Coimadoi Antimony Mine and Pyrites Creek- Lerderderg State Park - 11 Kms return

 U3A Hike No. 212



Hike Report by Alan

This week’s hike was changed from Wattle Gully Mine circuit to Pyrites Creek due to the bad weather forecast. This turned out to be a wise decision. Our hike was not only dry, but the weather brightened up as we progressed.

From the carpark we walked uphill in a northerly direction for about 1.7 km, as this was an old vehicle track, the conditions were good under foot. At a junction where it was signposted Sugarloaf to the right, we turned to the left to continue our chosen path. We then descended into a gully where the trail was easy for walking. We followed a small creek, and, after a while, we had to cross over to continue on the other side. Further along we came across a wreck of an old Mini car to the left. This sparked a discussion on how the car got there!

Continuing with our hike we came across an unusual bridge which was constructed by the army, using connected sections of reo mesh to span the creek. The army used the park for training purposes after World War Two. We crossed the bridge one at a time due to the stability of it.

We continued walking to the Antimony Mine on our left where we followed the trail up to the top to get a better view. Here Gordon explained how they refined the Antimony and what it was used for. As we continued along the trail there was a lot of rusting machinery and some twisted tram lines to our left. On the far side of the creek was the Drapers Lode where concrete foundations of the stone crushers were still apparent. Drapers Lode was first worked in 1899 and operated intermittently by various owners until 1947, when the mine was eventually closed. We stopped for a break here and wondered, with the remoteness and difficult access to the mine, how they managed to actually get all the materials there to build it.

After exploring the area and looking at the various mine shafts we carried on downstream. The trail crosses the creek a couple more times before the gully opens onto some grassy flats where the tall Eucalyptus trees towered above us offering shade for a sunny day. Eventually we came to Pyrites Creek and, after Andrew informed us of the wet and difficult journey downstream, we turned around and retraced our steps, with a slight detour, back to the carpark.

We then sat and enjoyed our lunch together before heading home.

Photos by Alan and Mark H

















Gordon's Wide Mouth Frog Story
 


LINKS

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

287. Frith Gully - Mt Misery Loop. Enfield State Park

Image
 U3A Hike No 287 Hike Report by Colin Fraser Eight hikers assembled outside the Marty Busch Reserve in Sebastopol for an 11.5 km hike on the Frith Gully-Mt Misery Loop in the Enfield State Park. We travelled in two vehicles to the start of the walk at Bald Hill on Incolls Road, Enfield. The walk was graded as moderate, and described as continuously hilly. We walking paths and rough bush roads through isolated parts of the park. There were deep gullies with lush vegetation, high ridges with open scrub, and areas that still bear the scars of extensive surface mining in the 19th century. We followed Misery Creek Road south then the Misery Creek and Forest Park walking tracks to Surface Point Picnic Ground, where we had smoko. Before arriving at Surface Point we were accompanied overhead by the raucous alarm calls of a group of cockatoos warning of our intrusion into their forest. Coincidently this occurred just near Mt Cockatoo!! We shared the picnic table with a man who was camping t...
Read more

343. Raglan Falls-Beeripmo Hike 10.6km

Image
U3A Hike No 343  Hike Report By Peter Treby Seventeen U3A walkers set off in perfect weather from Richards Campground in the Mt Cole State Forest for a 10.6 km walk incorporating parts of the Beeripmo Track linked by quiet gravel roads.   We firstly climbed a fine single walking track through granite boulders to Raglan and Rob Falls, and a railed lookout on top of a large granite tor. The forest here is mainly blue gums to about 30 metres, with tree ferns in the gullies. Later in the walk, the taller trees also included messmates.   Throughout the walk, the forest is still recovering from the Bayindeen – Rocky Road fire of late February 2024, which burned 22,000 hectares. The Beeripmo walk only re-opened in January 2025. Everywhere eucalypts are putting out epicormic foliage from their trunks, looking like leafy totem poles. The understory is still a little thin and bare, save for the wetter gullies.   After the falls w e reached less steep terrain and stopped...
Read more

Hiking Group Rules

Image
All members resident in Ballarat are expected to attend the meeting point for a travel briefing. Expectations as to pre-hike meeting times. 1. Arrive at the nominated meeting point prior to 7:50am. 2. 7:50 to 7:55 - Vehicle allocation & transfer gear to allocated vehicles. 3. 7:55 Briefing regarding travel to hike venue. 4. 8a.m. (or when all previous steps complete), depart the meeting point. All members of the U3A Ballarat Hiking Group need to sign a form which sets out the risks associated with hiking   A copy of the form can be found here:   Acknowledgement of risk form  All members will: ...play a part in maintaining my safety and that of the other members of the Group.   ...disclose to the leader details of any health problems that may arise during a walk.   ...be responsible for carrying their own medications on walks.   ...comply with the Hiking Group rules regarding clothing, equipment, and safety* ...follow the in...
Read more