Head out on the breathtaking Plenty Gorge River Hike, an enjoyable hiking trail in Plenty Gorge Park near Melbourne, Victoria. This captivating trail winds through a scenic gorge alongside the Plenty River, offering stunning natural beauty and diverse terrain. Perfect for both hikers and trail runners, it's a fantastic way to escape the city and reconnect with nature.
The Plenty Gorge River Hike commences at the Red Gum Picnic area. Head towards the Le Page Homestead track to pick up the trail. The Plenty River trail takes you through the gorge alongside the Plenty River.
The Plenty River walking track is mostly single file except for a short section at the beginning of the hike. The trail is shared with mountain bikers and you'll most likely encounter a biker or two. The track can be hiked in either direction.
The gorge trail takes you past the Wilton Vale ruins, Carome Homestead (where you can grab a bite to eat if it's open), Carome Falls and you can access the Stuchbery Farm ruins and Le Page homestead as side trips (not included in recorded trail).
The gorge is usually full of bird song and the surrounding park is a safe haven for the local mob of kangaroos and other wildlife. It's easy to forget that you're surrounded by suburbia when walking through the gorge. There is the distant sound of the occasional train or visuals of powerlines during the northern part of this hike but it doesn't take away from how great this hike is.
This single-track trail, mostly shared with mountain bikers, is also a favorite among trail runners. Enjoy the scenic gorge views and diverse terrain, perfect for a challenging yet rewarding run within Plenty Gorge Park.
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.
- There is one creek crossing which shouldn't pose any issues unless there's been heavy rains.
- There are alternative turn around points using one of the multiple wooden bridges if you wish to shorten the hike.
- If you're catching the train, you could get off at Mernda station and start the hike at the turn around point near Bridge Inn Road instead of the Red Gum Picnic area.
Hike information provided by Leah Smith
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Red Gum Picnic Area in Plenty Gorge Park is accessed from the eastern side of Gordons Road, South Morang. There is carparking available. Middle Gorge and Hawkstowe train stations are also within walking distance of the picnic area. There are a number of bus stops along Plenty Road near the Gordons Road entrance too.
If you have any photos from this hike and are happy to share them, please upload your .jpg files here.
Please note: Uploading photos does not transfer ownership of copyright away from you. If requested, you will be credited for any photos you provide and can ask they be deleted at any time.
Plenty Gorge Park offers a wide range of natural and cultural experiences only 20 km from Melbourne, where the spectacular gorge sets a backdrop for stunning landscape views and the abundant native wildlife are always on show. Walk the tracks to the beautiful gorge and marvel at the diverse wildlife living within the park. Shaped by volcanic activity, the Plenty River is a dividing line between two distinct geological types. The basalt on the west and sedimentary rock on the eastern side generate a wonderful diversity of habitats, making the park an important refuge for both threatened and regionally significant species.
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While planning your hike, it’s important to check official government sources for updated information, temporary closures and trail access requirements. Before hitting the trail, check local weather and bushfire advice for planned burns and bushfire warnings and let someone know before you go. Plan ahead and hike safely.
Adventure with peace of mind: Fill out your trip intentions form. Before you hit the trail, fill out an online form to privately send important details about your hike to your family or friends. If you don’t return on time, they can easily alert emergency services, preventing worry and ensuring a swift response. Hike with peace of mind and enjoy your outdoor adventure to the fullest. Be smart, be safe: Register your plans here.
What you carry in your pack will depend on the weather, terrain, time of year, type of adventure, and personal preferences. Having trouble deciding what gear’s right for you? My free planning, food and packing checklists provide an introduction to things your could consider (as well as the Ten Essentials) on your day, overnight and multi-day adventures. Customise your kit according to your personal needs, always considering safety first.Â
Trail changed? New features discovered? Has the route changed? Trail permanently closed? Help fellow hikers by suggesting edits! Click above to update route descriptions, GPX file, trail features (like boardwalks), or access conditions (like parking availability). Help me keep the trails info fresh!
1 Review on “Plenty Gorge River Hike (21km)”
I made an attempt today to drag my ageing carcass around the Plenty Gorge River Hike (21km) posted by Leah Smith. I’m planning to do more day and overnight hikes in 2023+ so decided to do a few ‘warm up’ ones in and around Melbourne. The plan was to take the train out to Mernda Train Station, hop onto Leah’s posted route from the start of the ‘Carome Track’ and then do a loop skirting the eastern side of the Plenty River all the way down to the Nioka Stuchbury Track at the southern tip of the route and then back up the western side of the Plenty River. Unfortunately, nothing went to plan. The recent heavy rains meant that the height of the grass throughout the Plenty Gorge Park at the moment is anywhere between 50cm – 150cm high. I crossed the very first bridge over the Plenty River (immediately to the south of Bridge Inn Rd) to pick up the trail on the eastern side of the Plenty River but there was no discernible path through the grass. Ditto on the western side of Plenty River. It was a sunny, hot day and I was on my own so was very reluctant to be barging through high grass due to snakes and injury. The Carome Track is a wide gravel track that seems to skirt the western perimeter of Plenty Gorge Park so I decided to follow that. I was able to eventually make it down to just before the Wilton Vale Ruins through a series of tracks where the grass wasn’t so tall but stopped there as the grass simply covered the entire track. I then retraced my steps back to Mernda Train Station.
PROS
– Plenty Gorge River Hike is accessible by train. Mernda is the closest station to the River but it can also be accessed by Hawkstowe and Middle Gorge. Mernda Station is about an hour from Flinders Street Station.
– Access by Train will also allow you to either do the entire loop or smaller sections as you choose.
– although I never made it down to the Plenty River, from what I could see through the tall grass, it was quite picturesque.
– kangaroos everywhere.
– heaps of very old, large eucalyptus trees
– In the sections with no or little grass, there looked to be good tracks for walking and bike riding. There was also a teen-age boy having heaps of fun riding an all-terrain electric scooter on the ‘Carome Track’.
CONS
– difficult to do anything reasonably safely with the grass so high. Perhaps I was too cautious but even the other walkers / riders I passed were worried about snakes. The chance of extensive grass fires will be real for Jan / Feb 2023 … possibly March as well.
– signage around the Plenty Gorge Park is either non-existent or simply not helpful. Parks Victoria need to lift their game regarding this. How hard can it be to put up a few informative signs?
The route that Leah posted looks like a very good day hike and I will definitely return in a cooler month when there is much less tall grass around.