Steiglitz Circuit, Steiglitz Historic Park Circuit - 8.3 Kms

 U3A Hike No. 211



Hike Report by Andrew

Our planned hike this week was to be in the Mt Cole State Forest, but the forecast was not good in the least. Gordon, our leader for this hike thought that thunder and lightning, heavy rain and mountain tops did not make a pleasant combination, so very prudently changed our hike to one that only three people had turned up for a few weeks earlier, as the forecast for the Steiglitz area was much more promising. Upon arriving at the start point for the hike we welcomed Jan B back to the group after a break of close to two years, as well as new members Alan and Teena.

The following paragraphs were penned by Gordon on the previous hike, and it was déjà vu all over again:

We drove to Steiglitz, already wearing full weather-proof clothing and parked by the historic Steiglitz Courthouse (opened 1874 and not needed after 1879). It was not raining. We donned packs and started off along a track which passed the many street signs of what was once a suburb of Steiglitz; the (modern) signs are all that remain of the streets. We soon reached the first crossing of Sutherland Creek (it was not in flood) and followed the creek along a narrow foot-track into a deepening and narrowing gorge. Eventually the track climbed steeply up the rocky hillside of the gorge and descended just as steeply to a ford. We crossed with dry feet. It was still not raining.

 A long climb uphill along a gully, through forests full of wattle blossoms and cockatoos brought us to the Meredith Road and soon after we reached The Crossing Picnic Ground. It was not raining so we stopped for morning tea.

 Unfortunately, that’s where things changed as it then started to drizzle slightly, but only for a couple of minutes and the rest of our hike was rain free!!

 So, back to Gordon’s report:

Refreshed but wind-blown, we crossed the Grahams Creek ford (which was dry) and then followed the narrow stony foot-track of the Burchell Trail along the banks of Yankee Creek. The gully had signs of surface mining and of deep quartz mining: a large, breached dam, quartz-roasting kilns cut into the hillside, and many mullock heaps hidden in the bush. One more uphill section and we were at Durdidwarrah Rd and the site of the Alliance Mine of which there remain only a few bricks and a series of enormous mullock heaps.

The final stretch was firstly along Durdiwarrah Road past the completely (except for two pine trees) vanished mining village of New Chum and then along a minor dirt road past a farm with an enormous collection of ‘things that might come in handy one day’. A few more mining relics and we were wandering through the remains of the village of Steiglitz, comparing the period photos on the signboards with the current reality of what is basically a ghost-town.

The wind was getting up, so we went on to Meredith for coffee.

On returning to Ballarat, I found that others on walks in Ballarat had walked in constant drizzle, 
so well-done Gordon!!!

Photos by Mark B






























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