Hike at a glance
Length
Duration
Difficulty
Trail type
Route details
Max elevation: 466m
Min elevation: 230m
Total Ascent: 532m
Check current conditions
Track conditions, access and closures can change quickly due to weather, fire, maintenance or safety concerns. Always check the relevant land manager’s website before you visit. Trail Hiking Australia does not provide real-time track and closure monitoring, and land managers remain the authoritative source for current alerts, closures and access restrictions.
About this trail
Trail difficulty
Uneven terrain and steady climbs
These walks require a reasonable level of fitness and confidence on rough ground. Expect hills, rough surfaces, and sections with steps or short, steeper climbs.
While not technically difficult, these tracks are no longer "easy" and can feel demanding over distance, especially in heat or with a pack. Some bushwalking experience is recommended, particularly for managing footing and pacing. Distances can extend up to 20km.
Worth knowing: Many hikers underestimate Grade 3 when conditions change or fatigue sets in.
Planning information
Preparation matters: Plan your day hike well and bring the right gear, weather-appropriate layers, food and plenty of water. Before you head out, read up on bushwalking safety and use this day hike planning guide to make sure you're ready. Need help getting started? Check out the full hike preparation guide.
Map and GPX file
Safety and preparation
Think safety first
Australian conditions can turn a small oversight into a serious situation faster than most walkers expect. The Hiking Safety Systems and planning calculators are designed to help you identify and close those gaps before you leave home. Work through the Interactive Safety Scenarios to see how incidents unfold, then use the tools to build your plan and make sure a trusted contact has your trip details before you head out.
Let someone know
Before you go, complete a trip intentions form and share it with a trusted contact. Agree on a Late-Back Time and ask them to call 000 (Police) if you have not checked in. A clear trip plan is one of the simplest and most effective safety steps you can take, and it only takes two minutes.
Heading somewhere remote, off-track or overnight? Use the comprehensive trip intentions form instead — your emergency contact will need more detail. Register your trip plan here →
Free checklists
Download the hiking preparation and safety checklists before leaving home to help you think through your plans. They help ensure important considerations are not overlooked and support safer decision-making on the trail.
Getting there and where to stay
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Accommodation nearby
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Or search accommodation in nearby towns: Belgrave, Emerald, Healesville, Lilydale, Marysville, Monbulk, Montrose, Mount Dandenong, Olinda, Warburton
Explore the region
About the region
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Photo gallery
/Upper-Yarra-Goldfields-Walk_4.jpg "Upper Yarra Goldfields Walk (11km)")
/Upper-Yarra-Goldfields-Walk_3.jpg "Upper Yarra Goldfields Walk (11km)")
/Upper-Yarra-Goldfields-Walk_5.jpg "Upper Yarra Goldfields Walk (11km)")
/Upper-Yarra-Goldfields-Walk_2.jpg "Upper Yarra Goldfields Walk (11km)")
/Upper-Yarra-Goldfields-Walk_1.jpg "Upper Yarra Goldfields Walk (11km)")
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Weather on the trail
The map below shows the rain forecast for the trail area. Tap the toggle in the top right corner to explore other layers including wind, temperature, UV index, thunderstorms, fire danger, and weather warnings — all useful for planning a safe hike.
Trail Reviews
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Whether it’s a new feature, a route change, or a closure, share your update so we can keep our info accurate and helpful for fellow hikers.
Acknowledgement of Country
Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations people of other communities who may be here today.
11 Reviews on “Upper Yarra Goldfields Walk (11km)”
Has been cleared by Parks Vic! Stepping stones at Big Peninsula are closed due to flood damage but there is an alternative route via Peninsula Rd with some signage in place. Nice walk!
This walk was developed some time ago as “A Day’s Walk Featuring Upper Yarra’s History”. A bi centennial grant was applied for successfully to achieve this. The gold mining area was “discovered” by me while working at the Box Hill TAFE Camp Reefton and then developed into an interesting and historical day walk for students at the camp. (now gone)
Over the years many thousands of students have walked this track, including primary ages .(Occasionally at night over the shorter more accessible parts.) The camp staff regularly maintained this entire track which proved to be a pleasant interesting day walk. Lunch was brought to the students at the top of the grassy pipeline area near the Big Peninsular and then swimming at the “blowhole.”
The track through the now “closed” area near the gold mines used to be “easy peasy.” This was cleared just by driving a tractor with a rear mounted slasher backwards into the scrub.. I do recall however instances where the slasher was directly over a shaft with the tractor right on the edge. Subsequently , as the need arose i could drive my Land Rover down this part of the track to the blowhole. There is a variation to this walk we did from time to time.
From the corner of Peninsular Rd and Observation Rd proceed a short distance up Observation Rd and take a track to your left. (probably the first track) This track takes you back onto the water race and then resume the walk as per the track notes. However on the way up this track you will come across a mine locally known as “the lucky strike”. I don’t know it’s condition these days but it could be entered then. A torch is needed and due care.
Before passing this mine on the track up, watch out for an old walking (almost certainly highly overgrown) track that crosses the track you are on at right angles. If you can find it turn left along it as it contours around the hill. This will lead to mostly surface gold workings and by following this line up the hill you come to the Lucky Strike mine. Should you turn right onto this old track it will also contour around the hill to a tunnel. It is interesting that these “surface workings” and the Lucky Strike are in line with the now blocked track / mine access near the blowhole (Big Peninsular). Now back at the Lucky Strike mine it’s only a short walk up the track to rejoin the water race at a spot where it it branches off to supply water to those gold mines/sluicing works access denied parts of the walk.
cheers
RM
Fantastic effort Robert. Would you be happy for me to include your comments in the description of the walk?
Hello Darren, yes happy for you to include my comments in the walk description
Thanks so much
Yes it is closed. Needs a lot of maitenance. Still a walk good though 🙂
There are a couple of updates on the Parksvic site. One from 2018 saying the bridge at little peninsula tunnel is closed for repairs, and another from May 2019 saying the platform at big peninsula tunnel is closed due to vandalism.
I’m heading over there tomorrow for an exploratory walk before, potentially, taking a group there next week.
Has anyone been there recently, any advice?
Did this yesterday. Would have been better to start from Big Peninsula and leave out the pipeline section.
Track in quite poor condition. I walked the closed section, well worth it if you are a history buff. I suspect this section will never be reopened.
A June 2020 update.
A lot of the track is still closed. Mainly due to exposed mine shafts. (these are deep).
Notably the first bridge from the car park is still closed, but can be avoided if walk is started from the first car park on the side of the road.
Many of the sections are still closed, but easily bypassed by using other tracks. We walked all of the closed sections with great care to check it out, regardless of risk.
A lot of climbing over trees and scrub in the closed sections, due to zero maintenance being done.
Apparently this walk is closed until further notice. Parks are yet to make safe some of the walkways near old mine shafts. Extreme caution should be taken if venturing in to this closed area. ( so I’ve heard)
I walked this today clockwise from Little Peninsula car park and the only closed section is a very short loop off Peninsula Road and back. We followed the gpx track posted above mostly but the walking track as currently marked follows the road from Big Peninsula towards Little Peninsula, rather than the Water Easement which runs straight over a steep ridge, disregarding topography. We chose to walk up the steepest section rather than descend it on wet ground, hence our clockwise direction.
A really nice walk!