1. Home
  2. Pyrites Creek Gorge (15.5km)
Pyrites-Creek

  • Length: 15.5km

  • Duration: 5hrs

  • Grade: 4

  • Style: Circuit

  • Start: Pyrete Range car park

  • End: Pyrete Range car park

  • Closest Town: Bacchus Marsh

  • Location: Lerderderg State Park

  • Distance from state capital: 60km

  • State: VIC

  • Latitude: -37.580918

  • Longitude: 144.507757

8
2
ORGANISE THIS HIKE

Pyrites Creek Gorge is a 15.5km, grade 4 Circuit hike located in Lerderderg State Park Victoria. The hike should take approximately 5hrs to complete.

Summary

The Pyrites Creek Gorge hike negotiates a scenic section of the the Pyrites Creek Gorge and includes the historic Drapers Lode Antimony Mine. The Pyrete Range is a recent addition to the Lerderderg State Park. Pyrites Creek winds its way through the range before flowing into the nearby Merrimu Reservoir.

Tips

I would rate this a moderate hike during dry months when there is no water in Pyrites Creek as 5km of this trail require you to negotiate a trail along the creek or walk up the creek bed. During wet months I would rate this as a difficult hike.

Poles are useful in the creek bed, particularly after rain when the rocks will be very slippery.

The presence of Cinnamon Fungus poses a serious threat to flora and fauna of the park. This microscopic pathogen attacks plant root systems causing die-back. Patches of dead or dying vegetation can indicate the presence of the fungus and grass trees are particularly susceptible. The disease is spread through the movement of contaminated soil and gravel and there is no known cure.

Help to minimise the spread of this disease through the park by remaining on formed tracks at all times. All soil should be removed from footwear prior to entering and leaving the Park using a 70% methylated spirits/water solution and a sturdy brush.

 

Total distance: 15561 m
Max elevation: 358 m
Min elevation: 223 m
Total climbing: 381 m
Total descent: -377 m
Download GPX File

Please note that you need to be registered and logged in to download GPX Files. If you aren't you will automatically be redirected to the registration/login screen before being returned to this page. Then click the download button again. By downloading any GPX files from this site you agree that its use, and reliance upon, is entirely at your own risk. These files are for non-commercial, personal use only. I will endeavour to ensure the accuracy and currency of the data, but accept no responsibility in this regard, or the results of any actions taken, when using the digital route files.

 

 

Previous
Centenary Walk and The Island (12.5km)

6 thoughts on “Pyrites Creek Gorge (15.5km)”

  4. It is a great hike and i have done it twice. Last weekend i did the hike and there is pretty much no water, couple of waterholes to slightly detour around and a lot of growth in the creek bed. I feel that the orange arrows are fewer than last year and the GPX map was very useful to detect the turn into the gully out of the creek bed. I also seem to think that the terrain has changed and we did eventually get to the fence line but there is now a very steep fire break from Wobbly Gully (not sure) which lead to the fence from a different direction. Further along the fence line there was a cairn and a path and i think this is where we should have come out to the fence based on the GPX. Easy enough to wing it in this last part and go slightly off the “line”. Just wanted to mention the fire break as it seems like to really obvious path to take. Snakes were out too!