Moderate Walks

Eltham and Environs Walking Group Moderate Walks Detailed notes for July 2020 The latest news from Bushwalking Victoria is that we have no more than 10 walking in a group. If more than 10 arrive to do a walk, we will have a staggered start. We need to remain vigilant and adhere to the guidelines. o Stay at home if you are showing any symptoms of COVID-19 or if you have had contact with someone suspected to be infected with COVID-19. o Maintain a social distance of 1.5m at all times. o Cough into your elbow. o Maintain hand hygiene. o Do not share personal items on a walk. Wednesday July 1 208 E Blackburn Lake Sanctuary Circuit, Blackburn 6.2kms 1:40 Mel 47 H11/12 Surface = 1 steepness = 1 Commences at the Blackburn Bowls Club carpark, Pakenham Road, Blackburn. Suggested route from Eltham: From Williamsons Rd, turn left into King St, and then right into Victoria St – the latter eventually becomes Middleborough Rd. At its junction with Canterbury Rd, turn left; Pakenham Rd in the second on the left. The Bowls Club is on the right hand side, just before a narrow bridge. Allow 30 minutes. From the northern side of the carpark look for Blackburn Creek Lands Reserve information sign, and take this track to the right. Continue until you reach Main Rd. Cross over and continue on the other side of the road through Reserve until track ends on Heath St near corner of Blackburn Rd, and walk to the right until you reach Jeffrey St. Turn into Jeffrey St, and walk the length of the street. Turn right, and walk along Lake Rd towards Sanctuary entrance opposite Haley St. If wished, you can turn right into Naughton St, and on the left hand side, look for an easement that runs between the houses and eventually exits back on Lake Rd near Haley St. Cross to other side of Lake Rd, and enter Sanctuary. For a Figure Eight circuit of the Sanctuary, start off on Lakeside Circuit, and then take first turning on the right – Wattle Walk – ignoring any left hand turns, and walk until you reach a T junction with Fire Break Trail at the eastern boundary of the Sanctuary. Turn left, and continue on this track past play area and local school. Keep on this track, and eventually cross bridge. Again, keep left, after crossing another bridge, turn left into Lakeside Circuit, which now hogs the west side of the lake. Follow this track alongside the lake with its many viewing areas until you reach Friends Bridge; here, bear right and uphill to the Visitor Centre. The latter has information and toilet facilities. From the Centre, walk across grass to the children’s playground and look out for Melaleuca Walk, which is behind and just to the right of the play equipment. Follow Melaleuca Walk, and cross two small bridges. Walk until you reach Lakeside Circuit again, turn right, and follow Lakeside Circuit down to the Lake Rd entrance Haley St. Turn right, crossing Lake Rd, and walk until you reach Naughton, Jeffrey or Allendale Rds. Turn left, and walk until you reach Blackburn Rd. Turn right, walking to Furness St. Turn left and follow the track to the entrance to Creek Reserve. Turn right, and follow creek on your left back to the cars. Coffee at [email protected] Friday July 3 173 M Laughing Waters Rd circuit, Eltham 6+kms 2hrs Mel 22 E9 Modified November 2017 Surface = 2, steepness = 3 To reach the start of the walk, travel along Mt Pleasant Rd to a point where Reynolds Rd comes in on both the left and right. Turn right into Reynolds Rd, and travel about 100m to Laughing Waters Rd. Instead of veering left here, continue straight ahead. Park in Reynolds Rd on the left midway between Laughing Waters Rd and Yarra Braes Rd, close to transmission lines. Walk N (downhill) along Reynolds Rd turning right into Laughing Waters Rd. Walk about 1km (initially flat, then a steady climb) to a point where the road bifurcates, with the left arm being Overbank Rd and the right arm Laughing Waters Rd. Follow Overbank Rd until it winds back and down quite steeply onto Laughing Waters Rd. Towards the end of this section of Overbank Rd, what seems like a road enters from the left; this is a private driveway. Turn right at the end of Overbank Rd, into Laughing Waters Rd. For the next 500m, the road climbs quite moderately, and at the highest point will bring you back to the first intersection of Laughing Waters Rd and Overbank Rd. In other words, you have completed a circuit. At this point, turn left through a small opening in