Lower Tarwin Valley Drive

Lower Tarwin Valley Drive A 122km loop drive through the varied and beautiful landscapes of the Lower Tarwin Valley. C437 Drive Overview Leongatha C454 B460 A440 C454 C454 KOONWARRA DUMBALK A440 MEENIYAN B460 STONY CREEK A440 C441 C444 B460 Inverloch C442 C442 BUFFALO Foster C444 C442 FISH CREEK TARWIN LOWER VENUS BAY C444 The Lower Tarwin Valley Drive takes in some beautiful scenery and covers a wide range of different landscapes. From the sandy beaches of Venus Bay to the open plains of Buffalo and C444 Stony Creek, the villages of Fish Creek and Koonwarra, and the rolling hills around Meeniyan andWalkerville Dumbalk. The drive offers a Sandy back roads tour of this picturesque rural area. Point Travel Distances & Times Koonwarra – Dumbalk 17 km 30 mins Dumbalk – Meeniyan 9 km 9 mins Meeniyan – Stony Creek 2½ km 4 mins Stony Creek – Buffalo 14½ km 15 mins Buffalo – Fish Creek 18 km 30 mins Fish Creek – Tarwin Lower 29 km 40 mins Tarwin Lower – Venus Bay 5 km 7 mins Venus Bay – Koonwarra 22 km 35 mins TOTAL (approximate, no stops) 117km 2 hrs 50 mins Fish Creek – Tarwin Lower The ower Tarwin Valley At Fish Creek, the drive crosses the Great Southern Rail Trail Explore... L adjacent to the former butter factory (now private property). A short stroll on the trail through the park brings you to the former railway station, now home to the township’s community garden. Between Fish Creek and Tarwin Lower, you will cross over Amber Creek. On a clear day, you can see views across to Waratah Bay. Roadsides have significant remnant vegetation. Wedge-tailed eagles and wallabys are common in this area. Buffalo–Tullaree Road crosses Fish Creek, which after rain becomes home to hundreds of black swans and ducks. A second bridge crosses the Tarwin River near Bright’s Road. The Lower Tarwin Valley Drive Dumbalk – Meeniyan explores the dairy communities of Take a detour Right (North) at Tarwin Lower Road and visit Stop in Dumbalk for a stroll around the village. In the park Koonwarra, Dumbalk, Meeniyan, Stony the former Woorayl Quarry site (about 250m on the left via opposite the store, the local history group has put together Creek, Buffalo, Fish Creek, Tarwin P. Dunlops Rd), which is now a wetland home to a variety of a display of photographs and there is also a map to get your Lower and Venus Bay. The drive takes waterbirds, wildlife and flora. you on a tour using the back roads, bearings. Continue to Meeniyan, then stop in the township for offering a slower pace to enjoy the a stroll and a chat with the locals. Tarwin Lower – Venus Bay spectacular rural scenery. Travelling the whole route is not Meeniyan – Stony Creek In winter months, watch for Cape essential, just start and finish the Using the highway as a connector, head into the village of Barron Geese in the paddocks. drive wherever you like. The drive is close to the A440 South Stony Creek via Stony Creek Road. This quiet village is home The Tarwin Lower Road travels Gippsland Highway and B460 Bass Highway, so is readily to the Stony Creek Racing Club who host 6 thoroughbred beside the Tarwin River, with fishing accessible. The route description begins at Koonwarra and race meetings each year. The Great Southern Rail Trail passes platforms dotted along the river. travels in an Easterly direction. through the village. Picnic areas include the long table at the northern end of Tarwin Lower Koonwarra – Dumbalk Stony Creek – Buffalo township. Canoeing is popular in the river. A gravel walking/cycling trail joins the townships of Monthly farmers markets are held in Koonwarra’s Memorial A playground with picnic and toilet facilities can be found at Tarwin Lower and Venus Bay, travelling beside the Tarwin River, Park at on the first Saturday morning of each month. The the former Buffalo railway station, where the rail trail meanders and adjacent to farmland. Venus Bay’s No.1 beach is patrolled market was established in 2010 and offers seasonal, local past the village. by