Hike at a glance

7,421

Quick overview: Explore the rugged beauty of Victoria's Lerderderg State Park on the challenging 16.1km Scenic Rim circuit. Starting and ending at Mackenzies Flat Picnic Area, just a short drive from Bacchus Marsh and 67km from Melbourne, this Grade 4 hike takes approximately six hours and features steep inclines, rocky declines, and potential water crossings. Notable for its diverse vegetation, abundant wildlife, and historical gold workings, this trail offers a rewarding journey through the park's remote landscapes for seasoned hikers.

Hike length

16.1km

Average duration

6 hrs

Trail Difficulty

Grade 4 (Hard)

Hike Type

Circuit

Technical details

Max elevation: 531m
Min elevation: 142m
Total Ascent: 878m

Start: Mackenzies Flat Picnic Area

End: Mackenzies Flat Picnic Area

Location: Lerderderg State Park

State: Victoria

Nearest town: Bacchus Marsh

State capital distance: 67km

Latitude: -37.61550621

Longitude: 144.42548632621768

Check current conditions
Track conditions, access and closures can change quickly due to weather, fire, maintenance or safety concerns. Always check the relevant land manager’s website before you visit. Trail Hiking Australia does not provide real-time track and closure monitoring, and land managers remain the authoritative source for current alerts, closures and access restrictions.

Hike details

Difficulty

Planning

Safety

Getting there

The region

Nearby hikes

Weather

Trail details

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 summary

The Scenic Rim is a 16.1 km circuit through Lerderderg State Park in Victoria that offers a demanding yet deeply rewarding hiking experience. Typically taking around six hours to complete, this grade 4 trail is best suited to those with a solid level of fitness and experience navigating steep, uneven terrain. The route includes sustained climbs, rocky descents, and water crossings that may leave you with wet feet depending on the river’s flow. It’s a hike that requires effort, but one that reveals some of the park’s most striking and secluded features.

Lerderderg State Park is defined by the deep gorge carved by the Lerderderg River as it cuts through the Great Dividing Range. The river has shaped the land into a dramatic corridor of sandstone and slate, dropping up to 300 metres in places. The vegetation shifts with the contours — dry, open forest covers the ridgelines, while the riverbanks offer cooler, greener pockets that feel worlds away from the exposed high ground. Along the trail, you may spot wallabies, birdlife, goats and the occasional snake. Scattered remains of old gold workings are a quiet reminder of the region’s history and add a layer of curiosity to the walk.

The hike loosely follows the river’s course in a wide loop, passing Grahams Dam before beginning the first major climb out of the valley along Spur Track. With around four kilometres of sustained ascent across the hike, including two steep climbs from the river just after Grahams Dam via Spur Track and later from the weir along Long Point Track, the route offers plenty of physical challenge. The descent down Link 1 Track back to Grahams Dam is especially demanding — a 1.3 km stretch of loose, rocky terrain that requires careful footing and patience.

For hikers who enjoy solitude, rugged beauty, and the satisfaction of a hard-won view, the Scenic Rim delivers in full. It’s a route that invites you to slow down and engage with the environment — to notice the shifting colours of the rocks, the way the bush changes with elevation, and the sound of the river threading through the gorge below. While it’s not an easy outing, the sense of remoteness and raw natural beauty make it a standout experience for those keen to explore one of Victoria’s more untamed corners.

Track difficulty

Grade 4 (hard) badge

Grade 4 (Hard)

Steep, rough, and demanding
These are challenging walks suited to experienced hikers. Expect sustained climbs, rough and uneven terrain, and longer distances.

Tracks may be less defined, and signage can be limited, so navigation awareness is important. These walks require good fitness, confidence on difficult terrain, and the ability to manage fatigue over time.

Safety note: Fatigue, poor navigation, or a sudden weather change can turn a hard walk into a serious situation.

Planning essentials

Practical Information:

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.

Map and GPX file

The Scenic Rim Circuit Hike (16.1km)

Total distance: 16113 m
Max elevation: 531 m
Min elevation: 142 m
Total climbing: 878 m
Total descent: -878 m

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

Safety and preparation

Planning this hike?

Small oversights can compound quickly in Australian conditions. See how it happens in the Interactive Safety Scenarios. Then refer to the Hiking Safety Systems, planning calculators, and make sure a trusted contact has your trip plan before heading out.

Let someone know

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, and it only takes two minutes..

Let someone know your plans →

Planning something more serious? The comprehensive trip intentions form is designed for remote, overnight, and off-track trips where your emergency contact needs more detail. Register your advanced plans here →

Free 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

Lerderderg State Park

MacKenzies Flat Picnic Area, located at the southern end of Lerderderg State Park, is easily accessible from Melbourne and serves as the trailhead for various walks in the park. To get there, take the M8 Western Freeway towards Ballarat and exit at Bacchus Marsh (Exit 16). From the exit, follow Bacchus Marsh Road and turn right onto Grant Street, which transitions into Bacchus Marsh-Gisborne Road. After approximately 3 kilometers, turn left onto Lerderderg Gorge Road and continue until the road ends at MacKenzies Flat. This scenic area, surrounded by native bushland, offers facilities such as car parking, toilets, picnic tables, and barbecues. While perfect for a picnic or as a base for exploring the park, note that camping and dogs are not permitted in the picnic area.

