Fiery Loop is a 3.2km, grade 3 circuit hike located in Mount Cole State Forest, Victoria. The hike should take around 1 hour to complete.
Hike overview
Starting from the Raglan-Elmhurst Road, the Fiery Loop walk runs alongside the Cave Hill Creek Education Centre for the first 0.5km before joining the loop of the walk passing through mixed species eucalypt forest carpeted with bracken, skirting Cave Hill Creek and Fiery Creek. The area is alive with birdsong and you may also see the occasional black tailed wallaby.
Route and GPX file
Max elevation: 456 m
Min elevation: 424 m
Total climbing: 66 m
Total descent: -66 m
Trail location
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Getting there
From Beaufort, drive north towards Raglan on the Main Lead Road which turns into the Raglan-Elmhurst Road. After 19.7km (just 0.2km past the Cave Hill Creek Turnoff) pull off the main road to the start of the Management Vehicle Only Track where the walk commences. Ensure you park your car off the track to avoid blocking access for management vehicles.
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About the region
Mount Cole is a great place to getaway from it all. Camp the night at one of the many campgrounds in the parks and stroll after dark to spotlight the forest night life. Mt Cole State Forest is located one hours drive west of Ballarat, just off the Western Highway, 25 kilometres from the township of Beaufort and marks the gateway to the Grampians.
Mount Cole or Bereep-bereep' was home to the Beeripmo balug tribe that form part of the larger Djab Wurrung language-speaking people. Through translation of the local language we can get a feel for these people and what they saw, Bereep-bereep' meaning wild, and Beeripmo translating to wild mount. Following Major Mitchell's 1836 expedition, settlers quickly moved into the area. Timber harvesting with axe and cross cut saw began during the mid 1840's.
In 1856 the use of steam powered mills commenced. By 1889, demand from the goldfield towns for building materials, firewood and railway sleepers led to thirty mills operating within the region until 1904. The Forests Commission was established in 1918 and soon after Mount Cole State Forest was closed for timber harvesting. Timber harvesting was reopened in a managed structure from 1947, by the Forests Commission. In the 2000's timber harvesting was significantly scaled back and is largely a by-product of land management activities.
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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.