This Werribee Gorge Circuit hike explores the length of the Werribee Gorge. Starting at Meikles Point Picnic area follow the Werribee River to the north west. The first part of the walk follows a disused water channel built between 1926 and 1929 to supply irrigation to the local area.
The trail is quite awkward from this point until Needles Beach as it hugs the base of a few small cliffs. Needles beach is a good place for a rest stop. Follow the trail along the eastern side of the river as far as Blackwood pool. The trail then leaves the river to ascend a rocky ridge to western viewpoint. A great spot to take in the twisting river below.
Continue to walk east from Western viewpoint past picture point, which overlooks Needles Beach, and on to Eastern Viewpoint where you can take in a view of the Island. From Eastern Viewpoint you now have the option of following the short circuit trail back to Meikles Point or continuing east past the Hanson Farm ruins back to the quarry car park.
The trail from the carpark now follows Myers road for a few hundred metres. Leave the road and follow the trail across a few shallow gullies before descending Pattersons spur via a vehicle management track and back to Meikles Point.
Total distance: 8484 m
Max elevation: 356 m
Min elevation: 138 m
Total climbing: 353 m
Total descent: -343 m
Download file:
Werribee Gorge Circuit.gpx
- Gravel Path
- Rough Trail
- Exposed Ledges
- Rock Scrambling
- Steep Terrain
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Untreated Water
- 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.
- Be mindful of snakes and hit weather during the summer months
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- 2WD Access
- Gravel Road
- Winding Road
- Large Car Park
- Public Toilets
- Untreated Water
- Picnic Table
- Campfire Pit
Follow the Western Highway past Bacchus Marsh to the Pentland Hills exit (5km beyond Bacchus Marsh). At the end of the exit ramp turn right to pass under the freeway. Turn left onto Pentland Hills Road. After passing under the freeway again turn left onto Myers Road and follow it down to the Werribee Gorge State Park.
Werribee Gorge State Park is part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape that includes the traditional Country of the Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Peoples. Werribee Gorge is a wild, rugged natural beauty shaped by 500 million years of geological history. A range of challenging walks amid the steep, river-washed gorge and surrounding rocky ridges offer spectacular views and access to a rock-climbing site within the park. Self-sufficient visitors can picnic and hike to explore this unique park and its distinctive settings.
If you have any great 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.
Werribee Gorge State Park
Werribee Gorge State Park
Werribee Gorge State Park
0 Reviews on “Werribee Gorge Circuit (8.5km)”
First time poster!
Did this on the weekend! We completed it much faster than we expected, 2 hours and 10 minutes with a short 5 minute pause to take in the scenery at Western Viewpoint. It’s seriously beautiful, and great for people just getting into the hiking spirit. There is a section that requires you to climb around the bottom of a small cliff whilst hanging onto ropes secured to the rock face, unexpected (and fun!) but not super challenging so don’t be put off.
Darren, I haven’t been able to add trails to my favourites or mark them as completed.. am I doing something wrong?
Cheers all, happy hiking!
Also Darren I’d love to submit some photos to be added to the page, what’s your email?
My playground 🙂
Great circuit for those new to hiking (like me).
Did this with my wife and found it challenging enough while enjoying the surrounding scenery. Will definitely return to explore more of the area.
Amazing walk, with good lookouts and picturesque river scenes. Not to hard but hard enough to be interesting.
Best to start this hike from Meikles Point Picnic area (the very bottom car park) then head ANTI-clockwise (as oppose to the above directions). This will get all the uphill section out of the way at the start, and let you enjoy the river section on the way home with no more ascents.
Also, sticking to the trail, the full circuit hike is only 8.1km, which, most people will do in under 3 hours. Not sure what the 9.3km described is based from.
Good hike, but could do with some additional signage, due to its proximity to Melb, get alot of tourist hikers, and admittedly, when your in the carpark, its kind of hard to understand which way you need to go and how the 3 carparks all link up. People often wonder ‘where is my car?’ because they’re actually in a different carpark.
Additionally, because of the circuit and it being uni-directional, the track seems very busy, you’ll constantly be crossing paths with people coming the opposite direction.
A nice easy hike, but don’t expect solitude.