Length: 7.1km
Duration: 3-4hrs
Grade: 4
Style: Circuit
Start: Falcons Lookout Car Park
End: Falcons Lookout Car Park
Location: Werribee Gorge State Park
Closest Town: Bacchus Marsh
Distance from CBD: 70km
State: VIC
Latitude: -37.665775
Longitude: 144.33429
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2WD Access
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...
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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
Warning
Parts of this hiking trail traverse through private land. You will need to seek an alternate route or seek permission of the land owner to access their land.
Hike Summary
The Bluff - Pyramid Rock - Ironbark Gorge hike commences at the Falcons Lookout Car Park and gradually descends the ridge to the rocky outcrop of Western Bluff. From the bluff the main trail descends steeply via Needles spur into the depths of the Werribee Gorge before climbing to the summit of Pyramid Rock.
From this high vantage point you will be rewarded with possibly the best views of Werribee Gorge and the Werribee River below. To the south east you will see the plains of Bacchus Marsh while to the north you can see as far as Centenary hill at the other end of the gorge.
The trail then descends down into the heart of the Werribee Gorge, following the river across the cable traverse before ascending the picturesque Ironbark Gorge.
There will be plenty of rock scrambling, a few river crossings and a few steep ascents to get the heart pumping.
About the region
Werribee Gorge is a wild, rugged natural beauty shaped by 500 million years of geological history. A range of challenging walks amid the steep, river-washed gorge and surrounding rocky ridges offer spectacular views and access to a rock-climbing site within the park. The main feature of this park is the Werribee Gorge, through which the Werribee River meanders. This gorge has acquired some renown throughout the 20th century for its geological value.
Werribee Gorge has attracted the attention of geologists as one of the earliest known ancient glacial deposits, parts of which can be seen. The 200m deep gorge was formed about a million years ago when movements along a fault in the Earth's crust steepened the river's gradient. Since then the stream has continued to deepen the gorge through underlying rock to ancient sediments deposited in a sea more than 400 million years ago. Other geological events that have since occurred include the advance and retreat of an ice sheet and the inflow of volcanic lava.
Getting there
Werribee Gorge State Park is approximately 11.6km west of Bacchus Marsh via Ironbark Road (Ballan-Ingliston Road) from Bacchus Marsh-Balliang Road.
GPX File
Max elevation: 369 m
Min elevation: 165 m
Total climbing: 490 m
Total descent: -490 m
Hikes Nearby
One thought on “The Bluff – Pyramid Rock – Ironbark Gorge (7.1km)”
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Since the heavy rainfall late in 2018 a lot of the Ironbark carpark track to the rock climbing wall down in the gorge has been washed away forcing you to walk more in the rocky bottom of the gorge. Take care as there is a bit of ground that looks pretty unstable there.