U3A Hike No. 111

Links for historical newspaper reports and map can be found after the photos.

Report by Dick Patterson for the Blue Group:

The group of ten walkers met near the crater of Mt Buninyong at 7.50 am on a very foggy and cool morning. The fabled and much-loved views of the western plains were hidden and had to be imagined as we headed off briskly with Andrew in the lead and Ken acting as whip. The pace was fine on the gentle downhill sections but we quickly realised that for every metre of altitude we lost it had to be paid for later in the walk. To start high and walk down or to start low and walk up? That is the question!

Our walk headed north from the car park and through the beautiful manna gums and towards Yankee Flat Road which took us past a couple of manicured gardens that thrive on the red volcanic soil. Occasionally these gardens are open to the public and are well worth visiting.

From Yankee Flat Road we headed west along Wirreanda Drive and past the houses and their spreading gardens. They all looked in fine form except for one sad mudbrick house that had suffered a fire five years ago. From Wirreanda Drive we turned left and joined the Union Jack Track which made a pleasant change from walking on the roads. Again this track slowly descended but now beneath the rising fog which was slowly revealing a day that was sunny at times but very cool.

We saw the Locomotive Hill Mine which was the site of a tragedy in 1933 where two miners were overcome by carbon monoxide poisoning. A heroic attempt to save them failed but gave the rescuers the silver medal for bravery.

The Union Jack track wandered to the south and then back north where we crossed Henderson’s Road to Fisken Road and then back to Henderson’s Road. Andrew’s GPS was keeping us on track as we did loops through the bush. The track was well sign posted with information which is used by school groups who use the area. These signs provided information about invasive species such as radiata pines and discussed coppiced trees that tell of our mining past.

We headed south along Henderson’s Lane until will met Elizabeth street where we turned east and started our long uphill climb towards Mt Buninyong. The chosen route took us back within the Union Jack Reserve and to the (probable) Union Jack mine site.

Another sign told us about Musical frogs which strangely we could faintly hear. Shortly after we silenced and strained our ears we realised it was someone’s mobile phone! The pobblebonk frogs do a better job of providing music.

The Union Jack reserve is well named as it comes from the English, Irish and Scottish miners who worked in the area after 1857. These early mining attempts eventually grew to some quite large mining enterprises by 1905. Andrew provided some excellent information about these mining enterprises and the larger ten head battery that was built so close to Buninyong.

After we joined Gittings Lane, which is really an extension of Elizabeth Street, we were feeling that we had most of the walk behind us. After a short burst on the Mt Buninyong Road we headed south along Granny Whites Lane and finally up the very steep pinch of Blackberry lane. Half way up this section we found it necessary to stop to examine nothing very much. Whilst doing so we caught our breath!

In front of us was the crater of the 110,000 year old volcano which has been active as recently as 10,000 years ago. Following our short loop towards the crater we headed back to the carpark where we had another cup of tea in the pleasant sunshine. The occasional clouds dropped the temperature to such an extent that we were sent home after a very good and brisk 11 kilometre walk. It’s wonderful that such good walks are so accessible.

Report by Mark Hawley for the Gold Group:

A slightly foggy morning saw us meeting at the Blackberry Lane car park near the Mount Buninyong crater. After watching Andrew's group disappear Tim lead us along Yankee Flat Road and Wirreanda Dve into Union Jack Reserve. Named for a party of miners who arrived in 1857 from England, Scotland and Ireland (they discovered the Union Jack Nugget) it sits outside the northeast corner of Buninyong town. This area saw extensive mining during the gold rush mainly by a swarm of small time enterprises dreaming of large fortunes. The dangers of this were underlined by the first stop at the remains of the Locomotive Hill Mine. A plaque there commemorates a 1933 tragedy where a 34yo and 68yo died of carbon monoxide poisoning amid mentions of heroism during the rescue attempts. *

The walk continued over hill and dale through and beyond the Reserve to Fisken Road then back down Henderson's Lane to the edge of Buninyong near the remains of the old Buninyong train line. Barkly and Elizabeth streets took us back into Union Jack and more bush and decaying mining infrastructure. Gittings and Granny White Lanes lead to a steep walk up to the Mount Buninyong crater. A very picturesque walk around the lower crater area (with an option to later attack Heartbreak Hill to complete crater circuit) lead back to the cars and a well earned morning tea/lunch.

Thanks Andrew, Gordon and Tim for the organisation and leadership. The walk provided a different approach and perspective to the Reserve as most would park in Buninyong and walk from that direction. I enjoyed the mix of bush walking on firm trails and all the usual bush charm, with occasional walk-pasts of some impressive real estate not usually obvious to passers-by.

Report by Joan Brick for the White Group:

Being the last group to leave took the pressure off us having to keep one step ahead of the group behind thus allowing time to stop and take in the many features of our hike. The pretty crisp morning dictated the need to move at a cracking pace just to get the blood flowing and the fingers thawed out.

Once we finished the road component of our hike off Yankee Flat Road we were once more surrounded by the beauty of the Bush. There were some unique houses tucked in among the gum trees as we headed on a back drive (Wirreanda) toward the Union Jack Reserve.

Our first point of interest was the Locomotive Hill Mine Memorial that marked the bravery of men who tried to save miners who had been overcome with Carbon Monoxide Gas. This was a solemn reminder to us as were the remnants of the attempts at gold mining in the area of the risks and dangers experienced by those hoping to strike it rich. From the Memorial we meandered on one of the trails within the Reserve that lead to one of Buninyong’s back roads, Henderson Lane. From here we were exposed to a new phenomenon called the Buninyong Triangle. It is the area between Henderson’s Lane and Fisken Rd. We witnessed the reality that it is not the size of a dog that dictates his ability to warrant a “Beware of Dog” sign, but rather its yelping bark that acts as warning that strangers are in the area!

We hiked down Henderson’s Lane and saw the beaut views that the properties along this road had of Buninyong. At the end of the Lane we were amazed to see remnants of the Old Buninyong railway as well as a very fine example of a brick culvert. On our return to the entrance of the Union Jack Reserve we took another back road and explored the Reserve further. Gordon took us off the beaten track on a back trail of the reserve that many of us had not ever seen. This area showed more extensive examples of mining that could be seen in the contours of the surrounding land.

We exited out of the reserve and headed up Gittings Lane, a back lane that many take on venturing up to start their ascent of Mt Buninyong. Continuing on another back lane, Granny White Lane, we had our uphill challenge with the Fire Access on Blackberry Lane. Having achieved this, we finished our adventure with a view of the Crater and Gordon’s comforting words that Mt Buninyong/Warrenheip might erupt again in a few thousand years or maybe tomorrow.

Thanks Gordon for a very pleasant and interesting hike on the Buninyong back roads, lanes and drives along the way.