Lerderderg Heritage River Walk

The Lerderderg Heritage River Walk, James Cann Reserve, Blackwood, starts near Garden of St Erth, looping along the Lerderderg River. Enjoy a leisurely walk through changing forest landscapes and along the mountain ash-strewn ridges above the flowing Lerderderg River. There is a wide variety of flora to be seen, and sometimes Koalas can be spotted in the area. Your four-legged friends are welcome but must be kept on a leash. The area has a gold mining history, and there are some deep unfenced mine shafts. The track can get muddy after heavy rains, and there are a few fallen trees and overgrown sections, but it is otherwise well maintained and easy to navigate. Let us begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

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Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	At the intersection of Simmons Reef Road & Lerderderg Heritage River Walk (-37.4775771,144.290959)
Mode	Car
Directions	From Turn on to then drive for 7.5 km Keep left onto Western Highway Offramp and drive for another 410 m Keep right onto Western Highway Offramp and drive for another 120 m Turn right onto Ballarat Road, 8 and drive for another 5.4 km Continue onto Western Highway, 8 and drive for another 43.5 km Keep left onto Myrniong - Trentham Road Offramp and drive for another 470 m Keep right onto Myrniong - Trentham Road Offramp and drive for another 40 m Turn right onto Greendale-Myrniong Road, C318 and drive for another 6.4 km At roundabout, take exit 3 onto High Street, C318 and drive for another 10.8 km Turn left onto Simmons Reef Road and drive for another 135 m Keep left onto Simmons Reef Road and drive for another 305 m Keep right onto Simmons Reef Road and drive for another 980 m Keep left onto Simmons Reef Road and drive for another 590 m Turn right onto Simmons Reef Road and drive for another 40 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Turn map	Directions & comments
	At the intersection of Simmons Reef Road & Lerderderg Heritage River Walk Start heading along Lerderderg Heritage River Walk (a walking track). There is a car park (about 20 m back from the start).
	After another 175 m (at the intersection of Lerderderg Heritage River Walk & Simonds Reef Road (Lerderderg Track)) turn right, to head along Simonds Reef Road (Lerderderg Track) (a vehicle track).
	After another 60 m (at the intersection of Lerderderg Road & Simonds Reef Road (Lerderderg Track)) turn left, to head along Lerderderg Heritage River Walk (a walking track). After another 6 m pass the sign (on your left).
	After another 1.7 km (at the intersection of New Sultan Mine Track & Lerderderg Heritage River Walk) continue straight, to head along Lerderderg Heritage River Walk.
	After another 1.1 km continue straight, to head along Lerderderg Heritage River Walk.
	After another 770 m continue straight, to head along Lerderderg Heritage River Walk. After another 135 m head down the steps (about 35 m long)
	After another 100 m (at the intersection of Lerderderg Heritage River Walk & Lerderderg Track) continue straight, to head along Lerderderg Heritage River Walk.
	After another 370 m (at the intersection of Lerderderg Road & Lerderderg Heritage River Walk) veer left, to head along Lerderderg Road (a vehicle track).
	After another 85 m (at the intersection of Lerderderg Road & Lerderderg Heritage River Walk) continue straight, to head along Lerderderg Heritage River Walk (a walking track).
	After another 1.1 km (at the intersection of Lerderderg Heritage River Walk & Ottie Track) continue straight, to head along Lerderderg Heritage River Walk.
	After another 1.2 km continue straight, to head along Lerderderg Heritage River Walk.
	After another 430 m (at the intersection of Lerderderg Road & Lerderderg Heritage River Walk) continue straight, to head along Lerderderg Heritage River Walk.
	After another 780 m (at the intersection of Lerderderg Road & Lerderderg Heritage River Walk) continue straight, to head along Lerderderg Heritage River Walk.
	After another 660 m (at the intersection of Simonds Reef Road & Lerderderg Heritage River Walk) turn right, to head along Simonds Reef Road (a vehicle track). After another 110 m pass the car park (20 m on your left). After another 60 m continue straight, to head along Simmons Reef Road. After another 35 m come to a toilet.
	After another 15 m come to the end.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Lerderderg Heritage River Walk

Grading

	Class 3/6 Moderate track
Length	8.9 km
Time	2 h 45 min to 4 h 30 min

Quality of track	Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)
Gradient	Gentle hills with occasional steps (2/6)
Signage	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure	Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)
Experience Required	Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
Weather	Storms may impact on navigation and safety (3/6)

Some facilities on route

Toilet: There is one 8.9 km from the start.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Toilet	8.9 km	[toilet]

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Gisborne Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed
  
  Thursday 31 October
  
  17°C
  Shower or two.
  60% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, becoming less likely in the afternoon and evening. Winds west to southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h tending south to southwesterly 20 to 30 km/h in the late morning and afternoon. Daytime maximum temperatures between 16 and 20.
  
  Fire Danger Rating: Moderate
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 9:30am to 4:50pm, UV Index predicted to reach 8 [Very High]
  
  Friday 1 November
  
  5°C → 15°C
  Cloudy.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Cloudy. Slight chance of a shower near the Otways in the morning and early afternoon. Near zero chance of rain elsewhere. Winds south to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h tending south to southeasterly in the late morning and afternoon. Overnight temperatures falling to between 3 and 8 with daytime temperatures reaching between 14 and 18.
  
  Saturday 2 November
  
  3°C → 23°C
  Mostly sunny.
  5% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny. The chance of morning frost about the ranges. Winds east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h shifting northerly 20 to 30 km/h during the morning. Overnight temperatures falling to between 3 and 7 with daytime temperatures reaching 21 to 26.
  
  Sunday 3 November
  
  15°C → 26°C
  Partly cloudy.
  30% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds northerly 30 to 45 km/h shifting west to southwesterly 25 to 35 km/h during the day. Overnight temperatures falling to between 14 and 17 with daytime temperatures reaching the low to high 20s.
  
  Monday 4 November
  
  7°C → 19°C
  Partly cloudy.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy.
  
  Tuesday 5 November
  
  7°C → 22°C
  Partly cloudy.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy.
  
  Wednesday 6 November
  
  9°C → 29°C
  Possible shower.
  40% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Possible shower.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- Parks Victoria Alerts
  When planning and before starting your trip please check Parks Victoria closure website for anything that may impact on your plans.

Weather Forecast

Alerts