Jacksons Lookout and Breakneck Gorge is a 11.6km, grade 3 circuit hike, located in Hepburn Regional Park, Victoria. The hike should take approximately 3hrs to complete.

Hike Summary

The Jacksons Lookout and Breakneck Gorge circuit commences at the Hepburn Primary School. Turn left into Hepburn-Newstead Road and continue for 700 m to Eighteenth Street. Turn left and follow this road for 800 m and turn right into Blowhole Road.

Continue for a further 600m to the Blowhole at Grid Reference. Descend steps for 100 m to view the Blowhole, and then retrace steps back to the track. Follow the marked GDT for about 300m to the Diggings Track on the right. Continue on this track for 2.5 km as it winds north-east alongside Sailors Creek, finally swinging south-east along Spring Creek to meet Hepburn-Newstead Road and Breakneck Gorge.

Turn left (north) and walk across the gorge via the road bridge. Cross over the road and after about 100m turn right onto a track that follows Spring Creek (signposted Golden Spring 2.2 km 40 mins). Continue on this track south-east for 1.7 km, follow the GDT track uphill and cross the 4WD track, then follow GDT signposts to the lookout tower. Continue east for about 1 km to meet the Dry Diggings Track.

Turn right and head south on the Dry Diggings Track for 300m and cross Back Hepburn Road. Take the right track up to Jacksons Lookout and ascend the steps for views over the surrounding area. Descend steps and retrace walk back to continue south on the Dry Diggings Track, which, after an east then south-west loop over a creek, turns west for about 1.7 km to the end of a car park at (Sulphur Spring). Walk through the car park to Mineral Springs Crescent and turn left.

Continue on this road as it swings from north to south and climbs to a T junction with Main Road. Turn right and walk along the footpath of Main Road for 700 m to the base (Hepburn Primary school) and the end of the walk.

About the region

The Blowhole is an artificial diversion tunnel on Sailors Creek, built by gold miners around the early 1870s. A tunnel through the spur was cut to redirect water flow from the original creek line. The soil in the dry creek bed was then sluiced for gold. It is now an impressive sight when the creek is in full flow.

A single file track along the Great Dividing Trail (GDT) leads us to Breakneck Gorge. Continuing on the GDT to the Dry Diggings Track there is the optional detour to Jacksons Lookout before continuing on to the Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve.

Getting there

From Melbourne head west via the M1, M80 and the Western Freeway/Highway (M8) and take the C141 exit, turning north to Daylesford. Proceed north through Daylesford on Main Road to Hepburn Springs and turn left onto Hepburn-Newstead Road for600 m to Fourteenth Street. Turn left into Fourteenth Street and park near the Hepburn Primary School.

Tips

• Stay on the walking tracks to avoid mineshafts.