Upper Yarra Goldfields Walk (11km)

Yarra Ranges National Park

Victoria

11km

5 hrs

Grade 3

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1 Review on “Upper Yarra Goldfields Walk (11km)”

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  • This walk was developed some time ago as “A Day’s Walk Featuring Upper Yarra’s History”. A bi centennial grant was applied for successfully to achieve this. The gold mining area was “discovered” by me while working at the Box Hill TAFE Camp Reefton and then developed into an interesting and historical day walk for students at the camp. (now gone)

    Over the years many thousands of students have walked this track, including primary ages .(Occasionally at night over the shorter more accessible parts.) The camp staff regularly maintained this entire track which proved to be a pleasant interesting day walk. Lunch was brought to the students at the top of the grassy pipeline area near the Big Peninsular and then swimming at the “blowhole.”

    The track through the now “closed” area near the gold mines used to be “easy peasy.” This was cleared just by driving a tractor with a rear mounted slasher backwards into the scrub.. I do recall however instances where the slasher was directly over a shaft with the tractor right on the edge. Subsequently , as the need arose i could drive my Land Rover down this part of the track to the blowhole. There is a variation to this walk we did from time to time.

    From the corner of Peninsular Rd and Observation Rd proceed a short distance up Observation Rd and take a track to your left. (probably the first track) This track takes you back onto the water race and then resume the walk as per the track notes. However on the way up this track you will come across a mine locally known as “the lucky strike”. I don’t know it’s condition these days but it could be entered then. A torch is needed and due care.

    Before passing this mine on the track up, watch out for an old walking (almost certainly highly overgrown) track that crosses the track you are on at right angles. If you can find it turn left along it as it contours around the hill. This will lead to mostly surface gold workings and by following this line up the hill you come to the Lucky Strike mine. Should you turn right onto this old track it will also contour around the hill to a tunnel. It is interesting that these “surface workings” and the Lucky Strike are in line with the now blocked track / mine access near the blowhole (Big Peninsular). Now back at the Lucky Strike mine it’s only a short walk up the track to rejoin the water race at a spot where it it branches off to supply water to those gold mines/sluicing works access denied parts of the walk.

    cheers
    RM

    1. Avatar of Darren Edwards Darren Edwards Trail Author

      Fantastic effort Robert. Would you be happy for me to include your comments in the description of the walk?

    2. Hello Darren, yes happy for you to include my comments in the walk description

      1. Avatar of Darren Edwards Darren Edwards Trail Author

        Thanks so much

  • Avatar of Mark R Reardon Mark R Reardon

    Yes it is closed. Needs a lot of maitenance. Still a walk good though 🙂

  • There are a couple of updates on the Parksvic site. One from 2018 saying the bridge at little peninsula tunnel is closed for repairs, and another from May 2019 saying the platform at big peninsula tunnel is closed due to vandalism.
    I’m heading over there tomorrow for an exploratory walk before, potentially, taking a group there next week.
    Has anyone been there recently, any advice?

  • Did this yesterday. Would have been better to start from Big Peninsula and leave out the pipeline section.
    Track in quite poor condition. I walked the closed section, well worth it if you are a history buff. I suspect this section will never be reopened.

  • A June 2020 update.

    A lot of the track is still closed. Mainly due to exposed mine shafts. (these are deep).

    Notably the first bridge from the car park is still closed, but can be avoided if walk is started from the first car park on the side of the road.

    Many of the sections are still closed, but easily bypassed by using other tracks. We walked all of the closed sections with great care to check it out, regardless of risk.

    A lot of climbing over trees and scrub in the closed sections, due to zero maintenance being done.

  • Avatar of Nick Wright Nick Wright

    Apparently this walk is closed until further notice. Parks are yet to make safe some of the walkways near old mine shafts. Extreme caution should be taken if venturing in to this closed area. ( so I’ve heard)

  • I walked this today clockwise from Little Peninsula car park and the only closed section is a very short loop off Peninsula Road and back. We followed the gpx track posted above mostly but the walking track as currently marked follows the road from Big Peninsula towards Little Peninsula, rather than the Water Easement which runs straight over a steep ridge, disregarding topography. We chose to walk up the steepest section rather than descend it on wet ground, hence our clockwise direction.
    A really nice walk!

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Acknowledgement of Country

Upper Yarra Goldfields Walk

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.