Hike at a Glance
Max elevation: 415m
Min elevation: 297m
Total Ascent: 180m
Hike overview
Ingliston Gorge via Sloss Gully is a 4.5 km, grade 3 walk in Werribee Gorge State Park that typically takes around two hours to complete. It offers a rewarding mix of open woodland, elevated views, and a memorable creek walk through a narrow gorge, making it a great option for walkers looking for variety without committing to a full day hike.
The walk begins at the Ingliston Gorge car park, where you follow the vehicle management track for about 160 metres before locating the start of Sloss Gully on your left. From here, a narrow walking track descends gently through the gully, winding its way downhill through dry forest. After roughly 850 metres, the track turns west and climbs steadily to meet the management track along the gas pipeline easement.
Turning left, you follow the vehicle track for about 30 metres before picking up the signed Ingliston Gorge Walk on your left. The trail drops briefly into a gully and then climbs around the side of the hill to a small lookout. This lookout is shown on some maps as Falcons Lookout, although this appears to be a misnomer, as the named Falcons Lookout is located elsewhere within the park. Regardless of the name, the lookout provides wide views across the gorge and the surrounding plains.
From the lookout, the track continues to the highest point of the walk before descending along a series of spurs and shallow gullies toward Whitehorse Creek. This section gradually leads you down into the heart of Ingliston Gorge, where the landscape becomes more enclosed and shaded.
At the creek, you turn right and follow Whitehorse Creek upstream through the gorge. In dry conditions, many walkers find it easier to walk directly along the creek bed, as the footpad frequently crosses the water and can be faint in places. The gorge section is a highlight of the walk, with rocky walls, winding watercourses, and a strong sense of being tucked away from the open parkland above.
After about 1.2 kilometres in the gorge, a signpost marks the exit point from the creek. From here, the track climbs out via a gully with a few steeper sections, though the ascent is generally more gradual than the earlier descent into the gorge. The trail eventually rejoins the management track, which you follow along the fence line back to the Ingliston Gorge car park, completing the circuit.
This walk can be completed in either direction, but the route described offers a more gradual ascent out of Ingliston Gorge, which many walkers find more comfortable, particularly towards the end of the hike.
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
- The walk is marked with orange trail markers
- Once you enter the gorge the footpad becomes faint and informal in places as it follows the creek through the gorge.
- Following heavy rainfall, the gorge section may be more challenging as the route crosses Whitehorse Creek multiple times.
- Hiking poles are recommended, particularly for the descent.
Walk map and GPX file
Max elevation: 415 m
Min elevation: 307 m
Total climbing: 174 m
Total descent: -174 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: Werribee Gorge State Park.
From the centre of Bacchus Marsh, follow Grant Street south to Griffith Street. Turn west onto Griffith Street and continue through to Maddingley. Just before the golf course, turn right onto McCormacks Road and follow it uphill, crossing the bridge over the railway line. Immediately after the bridge, turn right onto Ironbark Road. Continue along Ironbark Road, passing the main Werribee Gorge State Park car park. Drive under the trestle bridge, then continue for around 1.5 km to the Ingliston Gorge trailhead on your left.
Need a rental car to get you to the hike? Find one here.
Accommodation nearby
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, Geelong, Gellibrand Hill, Gisborne, Gordon, Greendale, Hoppers Crossing, Little River, Melton, Myrniong, Point Cook, Toolern Vale, Werribee
About the region
Werribee Gorge State Park sits within an Aboriginal cultural landscape that forms part of the traditional Country of the Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Peoples. Traditional Owners maintain a deep and enduring connection to this land and its waterways, and their ongoing role in caring for Country is acknowledged and respected.
The park is defined by rugged terrain shaped over hundreds of millions of years, where steep rocky ridges fall away into a narrow, river carved gorge. This long geological history is visible in the exposed rock faces, winding river corridors, and elevated viewpoints that give the park its raw and untamed character.
A network of walks ranges from short, accessible outings to more demanding routes that follow the river and traverse the surrounding ridgelines. Many tracks are steep, uneven, and exposed, rewarding prepared walkers with expansive views across the gorge and surrounding plains. The park is also a popular destination for experienced rock climbers, with designated climbing areas set within the gorge.
Werribee Gorge is best explored by self sufficient visitors who are comfortable with natural settings and changing conditions. Picnic areas and trailheads provide entry points into the landscape, but once on the tracks, the environment feels remote and unmodified.
As with all rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, these are natural environments and hazards may be present. Careful planning, situational awareness, and appropriate equipment are essential for a safe and enjoyable visit.
Similar walks nearby
Looking for more walks in or near Werribee Gorge State Park? Try these trails with a similar difficulty grade.
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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.






8 Reviews on “Ingliston Gorge Sloss Gully Walk (4.5km)”
Anita Karnakowski holidays walk
New directional signs have been added and the car park is a little easier to notice.
The walk is good. Steep in places with loose rock, but the geology is very interesting, even for young children.
Completed this on the weekend. A little info that might be useful for others: the ‘carpark’ is tiny and can be difficult to find. Do not take Ingliston-Settlement Rd (as google maps suggests when you enter ‘Ingliston Gorge Track’). This will lead to a dead-end private residence. Instead, continue driving SE on Ingliston Rd (with the rail line to your left). Not too much further past Ingliston-Settlement Rd, Ingliston Rd becomes an unsealed dirt road. The carpark is 50m further on the right. Of the track itself, we found it to be very well marked. You rarely went more than 50m without seeing an orange ribbon or arrow. Excellent views on the ridge and a fun walk that can accommodate novices. It took two hours with a 20-min break for photos at the viewpoint.
Awesome find. Not a lot of view points but a great hike in a isolated area