13361 m
Max elevation: 466 m
Min elevation: 401 m
Total climbing: 479 m
Total descent: -479 m

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

Explore safely

Planning this hike? Most incidents develop before you even start. Safe outcomes depend on how navigation, hydration, environment, load and judgement work together. Small oversights can compound quickly in Australian conditions. See how it happens in the Hiking Safety Systems Foundations. Then use the Hiking Safety Systems, planning calculators, and make sure a trusted contact has your trip plan before heading out.

Leave a trip plan

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.

Planning 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

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.

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

Get there with Google Maps

Access conditions

2WD Access
Gravel Road
Winding Road
Small Car Park
Accessible Toilet
Public Toilets
Untreated Water
Picnic Shelter
Picnic Table

Accommodation nearby

Find Accommodation

Find accommodation close to the trailhead including hotels, cabins, and campgrounds. Use the interactive map to explore available options in nearby towns.

Nearby towns: Bacchus Marsh, Ballan, Blackwood, Bullengarook, Coimadai, Darley, Daylesford, Gisborne, Kyneton, Macarthur, Macedon, Maddingley, Melton, Myrniong, Sunbury, Trentham, Woodend

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.

Similar walks nearby

Looking for more walks in or near Lerderderg State Park? Try these trails with a similar difficulty grade.

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Reviews
East Walk to Mine Camp Hike (13km)

7 Reviews on “East Walk to Mine Camp Hike (13km)”

Overall rating

David Clarke

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?

24/03/2022, 05:19

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Larisaa Barrows

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.

24/03/2022, 05:19

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Paul D

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.

24/03/2022, 05:19

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Darren Edwards

Loved doing this hike with my boys. Such a great intro to an overnight pack carry for them

24/03/2022, 05:19

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Scott Trevethan

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.

24/03/2022, 05:19

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1. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  It is a fantastic hike, especially with the kids. My boys loved it and spent a lot of time exploring around Mine Camp.
  
  21/08/2023, 20:29
  
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Acknowledgement of Country

East walk to mine camp hike (13km) 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:

April 8, 2025

Hike at a Glance

Essential information

Hike overview

Track grade

Practical information

Walk map and GPX file
East Walk to Mine Camp Hike (13km)

East Walk to Mine Camp Hike (13km)

Explore safely

Leave a trip plan

Planning checklists

Getting there

Access conditions

Accommodation nearby

About the region

Similar walks nearby

Blackwood Circuit Hike (22.6km)

Byers Back Track (12.5km)

O’Briens & Byers Circuit Hike (17.5km)

Lerderderg Heritage River & Whipstick Loop Hike (15km)

Gallery

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Reviews
East Walk to Mine Camp Hike (13km)

East Walk to Mine Camp Hike (13km)

7 Reviews on “East Walk to Mine Camp Hike (13km)”

Leave a Review. Cancel reply

Acknowledgement of Country

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia

Last modified:

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