You Yangs Northern Range Circuit is a 12.3km, grade 3 hike located in the You Yangs Regional Park, Victoria. The hike should take around 4 hrs to complete.

Length: 12.3km

Duration: 4 hrs

Grade: 3

Style: Circuit

Start: Turntable car park

End: Turntable car park

Location: You Yangs Regional Park

Closest town: Little River

Victoria

From state capital: 62km

Longitude: 144.42648410797122

Latitude: -37.958979264130186

Leave a review

Organise this hike as an event

Check the weather

Hike overview

The You Yangs Northern Range Circuit hike commences at Turntable car park and traverses a number of varying trails including West Walk, Northern Range Walk, Branding Yard Trail, Saddleback Track, East Track and if you have time and energy at the end you can climb the 450 steps to Flinders Peak for rewarding views of the You Yangs and the surrounding plains.

This is not an overly challenging hike with most of the trail being easy to moderate. There are a few sections that require rock hopping with a steep gradient on Saddleback Track.

There are a number of trails that allow you to create variations to shorten or lengthen this hike. One variation has been provided below that takes you past the Bunjil (Eagle) Geoglyph. Bunjil, the Creator Spirit of the local Wathaurong Aboriginal people, appears like an eagle on the plain below Mount Flinders in the You Yang National Park, Victoria. This geoglyph was part of a series of "Rhythms of Life" created by the internationally recognised artist Andrew Rogers, and was 'unveiled' in March 2006 to commemorate the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. It has a wingspan of around 100 metres, and approximately 1,500 tones of rock was used in its' construction. A great vantage point to see this is along the summit walk to Flinders Peak.

Route and GPX file

Total distance: 12337 m
Max elevation: 277 m
Min elevation: 58 m
Total climbing: 481 m
Total descent: -481 m

Download file: You-Yangs-Northern-Range-Circuit.gpx

Variation (12.9km)

Total distance: 13366 m
Max elevation: 275 m
Min elevation: 67 m
Total climbing: 866 m
Total descent: -864 m

Download file: You Yangs Northern Range Circuit 2.gpx

Trail features

Gravel Path
Rough Trail
Mountain Bike Trail
Dog Friendly
Exposed Ledges
Steep Terrain

Tips

The You Yangs is a great location for the family. Be careful on the trails as they are often used by walkers, hikers, trail runners and MTB riders.

Opening hours The park is open from 8.00am to 4.30pm year round. Extended hours apply during daylight savings on weekends and public holidays from 8.00am - 6.00pm.

There are nine picnic areas throughout the park, many with tables and accessable toilet facilities. The main picnic areas provide free gas barbecues on a first come basis. There are plenty of places to set up your own gas barbecue. Drinking water is available from the Visitor Centre drinking fountain. Please take all rubbish away for disposal or recycling.

Trail location

Getting there

You Yangs Regional Park is 55km southwest of the Melbourne CBD and 22km north of Geelong. Access to the park from the Princess Freeway is clearly signposted via Lara.

Get directions

Access conditions

2WD Access
Public Transport
Bitumen Road
Speed Bumps
Large Car Park
Accessible Toilet
Public Toilets

Gallery

About the region

You Yangs Regional Park is part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape in the traditional Country of the Wadawurrung People. Parks Victoria respects the deep and continuing connection that Wadawurrung Traditional Owners have to these lands and waters, and we recognise their ongoing role in caring for Country.

Magnificent views, birdlife and a mecca for walkers, horse riders and mountain bikers - welcome to the You Yangs! The distinctive granite peaks of this park rise abruptly from the flat plains below. Flinders Peak and Big Rock have panoramic views out to Melbourne, which is just an hour away.

Explore over 50 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails for beginners and experts. Ride easy, open dirt roads to technical, single-track and adrenaline-pumping downhill trailsor see the diverse scenery of the You Yangs from your car along The Great Circle Drive.

Climb Flinders Peak, the highest point in the You Yangs and be rewarded with uninterrupted views out to Melbourne and Geelong. Come with family or friends and picnic among the boulder-strewn landscape. Choose from nine designated picnic areas.

The You Yangs support a rich variety of plant species. Tall eucalypts such as manna gum, yellow gum and river red gum give way to sparse undergrowth of native shrubs and groundcovers. Patches of wattle and drooping sheoaks also occur. The endangered brittle greenhood orchid is one of 30 species of orchids found in the park.

The park provides a range of habitats for wildlife. More than 200 species of birds have been recorded and koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, brush-tail possums, echidnas and lizards are commonly seen.

Suggest an edit

Does this hikes information need updating? Sometimes the route, trail features or access conditions change.

Reviews

0 Reviews on “You Yangs Northern Range Circuit (12.3km)”

Overall rating

Irene Dawson

Such a wonderful place to walk and hike shame about the noxious weed boneseed taking over I always pull out some as i walk

19/11/2023, 08:48

Like
Log in to Reply
Julie Lane

The Northern Ranges is my favourite walk in the You Yangs.

18/11/2023, 22:01

Like
Log in to Reply
1. Lorelle Baylee
  
  Julie Lane mine too! 😊
  
  18/11/2023, 22:11
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
2. Lynn Peterson
  
  Julie Lane is it well sign posted??
  
  18/11/2023, 23:24
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
3. Julie Lane
  
  Lynn Peterson – reasonably well
  
  18/11/2023, 23:34
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
4. Lynn Peterson
  
  Julie Lane thank you.
  
  18/11/2023, 23:39
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
5. Trail Hiking Australia
  
  Lynn Peterson it’s pretty easy to follow around Flinders Peak. It’s when you get into the eastern side of the park that it becomes a bit trickier if you don’t have a map as there are several tracks that intersect and it’s not really well signposted to know which one to take if you aren’t familiar with them. This isn’t an official circuit so there’s no signs that will have the name of this hike.
  
  19/11/2023, 07:42
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply

Leave a Review. Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Similar trails

Gear to consider

My 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. Everyone, and every hike, is different, so customise your outdoor kit according to your personal needs, always considering safety first.

The HiiKER app helps you to find 1,000’s of the best bushwalking and hiking adventures, with reviews, photos, and great places to stay. I’m excited to have partnered with HiiKER to offer members of Trail hiking Australia Community an exclusive deal to help you get outdoors with extra confidence with premium mapping, planning and tracking features. Claim your offer here.

Let someone know

Let someone know where you’re going and when you plan to return. Fill in an online trip intentions form to privately send important details about your adventure to your emergency contact. They can then inform emergency services if you don’t return on time.

Weather

Acknowledgement of Country

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.

Hike overview