Lerderderg Heritage River & Whipstick Loop

🥾 Hike #5 – Lerderderg Heritage River & Whipstick Loop

🌿 15km of forest trails, river scenery, gold-mining history and plenty of variety!

For Hike #5, we’re heading to Blackwood for a scenic circuit through Wombat State Forest, combining the Lerderderg Heritage River Walk and Whipstick Loop.

The trail winds through open eucalypt forest, creek valleys and the upper reaches of the Lerderderg River, with plenty of reminders of the area’s gold-mining past along the way. We’ll pass historic water races, old mine shafts, remnants of mining structures and the former Crown Dam site, giving the hike a great mix of nature and local history.

The route is generally undulating rather than extremely steep, but at around 15km it’s a solid day on the trails. Expect a mixture of established forest tracks, narrower walking trails and some uneven terrain. 🥾

🐶 Dogs are welcome, so your four-legged hiking buddies can join us too! Please keep dogs under control and bring plenty of water for them.

🎒 Multi-day hike training

For those joining our upcoming multi-day hike, priority will be given to those participants when places are allocated. This is also a great opportunity to train with a loaded hiking pack and get used to carrying the gear you’ll have on the overnight trip. 🎒🥾

📍 Hike details

🥾 Distance: ~15 km

⏱️ Time: ~4.5–5 hours

📈 Difficulty: Grade 3 - Moderate

🌳 Terrain: Forest tracks, uneven ground & gentle-to-moderate climbs

🌊 Highlights: Lerderderg River, historic water races, old mine workings & Whipstick Creek

🐕 Dogs: Dog-friendly

📍 Start/Finish: Garden of St Erth, Blackwood

☕ Post-hike: We’ll head into Blackwood afterwards for a well-earned coffee, drink or bite to eat and a BHC catch-up. The Blackwood Hotel has a dog-friendly covered deck and outdoor beer garden, making it a good option if we’re bringing the pups.

Come along for a beautiful forest hike, a bit of history and some good company! 🌿🥾