Hike at a glance

10,945

Quick overview: Explore the beauty of Victoria on the Grahams Dam walk, a 3.5km return trail nestled in Lerderderg State Park. Perfect for a family outing or a casual stroll, this Grade 2 hike, starting and ending at Mackenzies Flat, offers an easy and pleasant 1.5-hour journey. Discover the diverse local wildlife in their natural habitat and enjoy a refreshing swim at Grahams Dam. Located just a stone's throw from Bacchus Marsh and only 75km from Melbourne, it's an ideal escape into nature.

Length

3.5km

Duration

1.5 hrs

Difficulty

Grade 2 (Easy)

Trail type

Return

Route details

Max elevation: 187m
Min elevation: 144m
Total Ascent: 129m

Start: Mackenzies Flat

End: Mackenzies Flat

Location: Lerderderg State Park

State: Victoria

Nearest town: Bacchus Marsh

State capital distance: 75km

Latitude: -37.61546797

Longitude: 144.4254541397095

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.

About this trail

Difficulty

Planning

Safety

Getting there

The region

Photos

Weather

About this trail

The Lerderderg Gorge Walk to Grahams Dam is a delightful 3.5-kilometre trail in Victoria's Lerderderg State Park, offering a peaceful and scenic experience. Taking about 1.5 hours to complete, this grade 2 hike is perfect for families, couples, or anyone looking for a relaxing outing amidst nature. The track is well-suited to those seeking an easy walk, with gentle inclines and a mostly flat route.

The walk begins at the Mackenzies Flat picnic area, which is equipped with ample parking, toilets, BBQs, and picnic tables, making it a great spot to start your adventure. From here, the trail follows the Lerderderg River upstream towards Grahams Dam. Along the way, you’ll pass through lush areas filled with eucalyptus trees and other native flora. The river itself is a popular spot for locals to cool off with a swim or cast a line while enjoying the tranquil surroundings.

When you reach Grahams Dam, the effort of the walk is rewarded with a peaceful spot to pause and take in the views. The dam’s serene waters invite swimming or simply relaxing by the shore.

The return journey offers just as much to enjoy as the outward leg, with the opportunity to spot wildlife and appreciate the changing light over the landscape. This hike is an ideal way to connect with nature without venturing into more strenuous terrain. With well-maintained paths, clear signage, and facilities at the trailhead, the Grahams Dam trail provides a stress-free outing for all levels of hikers.

Whether you're planning a family day out, a peaceful escape with a partner, or a casual outing with friends, the Grahams Dam walk offers a perfect balance of natural beauty and ease. It's an excellent choice for anyone looking to enjoy a short, rewarding hike in one of Victoria's most picturesque locations.

Trail difficulty

Grade 2 (easy) badge

Grade 2 (Easy)

Gentle tracks with some variation
These walks are still accessible for most people, but introduce mild hills, occasional steps, and slightly uneven surfaces. No prior bushwalking experience is required.

Tracks are usually well-defined and hardened, but you may need to manage small changes in elevation and footing. Distances can extend up to 10km, making these a good step up from Grade 1 for those building confidence.

Good to know: Small hills and longer distances can add up quickly if your fitness or pacing is off.

Planning information

Preparation matters: Plan your short walk well and bring the right gear, weather-appropriate layers, food and plenty of water. Before you head out, read up on bushwalking safety and use this day hike planning guide to make sure you're ready. Need help getting started? Check out the full hike preparation guide.

The walk is mostly flat and easy, but it does involve fixed artificial stepping stones across the river at two different points, so it is not suitable for prams, wheelchairs or people with limited mobility.
The river is prone to flooding so avoid after heavy rains.
No Pets allowed
Beyond Grahams Dam, there are a number of more challenging walking tracks. Do not attempt these unless you have the necessary navigation experience.
Facilities at the trail-head include car parking, toilets, BBQ, picnic tables and a shelter with information signs.

Map and GPX file

Lerderderg Gorge Walk to Grahams Dam (3.5km)

Total distance: 3601 m
Max elevation: 187 m
Min elevation: 144 m
Total climbing: 129 m
Total descent: -127 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

Think safety first

Australian conditions can turn a small oversight into a serious situation faster than most walkers expect. The Hiking Safety Systems and planning calculators are designed to help you identify and close those gaps before you leave home. Work through the Interactive Safety Scenarios to see how incidents unfold, then use the tools to build your plan and make sure a trusted contact has your trip details before you head 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 →

Heading somewhere remote, off-track or overnight? Use the comprehensive trip intentions form instead — your emergency contact will need more detail. Register your trip plan 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 and where to stay

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.

Need a rental car to get you to the hike? Find one here →

Get there with Google Maps

2WD Access
Bitumen Road
Winding Road
Large Car Park
Public Toilets
Untreated Water
Picnic Shelter
Picnic Table
BBQ Facilities

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.

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

Explore the region

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.

Explore nearby hikes

Photo gallery

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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

10 Reviews on “Lerderderg Gorge Walk to Grahams Dam (3.5km)”

Overall rating

Peter Jolly

Get to the main car park early or you wont get a car space.

27/02/2025, 08:22

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1. Trail Hiking Australia
  
  Peter Jolly so very true these days. I still recall the times I’d be the only one there. Those were the days when link 1 and 2 were not even tracks and you had to find your own way.
  
  27/02/2025, 08:40
  
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  1. Peter Jolly
    
    I remember first walking the tracks along there i think in the early 90’s as rehab for a knee.
    It was before the land slip that closed the eastern side river track.
    
    27/02/2025, 09:02
    
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  2. Trail Hiking Australia
    
    Peter Jolly good to see you’re still out there enjoying it.
    
    27/02/2025, 09:31
    
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  3. Peter Jolly
    
    Trail Hiking Australia
    Only started a year or so ago but its good for a lovely relaxing stroll
    
    27/02/2025, 09:34
    
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Trail Hiking Australia

Great little walk this one and a nice gentle introduction to the rest of the park. For those who haven’t hiked the Lerdy, beyond Grahams Dam is where things get a lot more challenging. So if you aren’t great with navigation and steep, rugged terrain, it’s a good idea to turn back at the dam (which is more like a small rock ford near a deeper pool).

27/02/2025, 08:09

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Shannon Worcester

Lynne Simpson would you come for one of these walks?

24/03/2022, 05:20

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Shannon Worcester

Lisa Maree van Bergen these look good

24/03/2022, 05:20

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Acknowledgement of Country

Lerderderg gorge walk to grahams dam (3. 5km) 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:

January 29, 2026

Hike at a glance

Route details

About this trail

Hike summary

Trail difficulty

Grade 2 (Easy)

Planning information

Trail tips

Map and GPX file

Safety and preparation

Think safety first

Let someone know

Free checklists

Getting there and where to stay

Access conditions

Accommodation nearby

Explore the region

About the region

Explore nearby hikes

Lerderderg Circuit Walk – Link Tracks 1 & 2 (8.2km)

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

The Scenic Rim: Link 2 Hike (16.5km)

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

Photo gallery

Weather on the trail

Trail Reviews

10 Reviews on “Lerderderg Gorge Walk to Grahams Dam (3.5km)”

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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