lifesavers from 26 Dec to 26 Jan. produce. The Koonwarra Recreation Reserve (1st Right) have plantings of deciduous trees which provide excellent colours in Buffalo – Fish Creek Venus Bay – Koonwarra Autumn. The 2nd bridge on Old Koonwarra–Meeniyan Road Driving into the hills offers some great views towards the crosses the West Branch of the Tarwin River. Breathtaking Hoddle Ranges in the South East. Views to the North extend 5km from Tarwin Lower, opposite C Masons Road, is the views are on offer across the Strzelecki valley, which is mostly to the Strzeleckis and Dumbalk. Pause before turning from Tarwin Lower Cemetery, home to native flora species including dairy farms. Take a detour on Mardan–Dumbalk Road Whitelaws Track into Falls Road for great views across the orchids. Koonwarra–Pound Creek Road provides views across (approx. 4km on the left (North) before you reach Dumbalk) valley to O’Grady’s Ridge (West) and the Hoddle Range Leongatha South and to the Strzelecki Ranges (and Anderson’s for fantastic additional views across the valley. (South East). Inlet if travelling in the reverse direction). C437 Marda Leongatha n Rd C454 B460 A440 C454 Nerr ena Y Rd Ne rre The Lower Tarwin Valley Drive is in W C454 n H a R LEONGATHA D d N the Prom Country region of A L KORUMBURRA S P P Victoria, Australia. I G MELBOURNE Y H niyan Rd Dumbalk W T ee S H U –M S O Koonwarra na S re BA er w N on arr d Ko a–Meeniy N Ol an Rd d d s R a R mer arr Far onw Ko ch– Inverlo A440 nwar Rd Meeniyan h–Koo ra rloc Inve Sto ny C r e e k SO U R TH WONTHAGGI d d G R IP PSL B460 k AND HW PHILLIP ISLAND e Y e Stony Y d r A440 R W C W H k MELBOURNE S d S e Creek h n it A e e B r u law C o s P Tr C441 d – a ra c n r k u a PORT ALBERT o d P w R n o o C444 l YARRAM o a K f B460 f u B SALE k– d e W R e r d h h r R ite erloc –Venus B C law v ay e y th s C442 In Rd n r T Inverloch w r o to o L S N n lo i ffa rw u C442 a B T Neals Rd d I n R v M ain St s Foster e ll r Buffalo a l o F c h – V e n u s B d B uffalo R M –Tarwi d e a n Lower R lo e y a n R ff i u ya d d –B n R h – s a ll d t P a R a r C444 F er r o w a m in Lo o w W nt Tar ory Rd Le es C442 t & Du Rd ar nlops R w d Stewart & Dunlops e t d Rd R d Buffalo– S n R Tullar o d ch–V ay ee R s R rlo enu s B d Inve w y a Fish Creek r L H – to Tarwin Lower arding–Law g n Directions son ttlem in o Rd e d S en r t Ha m Venus Bay R ro Start in the town of Koonwarra, d P r– e st d C444 o W R F 141km south-east of Melbourne. h a a lk t e a r r v a 0km il le W R – r d e t s Driving north, turn right into South Gippsland Hwy. o F Summ er About 200m east of Koonwarra on the South s R d Gippsland Hwy, turn left into Old Koonwarra–Meeniyan M d ee WILSONS R niy 4.6km a h n a – Road. Travel along this road for approximately 4.4km t P PROMONTORY a r d ro a R m W s r o W e NATIONAL i n (it will change to gravel after about 2.5km). a – d r l t a o o o t l S a a r h f y PARK - f T a u R rw B d in At the T intersection, turn Left into Meeniyan–Nerrena L o w e r Road. At the G Browns and Hanks Road intersection, Rd e Rd rvill ke go straight ahead as both are ‘No Through’ roads. al C444 6km W – k e e r Waratah Bay C W ara h ta s h i R Turn Right into Dumbalk–Leongatha Road F d Yanakie (Nerrena Road) (sealed road) and travel 6km. At the T intersection, you have reached 6.5km Walkerville Farmers Rd, and the Dumbalk village. Sandy Point Turn right into Farmers Road. After 9km at the T intersection you have reached Meeniyan 9km . Turn Left (East) onto South Gippsland Highway and travel 1km. Cape Liptrap Rd 1km At T intersection, turn Left (South) into Tarwin Lower Road. Travel for 2.3km. Turn Right (South East) into Stony Creek 2.2km Road, which takes you to the Stony At the next T intersection, turn Left (South) into 1.6km Creek township. Inverloch–Venus Bay Road. Travel 2.8km. Continue on this road, which becomes Stony Creek– Follow Falls Road into the 2.8km Buffalo Road (and changes to gravel).

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