11. Lerderderg Track Stage Five 2017 9.6km

 U3A Hike No 11

We finished this hike on top of Mt Blackwood

While a relatively short walk of 9.6 km and without the hairpin curves of stage four it was quite a demanding walk: medium-hard given some of the terrain. A small group of eleven met at Myrniong before driving along a ridge which afforded spectacular views of farmland stretching to the west with Mt Buninyong and Mt Warrenheip in the far distance and folded bush covered hills to the east. We left some cars atop Mt Blackwood before heading to the starting point at O’Brien’s Road  

After walking a short distance on the road accompanied by the sounds of raucous white cockatoos and the more subdued yellow crested black ones, we came to a track labelled a Parks conservation area. This gave us a leafy and mostly shady walk through bushland with some early blossoming pink and white heath, stands of prickly hakea, young blue gums and a scattering of older trees among mostly regrowth bush. 

Our easy pace altered when we reached a very steep descent along the Whiskey Track down to the dry stony bed of the Whiskey Creek where we stopped for morning tea. We had, of course, to climb back up the other side of the gully to join the Square Bottle Track. This was probably the steepest climbing of our Lerderderg experience so far and quite arduous. Fortunately, Andrew called a few rest stops. The curious names of the tracks perhaps give an insight into the pursuits or preoccupations of past travelers…. 

The last part of our walk included a small section of bitumen through mature and young manna gums on the roadside before the final ascent up the gravel road to the top of Mt Blackwood and a welcome lunch under a shady tree or two. 

Thanks again Andrew, especially for telling us that the walk was around fifteen km and then surprising us when it wasn’t! 

LINKS

DOWNLOAD A GPX ROUTE FILE FOR GARMIN ETC

INTERACTIVE MAP