Whitehorse, Yarrowee and Canadian Circuit - 14.2 Kms

 U3A Hike No. 164

Andrew's Group

Hike Report by Fiona

We commenced this 14.2 kilometre circuit walk in two small groups from Valley Drive Canadian. The weather was cool with occasional drizzle patches. Initially we headed westward along the Mt Clear streets to Tinworth Avenue and Indicator Lane where we walked along a motorbike trail into the pine plantation. Here we found an old abandoned tin hut. The track led out to Brittain Street.  

Once we crossed over the street we walked down an easement adjacent to the pine plantation and climbed further north and then downward across cleared land, with Geelong Road in the distance. In this area we saw evidence of previous mining activity including mullock heaps, deeply eroded mined hillsides and an old brick wall.

The walk traced back over Brittain Street in a westerly direction past a large exhaust vent associated with the Ballarat Goldfields Mine. A power substation was also positioned nearby.

We then passed the Central Highlands Water plant near the Humffray Street South intersection. A 4WD track along Greene Drive eventually lead onto the Yarrowee track at the Redan Wetlands area. We stopped here for coffee break before continuing northward along the Yarrowee creek into central Ballarat. We then joined the Canadian Creek track which headed south, on the eastern side of Geelong Road. 

A few kilometres down the track we reached our starting point again in Canadian where we enjoyed a “socially distanced” picnic lunch at adjacent parkland. We warmly welcomed Marianne Kennedy back to our Hiking group after a recent period of recuperation.

This was an interesting walk through the ‘backroads’ and old mining areas of Ballarat,   including  pockets of undeveloped areas of Crown land in close proximity to town. There was also a renewed appreciation of the existing Yarrowee and Canadian walking tracks situated at our doorstep.

Thanks to Andrew & Gordon for leading our walk today.

Photos by Andrew