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Length: 1.2km
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Duration: .5hr
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Grade: 2
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Style: Circuit
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Start: Blackberry Lane Picnic Area
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End: Blackberry Lane Picnic Area
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Location: Mount Buninyong Scenic Reserve
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Closest Town: Buninyong
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Distance from CBD: 120km
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State: VIC
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Latitude: -37.650071
Longitude: 143.919626
Keep the Trail Access info current...

Select items to indicate conditions for access to the trail.


2WD Access


4WD Access


Public Transport


Bitumen Road


Gravel Road


Steep Road


Winding Road


Speed Bumps


Vehicle Ford


Entry Fee


Large Car Park


Small Car Park


Accessible Parking


Accessible Toilet


Public Toilets


Drinking Water


Untreated Water


Picnic Shelter


Picnic Table


BBQ Facilities


Campfire Pit


Camping Area
Keep the Trail Features current...

Mount Buninyong Scenic Reserve...
Select items to indicate features found along the trail.


Concrete Path


Timber Boardwalk


Gravel Path


Sandy Trail


Rough Trail


Undefined Trail


Prams & Strollers


Manual Wheelchair


Motorised Wheelchair


Bicycle Trail


Mountain Bike Trail


Historic Rail Trail


Dog Friendly


Urban Walk


Coast & Beach


Historic Lighthouse


Waterfalls & Lakes


Rainforest Walk


Goldfields & Mining


Heritage Walk


Aboriginal Art


Alpine Region


Alpine Huts


Exposed Ledges


Rock Scrambling


Steep Terrain


Bush Bashing


River Crossings


Scenic Viewpoints


Well Marked


Drinking Water


Untreated Water


Fishing Spots


Swimming Spots


Overnight Campsites


Trail Running


Horse Riding
Hike Summary
The Mount Buninyong - The Crater hike is an easy walk commencing at the Blackberry Lane Picnic Area. The trail follows Blackberry Lane to the foot of Mount Buninyong before skirting the rim of an ancient volcanic crater.
Mount Buninyong is an extinct scoria cone volcano located 15km south east of Ballarat near the township of Buninyong. Unlike most other elevated points of eruption in Western Victoria, it supports some native vegetation.
The summit of the mountain is 745 metres and can be reached by either road or walking track. Superb views of the surrounding landscape can be seen from here.
Mount Buninyong is surrounded by a scenic reserve with an overstorey of eucalypts, a tussock ground cover and a very limited understorey. The remnant understorey has been interpreted in the light of both Mount Buninyong's European history and remnants from associated sites. Timber harvesting and an extended practice of grass fires with follow up grazing greatly reduced the shrub layer.
There are three walks on Mount Buninyong, the Crater Walk with a viewing platform (accessible to people with a disability), the Summit walk (a zigzag track) and the Southern Walk. The Summit and Southern Walks are graded as category three walks.
- The Crater Walk - an easy walk, approx 1 km, 20 minutes
- The Zigzag Summit Walk - steep slope requiring good footwear and reasonable fitness, approx 3 kms, 1 hour
- The South Walk to the summit via Crater Walk - steep slope requiring good footwear and reasonable fitness, approx 3.5 kms, 1 hour
About the region
Mount Buninyong is an extinct volcanic mountain 745 metres above sea level. A great landmark of the district, it stands out from the vast Western Plains next to its northern sister Mount Warrenheip and is visible from the high-rise towers of Melbourne in the west and the Grampians in the east, providing a welcome sign of home to countless generations of local people.
Getting there
From Buninyong town centre head east along the Midland Highway turning left onto Mount Buninyong Road. Continue along Mount Buninyong Road turning right into Blackberry Lane, just after the junction of Hogarths Road. Park in the Blackberry Lane Picnic Area.
Tips
Great short walk for kids
GPX File
Max elevation: 688 m
Min elevation: 655 m
Total climbing: 36 m
Total descent: -36 m
Hikes Nearby
One thought on “Mount Buninyong – The Crater (1.2km)”
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Nice walk, I struggled a bit, please note I am overweight and unfit. My daughter did great.