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Get there with Google Maps

Access Conditions:

2WD Access
Bitumen Road
Winding Road
Large Car Park
Public Toilets
Picnic Shelter
Picnic Table

Accommodation nearby

Find hotels, cabins, and campgrounds near the trailhead. Click the button below to open an interactive map automatically centred on this hike's location — no searching required.

Find Accommodation

Or browse accommodation in nearby towns: Bacchus Marsh, Ballan, Blackwood, Bullengarook, Coimadai, Darley, Daylesford, Gisborne, Kyneton, Macarthur, Macedon, Maddingley, Melton, Myrniong, Sunbury, Trentham, Woodend

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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.

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Photo gallery

Weather on the trail

Lerderderg State Park

The map below shows the rain forecast for the trail area. Tap the toggle in the top right corner to explore other layers including wind, temperature, UV index, thunderstorms, fire danger, and weather warnings — all useful for planning a safe hike.

Trail Reviews

6 Reviews on “The Scenic Rim Circuit Hike (16.1km)”

Overall rating

Jane Sebastion

What a wonderful walk. A couple of really steep sections where I had to take a few breaks but it offers stunning views over the gorge. Well worth it. Took us 6 hours at a steady pace.

04/09/2024, 17:07

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1. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  Glad you enjoyed it.
  
  15/10/2024, 10:15
  
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Chris Solnordal

Excellent circuit hike, both the Spur Track and the Long Point Track are highlights, as is the trail along the river at the start/end. Long Point Track in particular has wonderful views in all directions near the bottom, with the river on both sides of the spur. A lovely day out. Took me 6 hours (including about 30 minutes of resting) for lunch and a breather at the top of Long Point..

19/08/2024, 21:41

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1. Jane Sebastion
  
  Totally agree. I loved long point track the most. Great spot to stop for a snack and great views near the rocky outcrop.
  
  04/09/2024, 17:08
  
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  1. Darren Edwards Trail Author
    
    It is a great spot for a snack. Such incredible views from there.
    
    06/05/2025, 11:24
    
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Helen Humphrey

Ben??

20/10/2023, 17:27

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1. Ben Scott
  
  Helen Humphrey looks good!
  
  20/10/2023, 17:40
  
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Julie Aylward

Sally Morrison Heather Whitaker Helen Bryan another possible training hike?

19/10/2023, 22:43

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1. Trail Hiking Australia
  
  Julie Aylward if you don’t mind me asking, are you training for something specific?
  
  19/10/2023, 22:45
  
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2. Julie Aylward
  
  Trail Hiking Australia The Overland Track
  
  19/10/2023, 22:45
  
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3. Trail Hiking Australia
  
  Julie Aylward awesome. That’s a lot of fun. Hope it all goes well
  
  19/10/2023, 23:57
  
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Chris Walker

Here’s a hike we can plan on doing later.
Tracy Lloyd-Walker

19/10/2023, 11:37

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Louise Draper

Sarah Noonan Tyler Jane

18/10/2023, 21:54

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1. Sarah Noonan
  
  Louise Draper December!
  
  19/10/2023, 07:16
  
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2. Sarah Noonan
  
  Louise Draper https://www.gdt.org.au/tracks/lerderderg-track 😂😂
  
  19/10/2023, 07:21
  
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3. Trail Hiking Australia
  
  Sarah Noonan most of that’s a great walk. I did t like the section between the Lerderderg and Bacchus Marsh. It’s all bitumen road and foot paths. I’d recommend cutting it short at the end of Swans Road.
  
  19/10/2023, 09:07
  
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Darren Edwards Trail Author

This is one of the Lerderderg classic circuit hikes. It is a long and quite varies hike with a lot of steep ascents and descents. The time of this hike should not be underestimated as I know people and groups who have taken up to 8 hours to complete this, sometimes in the dark. So its advisable to get an early start.

20/08/2023, 14:07

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1. Jane Sebastion
  
  Thanks for writing up this hike. It was amazing.
  
  04/09/2024, 17:09
  
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Acknowledgement of Country

The scenic rim circuit hike (16. 1km) 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

Technical details

Trail details

Hike summary

Track difficulty

Grade 4 (Hard)

Planning essentials

Map and GPX file

Safety and preparation

Planning this hike?

Let someone know

Free checklists

Getting there

Accommodation nearby

Discover more

About the region

Explore nearby hikes

The Scenic Rim: River & Link 1 Hike (16km)

The Scenic Rim: River & Spur Track (16km)

The Scenic Rim: Link 2 Hike (16.5km)

The Scenic Rim: River & Link 2 Hike (16.7km)

Photo gallery

Weather on the trail

Trail Reviews

6 Reviews on “The Scenic Rim Circuit Hike (16.1km)”

Leave a Review. Cancel reply

Notice something different about this trail?

Acknowledgement of Country

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia

Last modified:

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