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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
Keep the Trail Access info current...
2WD Access
Bitumen Road
Winding Road
Large Car Park
Public Toilets
Untreated Water
Picnic Shelter
Picnic Table
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...
Gravel Path
Rough Trail
Undefined Trail
Exposed Ledges
Rock Scrambling
Steep Terrain
River Crossings
Scenic Viewpoints
Untreated Water
Fishing Spots
Swimming Spots
Trail Running
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) 2 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.
Once you reach the weir, locate a set of metal stairs that run alongside a concrete fish ladder which consists of a series of stepped concrete boxes with two holes connecting to the next box up and down. Descend the stairs and cross the river. 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.
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.
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.