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.
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. This is a fantastic but very strenuous walk. The circuit provides access to some more remote sections of the gorge and also bypasses Lerderderg Weir.
The Scenic Rim hike is a 16km circuit graded DIFFICULT. The trail includes water crossings (possibility of your feet getting wet unless river is dry) 2 steep and steady climbs our of the river from Grahams Dam and the weir. Approximately 4 kilometres total climbing and a significant steep 1.3km downhill section back to Grahams Dam on loose terrain.
Follow the river upstream from Mackenzies Flat Picnic Area to Grahams Dam, which is an attractive pool ideal for swimming. Cross the river at this point and continue along the eastern river bank upstream for approximately 600m (trail marker LER503). Turn right and ascent the 1.6km Spur Track to the top of the range. Turn left when you reach the Lerderderg Tunnel Access Track and follow this a short distance to the track junction. Keep left and pass through the Southern Rural Water gate and descend into the weir below via the well made access road.
Once you reach the weir, locate a set of metal stairs that run alongside a concrete fish ladder which consists of a series of stepped concrete boxes with two holes connecting to the next box up and down. Descend the stairs and cross the river. From the weir you will pick up the marked trail on the western bank of the river, 25m downstream of the weir. Ascend Long Point Track following a steep and rocky ridge. Continue along this trail until you reach the Blackwood Ranges track at the top of the range.
The Blackwood Ranges track is a well made vehicle track which follows relatively level ground. Follow this track for about 3.8Km to where Link no 2 track emerges on your left. Continue south a further 400m until you reach an information shelter and a fork in the road. Follow this trail a further 200m until you reach Link Track No. 1. on your left.
From this point you will descend back into the gorge along Link Track No. 1, a steep, easy to follow but rocky track. Once you arrive back at Graham's Dam simply follow the river track back to Mackenzies Flat.
Total distance: 16113 m
Max elevation: 531 m
Min elevation: 142 m
Total climbing: 878 m
Total descent: -878 m
Download file:
The Scenic Rim.gpx
- Gravel Path
- Rough Trail
- Undefined Trail
- Trail Running
- Exposed Ledges
- Rock Scrambling
- Steep Terrain
- River Crossings
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Untreated Water
- Fishing Spots
- Swimming Spots
- Trail can be taken in any direction.
- The river is prone to flooding so avoid after heavy rains.
- Walking poles will be beneficial.
- This is a challenging walk in the Lerderderg Gorge and is for experienced bush walkers only. It is best to do the walk when the river is fairly low, as many crossings are necessary and at times the riverbed itself is the track. Here you can experience remote, unspoiled bush land.
- Map used: Lerderderg and Werribee Gorges by Meridian.
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- 2WD Access
- Bitumen Road
- Winding Road
- Large Car Park
- Public Toilets
- Picnic Shelter
- Picnic Table
It’s a good idea to let someone know where you’re going. Fill in a trip intention form to send important details about your trip to your emergency contact. If you are lost or require help and have phone reception, call 000 and ask for police. The international standard emergency number is 112, if you dial this number in Australia you will be treated exactly the same as a 000 call. If you believe your life is at risk, activate your personal locator beacon (PLB), then make your position visible to rescue teams and keep warm and dry.
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.
