370. Steiglitz Circuit.9km - Steiglitz Historic Park

 U3A Hike No 370




Hike Report by Sue Collier

Leader: Gordon Talbett 

Whip: Kim Radenic 

Distance: 9km circuit 

Weather: Fine

🏛️ A Town of Gold and Ghosts

Steiglitz rose to prominence during the Victorian Gold Rush (1850s–1890s), once home to around 1,500 residents and boasting a hotel, newspaper, shops, and even an undertaker. Today, it’s a quiet ghost town with a population of just 60, and only a handful of buildings remain as echoes of its golden past.

🌤️ Setting Off

Despite an unpredictable forecast, blue skies broke through the clouds and sunshine made frequent appearances. Eight enthusiastic walkers gathered at the Historic Courthouse in Steiglitz Historic Park, where Gordon briefed us on the rugged terrain ahead—this would be a “slip, trip, and fall” kind of walk.

🏞️ Into the Gorge

We descended into a rocky gorge along Stawell Street, crossing a clear-flowing stream and pausing to admire an old capped mine embedded in the rock face. A steep, slippery ascent followed, testing our footing and stamina.

🫖 Morning Tea & Mistletoe

Deadmans Track led us in single file to the main road, which we crossed cautiously to reach The Crossing Picnic Area for morning tea. From there, we walked through eucalypt woodlands, noting the abundance of mistletoe thriving on the trees.

⛏️ Mining Relics & Forgotten Efforts

Our path followed alongside The Burchell Track and Yankee Creek, passing the Bernhart Mine—active for just over two years but yielding no gold, only pyrites and sulphide of antimony. We then reached the Calcining Pits, once bustling with activity as gold-bearing quartz was processed.

🏗️ Bridges, Batteries & Mullock Heaps

Further along, we arrived at the Prince of Wales Battery site, reportedly active around 1854. To avoid private property on Hay Track, we took the newly formed Durdidwarrah Track back toward town, crossing The New Chum Bridge (built in 1859), laid with deserted quartz and a 10-tonne weight limit. After our hearty morning tea, we crossed with caution!

Photos by Alan Evans
























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