Fiddler Guilly in Spring, Warrandyte SP

The Fiddler Gully is in the Warrandyte State Park, 15 km east of central Melbourne, and is part of the heritage goldmining precinct.

I visited this locality on November 9, 2012, exploring the 2 km (return) Fiddler Gully Walking Track, starting at the gate on unsealed Webb St.

Some nice wildflowers were in bloom, but couldn't find any gold nuggets, only quartz rocks!

Click to see all of the Photos of this visit

Winter ascent to Mt Lofty, Warrandyte State Park

I went over to the Warrandyte State Park, 25 km east of Melbourne, on Monday afternoon August 16, 2010.

From the Reserve Road canoe launching ramp, I followed the River Track, then climbed steep Wayne Track to the summit.

From there, I descended the fireline track to the Yarra, reaching the River Track, then back to the car.

Total distance was about 3 km.

The views from the Summit were spectacular, to the Dandenong and Yarra Ranges, across the nearby Heritage and Country Club Resort and golf range.

See all of the Photos!

Fourth Hill circuit hike, Warrandyte SP

Victory Mine entrance

Summit of Fourth Hill

"Coral"' tree fungi

"Gold" tree fungi

These pictures were taken on Saturday afternoon July 24, 2010, in the Warrandyte State Park, 20 km east of central Melbourne, on a 4 km circuit hike in the Whipstick Gully historical goldmining precinct.

From the car park at the restored poppet head at the end of Whipstick Gully Rd, I ascended the Bruce Bence Track, then on to Waterman Track, to the summit of Fourth Hill, then down Whipstick Gully Track to the car park.

Some beautiful winter fungi had appeared, unlike any I had ever seen before!

Sadly, no nuggets!

The summit of Fourth Hill was the site of the Warrandyte Water Trust Dam, from 1961 to 1972, and the Fire Tower. There is little evidence remaining of the Dam or Tower.

In the peak of the mining era, 1859 to 1923, the summit was cleared of trees, and was ravaged by bushfires on many occasions.

The poppet head at the car park is a rebuilt structure, based on the original head which stood near the entrance to the Victory Mine a short distance away. Public access to the mine is not permitted. There were rich returns from this mine in 1883, until its closure in 1923.

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Winter circuit hike in the Warrandyte SP

These images were taken on Wednesday July 21, 2010, on a 4 km hike in the Warrandyte State Park, 20 km east of central Melbourne.

My circuit started at the Jumping Creek picnic ground, then along the Blue Tongue Bend Track, along the Nature Walk, then on to Freeland Track, and back to home base.

There were excellent views of the Yarra from the cliff top, and a spectacular array of colored fungi next to the Nature Walk.

See all of the Pictures of my visit!

Winter hike to Tank Hill Summit, Warrandyute State Park.

On Sunday afternoon July 18, 2010, a cold and bleak mid-winter day, I went over to the Warrandyte State Park, 20 km east of central Melhourne.

From the Lookout Point over the Yarra at the entrance to Pound Bend Reserve, I proceeded along gated Tank Track, ascending Tank Hill to the summit.

The concrete tank is near the summit, for fire management support, with a radio water level signalling system.

There are good views from the Summit to the south across the Yarra to Warrandyte.

I then descended to the end of Tank Track, crossing Pound Bend Rd, near the Parks Victoria depot.

From there, I followed the walking track past the YHA Memorial, and then in to Kangaroo Paddock.

Many kangas were grazing in their paddock, which is the site of a former orchard.

I then proceeded along the Pound Bend river track, reaching the Pound Bend Reserve, and up the hill back to the car.

Many winter fungi had appeared, of diverse colors, shapes, and sizes!

This was about 4 km total.

See all of the Photos!

Exploring western Pound Bend Reserve, Warrandyte State Park

On Thursday afternoon July 8, 2010, I was in the Warrandyte State Park, 25 km east of Melbourne central.

From the main picnic ground at the Pound Bend Reserve, I followed the popular track to the Pound Bend Tunnel. From there, I continued westerly along a relatively unknown track, above the Yarra.

This track follows the hillslope at the rear of residential properties on Naughton's Rd.
On the opposite bank is the area known as Bob's Wetlands, which I visited some weeks ago.

The track ended at a secluded fishing spot, at the base of a fire management zone.

It was not possible to go any further, as the area became scrubby trackless bushland.

There were nice views of the Yarra and the Tunnel.

Some interesting birds and animals were spotted: ducks in the Yarra, a nice Kookaburra, and a large Eastern Grey Kangaroo. See the Photos of these creatures! There was also a very large white Fungus, and a beautiful family of scarlet Fungi (see photos).

The archival image was taken in 1932, showing gold workers at the Tunnel. This was created in 1870 by a goldmining company in order to divert the course of the Yarra River, thereby enabling the exploitation of the old riverbed. It is now a popular swimming spot.

There was a gentleman fishing at the end of the Track, but not catching much!

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Hike to Marketgarden Hill, Warrandyte State Park

Yarra Ranges zoom view from Marketgarden Track

Good afternoon - off Marketgarden Track!

Yarra, from Scouts Track clifftop

Market Garden Track starts at the main entrance of the Clifford Park Activity Centre, in the Warrandyte State Park, 30 km east of Melbourne town.

It is a gated fire management track.

It continues for about 4 km to the north, reaching the Bend of Isles on the Yarra River, at the junction of Lucerne Paddock Track.

It runs along the main north ridgeline, adjacent to farming properties on the west, with an increase in altitude from 104 m to 130 m.

This area of the Park is known as the Yarra Brae Section, which was added in 1987, following acquisition of land, formerly a large farm. The memory of the farm lingers, in the Lucerne Paddock and Market Garden track names.

For part of the way, the track divides - the old track runs next to the fence line of a farm - the new track is parallel, lower down.

There are excellent views from the upper track across the Park and towards the Yarra and Dandenong Ranges.

I explored the southern section of this beautiful track on Sunay afternoon July 4, 2010. On a previous trip I had followed the track to its end on the banks of the river, but time was against me on this occasion, and my turnabout point was at the junction of Scouts Track.

I returned along the lower track, a total distance of about 3 km.

See all of the Photos of my visit, which includes an archival image, looking down on the Yarra, taken in 1940, from the same vantage point on Scout Track. In that year, the hills swere relatively bare of trees!

Exploring Black Flat, Warrandyte State Park

Black Flat Reserve is in the Warrandyte Sate Park, 20 km east of the Melbourne CBD.

It is reached from a small car park off Tills Rd.

It is the site of the alluvial gold mining of the 1880s - the only relics are the overgrown diggings.

The Black Flat Circuit Track is a 4 km loop, through the former diggings, along the Nature Trail, and passing the Yarra River. Part of the Track follows the Jumping Creek to Black Flat Walking Track.

The Track passes the site of the Mullen's Orchard, which operated from 1870 to 1914, adjacent to the Yarra.

There are picnic tables at this point, which is used as a canoe launching area.

For the adventurous, a rough foot-track goes from the orchard site westerly through bushland along the river bank, but becomes overgrown near the old watercourse. This links with another track which joins the management road. The remains of old concrete foundations are visible in a cleared area at the end of this track.

I walked the Black Flat Track on Friday afternoon July 10, 2009, a dull and overcast midwinter day!

See the complete set of Photos of my visit.