331. Domino Rail Trail Loop: Trentham: Wombat State Forest 13km

 U3A Hike No 331




Hike Report By Mark Hawley


Trentham Railway Station was the starting point for seventeen U3A Hikers this week. 

Now unused as a railway station, it is the starting point for the Domino Rail Trail to Lyonville. The station has been beautifully preserved and maintained by the local volunteer organisation and made a perfect background for the group photo. A couple walking their dog were prevailed upon to take the photo for us,  so Andrew has been saved from manipulating two images into one this week.

Typical of rail trails, the hills are gradual and the navigation easy. We headed west out of sunny
Trentham into bush that has grown back from historic logging. After morning tea the path left the
rail trail into the bush south to bypass a derelict bridge. At one point it crossed the trickling
headwaters of the Coliban River.

The turnabout point at about 7km was the Radio Springs Hotel in Lyonville. ‘Quaint’, ‘eclectic’ are
just some of the adjectives to describe this hotel! Closed at the time of our visit unfortunately and so
named for the health giving properties of the nearby radioactive mineral springs which brought
hordes of visitors to the area.

The walk back took a different loop away from the rail trail north this time. A couple of wet areas to
negotiate – Leona gets the award for the muddiest boots (actually lower legs). We heard from her
and Geoff about their WA trip and from the Moss’s about last week’s very successful Castlemaine to
Bendigo hike week. 

Later we observed from a distance a large swarm of cyclists riding the rail trail.
Lunch was back at the Trentham Station. Great walk thanks Andrew!
































Some of the group took a short detour on the way home to view the Three Lost Children Memorial near Musk.









LINKS

INTERACTIVE MAP  (Click on pins to see text.)

GPX FILE AND GOOGLE MAPS START & FINISH POINTS

DOMINO RAIL TRAIL 2020

Daylesford Spa Country Railway (includes further extension plans to Lyonville and Trentham)

Radio Springs Hotel 







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