The Ascent of Brock Spur, Kinglake National Park

Brock Spur is a rugged bluff in the eastern extremity of the Kinglake National Park, 50 km NE of Melbourne.

The gated Brock Spur Track is an old logging track, linking the Melba Highway, north of Yarra Glen, to the Mt Slide Junction on the Healesville-Kinglake Rd.

Now used for fire management purposes, with walker access permitted, it climbs steadily through forest from the Melba Highway gate, reaching the Acacia Ridge Track.

There is an increase in altitude of about 190 m.

The views across the valley towards the east are superb, with panoramas to the Mt St Leonard and Mt Tanglefoot peaks.

I hiked this track, and the Acacia Ridge Track, on March 1, 2008, a total of about 4 km.

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Expolring Steel's Creek Valley

The Steel's Creek Valley is located about 50 km NE of Melbourne, bordering the Kinglake National Park.

It is nestled between Mt Slide, Mt Jerusalem, and the Pinnacles, with the settlement of Steel's Creek nearby.
There are several vineyards in the region.

A large tract of the valley, bordering Brock's Spur, was formerly used for general farming, now mostly abandoned.

A 4 km gated track, known as Hargreaves Track, with walker access permitted, extends east-west across the valley, linking the Melba Highway and Steel's Creek Rd.

On February 26 2008 I explored the eastern section of Hargreaves Track, visiting the Old Homestead site nearby,at the base of Mt Slide.

The views were excellent cross the Valley, and further afield over the Yarra Valley and to the Kinglake Ranges.

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Robert's Track, Christmas Hills

Robert's Track is a scenic trail in the Christmas Hills, 40 km north-east of Melbourne.

It links unsealed Butterman's Rd with One Tree Hill Rd, passing through preserved bushland, at the base of One Tree Hill, and flanking the large Wanneroo Stud Farm.

It is a primarily a fire management track, gated, but access is permitted for walkers.

There are good views towards the Kinglake Ranges, Yarra Ranges, and the Dandenong Ranges.
The northern sector passes through the Rifle Range Reserve and the newly proclaimed Warrandyte-Kinglake Nature Conservation Reserve, and is adjacent to the Kinglake National Park.

I completed this 8 km (return) hike on February 1, 2008.

Northern access to the track is from a small car park on Butterman's Rd, between the towns of St Andrew's and Yarra Glen.

Southern access is from the Eltham-Yarra Glen Rd, via One Tree Hill Rd.

Tghere are excellent views across the Yarra Valley from the Mt Wise Rd, which leads into Butterman's Rd.

See the complete set of Photos of my trip, in slide-shopw or static format!