the fence onto a narrow track. This widens as you progress. At a point where an old road enters from the left, there is the option. Turn left and walking about 500m down to a clearing. Go to the left here, and you will see a fenced-off research area. A rough track skirts left of the fence; follow this, and walk until you have a good view of the Yarra rapids. This is where Wurundjeri people trapped eels. Retrace your steps back to, and turn left onto, the main track. Follow the main track, and after about 200m, turn left to an old farm-house site high above the Yarra River. It is now marked by a circle of bluestone blocks. This is an area with markedly different vegetation from the surrounding scrub and trees: Mediterranean agapanthus line the drive, and there are several mature oak trees. After a short break, return to the main track, turn left onto it, pass under transmission lines, and walk to a T intersection. There are now two options, depending on whether or not you visited the eel traps. A. If the first option to visit the eel traps has not been taken, turn left here, and walk to the river. Once you reach the river, there are 2 further options: A1: Turn right and follow a bush track. Shortly, the track reaches a dry creek bed that can be traversed with some care. Note: If the creek happens to be flowing, return to the river, and 3 follow Option A2 Now follow the main track, keeping left. About 100m further on, a diversion can now be taken to see some river rapids. If the diversion is taken, return to the main track. Follow this track to the back fences of some properties, eventually reaching a building with a wire gate on the right. Go through the gate and follow the track to Cherry Tree Drive. Turn right and walk several hundred metres, turn right at a T intersection and right again at Yarra Brae Rd. Walk up the hill on the path beside the road for about 500m until reaching Reynolds Rd. Turn left to reach the cars. A2: Retrace your steps from the river, continue past the T intersection, and walk up a moderately steep hill to the Yarra Braes Rd/Reynolds Rd corner. Continue straight ahead for about 200m along Reynolds Rd to the cars. B. If you did visit the eel traps, turn right and walk up a moderately steep hill to the Yarra Braes Rd/Reynolds Rd corner. Continue straight ahead for about 200m along Reynolds Rd to the cars. Coffee at [email protected] Monday July 6 141 M The Back Paddock (Eastern side), Woodlands Historic Park, Greenvale DISTANCE?? TIME?? Mel 5 G6/K8 Tony Stutterd. Updated Nov 2014 Surface = 2, steepness = 3 Commences from the end of Wright St (a no-through road) in Westmeadows. Access this either via Bamford Ave or Western Ave – roads located on the left a short distance beyond the roundabout linking Mickleham Rd with Johnstone St, Westmeadows. Leave the cars and walk through the gate into The Tarnuk Reserve. Continue straight ahead on an informal grassy path, more or less following the fence line on the left. Within a few minutes, this joins the main path. On the left, is a group of Boobialla (Myoporum insulare) trees, and an informal path. Ignore the path, and instead use the bridge to cross Moonee Ponds Creek. Continue on the path, crossing open terrain then go through a gate. Veer right up a rise to pass a small lake (part of an old quarry) and through another gate. Walk through a tunnel of disused concrete, and immediately veer right. You are now at the south-east corner of the Back Paddock of Woodlands Park. A gate in the high animal fence provides access to the park. Ignore this, remaining outside the park, and walk so as to have the high fence on your left. You are using an old vehicle track, shaded in summer, but muddy in parts in the wetter months. 4 After 850m, a T junction is reached. The track coming in on the right is an easement, fenced on either side. Turn right here, and follow the gentle undulations for a further 850m. Cars from the Police Motor Driving School may be seen on your right. At a point where a track comes in on the left, take this (straight ahead leads to Mickleham Rd). The track now climbs steadily again for about 850m, initially with the back yards of private properties on your right. At a point where the track divides, veer left (straight ahead, you may see the remnants of an old homestead). When large boulders are on your right, you are close to the summit of Gellibrand Hill.

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