394. Nuggetty Gully - Linton Hike 12km

 U3A Hike No 394



Hike Report by Alan Evans

📍 The Meet-up & "The Rogue Turn"

Twenty hikers, including one visitor from Canada, gathered at Bunnings in Delacombe before making the trip out to Linton. We set off from the Linton Oval, making the short connection to join the historic Ballarat-Skipton Rail Trail. However, the planned route didn't last long; Mark, living up to his rebel reputation, decided to go "rogue." He flipped the script and led the group in the opposite direction of the original plan!

🪦 Reflections at the Cemetery

Our reversed route soon brought us to the Linton Cemetery. We took some time to wander between the headstones, reading the names and dates that tell the story of the region’s early settlers. Leaving the grounds, the atmosphere shifted from somber to cautious as we navigated a track flanked by several deep, uncovered mine shafts—a stark reminder of the area's golden but dangerous past.

🚒 Morning Tea & Memorials

We paused for a break at the Linton Firefighters Memorial. It served as a poignant backdrop for morning tea as we discussed the history of the site and the brave firefighters who lost their lives there. It was a moment of quiet respect before we shouldered our packs and headed down Possum Gully Road, eventually turning onto a track where we spotted more mine shafts—thankfully, these ones were safely secured with metal grids.

🕵️ Mystery at Nuggetty Gully

The hike took a turn for the strange at Nuggetty Gully. We stumbled upon some unusual, modern-day sluicing concentrated around three trees. While Mark—clearly influenced by a few too many episodes of C.S.I.—suggested they were looking for a body, it certainly added a bit of mystery to the walk! Nearby, we even found an old mine shaft carved directly into the hillside that was large enough to walk into.

🥪 The Homeward Stretch

As we neared the end of our trek, we linked back up with the Rail Trail. The flat, easy path was a welcome change of pace as we headed back to the cars at the Oval for a well-earned lunch. Despite Mark’s detour, it was a successful day of exploring the hidden holes and history of Linton.



Andrew: I have made a podcast for 'Linton - Gold and Fire' Link below

Photos by Andrew Parker


























LINKS

INTERACTIVE MAP

START POINT ON GOOGLE MAPS

DOWNLOAD A  GPX FILE 

A PODCAST WHICH INCLUDES THE FIRE DETAILS 

THIS HIKE IN 2022


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