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Length: 16.1km
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Duration: 6hrs
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Grade: 4
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Style: Circuit
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Start: Mackenzies Flat Picnic Area
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End: Mackenzies Flat Picnic Area
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Location: Lerderderg State Park
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Closest Town: Bacchus Marsh
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Distance from CBD: 67km
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State: VIC
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Latitude: -37.60500432
Longitude: 144.4168314
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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
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Lerderderg State Park...
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
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. This is a fantastic but very strenuous walk. The circuit provides access to some more remote sections of the gorge and also bypasses Lerderderg Weir.
The Scenic Rim hike is a 16km circuit graded DIFFICULT. The trail includes water crossings (possibility of your feet getting wet unless river is dry) 2x steep and steady climbs our of the river from Grahams Dam and the weir. Approximately 4 kilometres total climbing and a significant steep 1.3km downhill section back to Grahams Dam on loose terrain.
Follow the river upstream from Mackenzies Flat Picnic Area to Grahams Dam, which is an attractive pool ideal for swimming. Cross the river at this point and continue along the eastern river bank upstream for approximately 600m (trail marker LER503). Turn right and ascent the 1.6km Spur Track to the top of the range. Turn left when you reach the Lerderderg Tunnel Access Track and follow this a short distance to the track junction. Keep left and pass through the Southern Rural Water gate and descend into the weir below via the well made access road.
From the weir you will pick up the marked trail on the western bank of the river, 25m downstream of the weir. Ascend Long Point Track following a steep and rocky ridge. Continue along this trail until you reach the Blackwood Ranges track at the top of the range.
The Blackwood Ranges track is a well made vehicle track which follows relatively level ground. Follow this track for about 3.8Km to where Link no 2 track emerges on your left. Continue south a further 400m until you reach an information shelter and a fork in the road. Follow this trail a further 200m until you reach Link Track No. 1. on your left.
From this point you will descend back into the gorge along Link Track No. 1, a steep, easy to follow but rocky track. Once you arrive back at Graham's Dam simply follow the river track back to Mackenzies Flat.
Tips
- Trail can be taken in any direction.
- The river is prone to flooding so avoid after heavy rains.
- Walking poles will be beneficial.
- This is a challenging walk in the Lerderderg Gorge and is for experienced bush walkers only. It is best to do the walk when the river is fairly low, as many crossings are necessary and at times the riverbed itself is the track. Here you can experience remote, unspoiled bush land.
- Map used: Lerderderg and Werribee Gorges by Meridian.
GPX File
Max elevation: 531 m
Min elevation: 142 m
Total climbing: 878 m
Total descent: -878 m
Hikes Nearby
8 thoughts on “The Scenic Rim (16.1km)”
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Amanda OReilly
It’s a really hard walk!!
You’ve done it more than once I think?
Same area but not this walk I think
This is a great intro hike to the Lerderderg.
This is a great intro hike to the Lerderderg.
Did this walk last year and can highly recommend it.
Returned yesterday with my partner. She only likes 3-4 hour walks so we just went to the higher point of the spur track and returned. That way we still got a good workout. Although the spur is quite steep the footing is quite good. River bed is dry at the moment but that may change with this week’s showers.
This is an excellent walk. The gradients are indeed very steep and care needs to be taken.
Important to carry your water this time of year as the river is reduced to a few murky pools.