Walk - December 11

Our Annual mini-tour of Ballarat North will depart very promptly

at 9.45 from BNCC. The ultimate destination will be the "Summit" of

the area, in Trig Point Reserve. Along the way, we'll see the usual 

pleasant residential areas, an interesting sculpture, an ochre deposit, fine views

of Ballarat, and an array of wildflowers. There will also be a few surprises.

Mostly it will be on footpaths, but there's also a rough section of bushland to navigate.

Sections will be boggy after recent rain. Please wear suitable shoes.

You can't reach a summit without some steep hills, so a walking pole could be useful. 

(There are no toilets along the way, but BNCC is well supplied.)

We'll aim to return after about an hour.

Led by Shirley and Mark. 5331 4408  On the day only,  0431 455 603.

Clarkesdale Walk

Emily Noble of Birdlife Australia told us of the bequest of the property by local farmer and conservationist Gordon Clarke.

His efforts in revegetating the former farmland has created a temperate woodland. More recent work favouring native grasses has encouraged the return of many ground dwelling birds.

She led us around the nearby trail and the adjoining Parks Victoria reserve. We were shown nesting sites, the bird hide at Gordon’s lagoon and a variety of bird species.

Highlights were the meadows of lillies and the numerous orchids and funghi.

Emily also pointed out a variety of plant species including Small Grass-trees as well as the endangered Yarra Gums and Scentbarks.

We all appreciated her knowledge of the natural world and the local preservation efforts.

A pleasant stop at Thru The Gate Cafe, Smythesdale completed the trip.

 Bushwalk November 27

Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary via Linton. Note earlier start.

Meet at Llanberris Car Park at 8:20 for an 8:30am departure.

Travel to meet at the Linton Railway Hotel, 73 Sussex St, Linton at about 9:20.
We will be met there by Emily Noble, the Coordinator of  the Sanctuary. Toilets opposite.
Should any travellers intend going independently to Linton, let Chris know on 0437388805.
From there we will convoy 4K to the Sanctuary on the Piggoreet Rd.

Emily will explain the background, management and conservation status of the area before guiding us around the bird paddock trail. There will be plenty of stops on the way including the bird hide. This trail is only about 2k without diversions so the outing will be suitable for any of us happy with a shorter walk.

It’s pretty flat but bring poles if you like. Difficulty rating “A”. Bring a drink.
We will have an early lunch on the verandah of the centre (toilet there too) on our return.
After that a stroll around the centre and we have the option of a stop at the Devil’s Kitchen Geological Reserve which is 4K easterly back towards Ballarat.

Leader Chris Charleson.

 Walk Report November 13

A most interesting walk was enjoyed by 16 people yesterday in Learmonth. The walk took us through varied sites and country, including some historical plaques and buildings on the main street, picturesque lake views and green countryside on the big hill climb. Learmonth was first established in 1837 and was the first shire in Victoria. The lake was named after the Learmonth brothers who squatted in the area in 1838.

The weather was kind to us and the walk was leisurely and easily paced. The challenge of the day was the hill from which we saw gorgeous views across the lake and the surrounding farmlands. It was well worth the effort. A banana break was held at the top before we completed a circuit back to the Main Street and Cafe 321 which did an excellent job of looking after our big group.

Many thanks to Shirley and Mark for scoping out the walk for us and leading on the day. 

Bush Walk - November 13. Learmonth.

Our trip to Learmonth will include a stroll along the main street

with its lovely historical buildings, many with descriptive plaques.

Next, we'll move on to the Lakeside path, where an attractive path

is decorated with quirky sculptures. A long and steep ascent to a fine

panoramic view will be followed by a rural roadway through

sweeping farmlands.

It's around 6km, generally easy and on good pathways. A few parts may 

be a bit boggy after rain. Bring a snack and water. 

We're booked into the delightful Cafe 321 for a cuppa after 11.30.

Travel almost through Learmonth, until you see the pub on your right.

Immediately turn left into Laidlaw St. and drive towards Lake Learmonth.

Pass the sports ground and toilets, turn right and park near the picnic shelter. 

The walk will start from there at 10am. 

Leaders:  Shirley and Mark.  5331 4408 (and 0431 455 603 on the day only). 

Alternatively, if you would like to carpool, meet at Llanberris at 9.20am for a 9.30am departure. Llanberris is the carpark on Eureka St opposite the skatepark.

October 30 Walk - 5th week of the month

Meet at Ballarat Yacht Club for a 9.30am circuit of the lake.

Coffee at The Yacht Club from 10.30am. Table is booked under ‘Helen’. 

Walk Report - October 23 

How lucky we were to wake to a fine day on Thursday last after Wednesday’s weather had been so horrible. Seven of us gathered at Llanberris to drive to Centennial Park at Mt Macedon, where we met up with and welcomed our newest member of the group, Pauline Moody.

Our car shuffle took us to McGregor’s Picnic Area from where we began our descent of the mountain. It was an easy walk, quite steep in places, but mostly smooth underfoot. The highlights of the walk included the beautiful properties and gardens which were in full bloom, many with gorgeous rhododendrons, and the very ornate gates leading into the properties. The views through gaps in the trees were beautiful as were the extraordinarily tall and majestic gums.

We stopped for lunch at a very pleasant park and picnic spot before heading back to the cars and another car shuffle. Coffee was enjoyed in the town before we headed home, feeling very pleased with our day out.

Many thanks to David for his planning and leadership on the day.