Walks

Our walks are on the third Sunday of every month between March and October.  We meet at 9.30am outside 30 Templeton Street, Castlemaine (Continuing Ed.) and carpool to the start of the walk. Bring water, morning tea and lunch for all walks. Walks normally finish mid afternoon. Non-members welcome.  No cost.

Walks are cancelled on Total Fire Ban days in the area. For more information ring Bronwyn Silver on 5475 1089 or Julie Hurley on 5472 5082.

BUSHWALKS 2013

19 May
Victoria Gully
Details still to be finalised. For more information contact Bernard Slattery on 5470 5161.

16 June
Herons Reef
Mid-winter walk in the historic Herons Reef which is part of the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park. We will explore early mining history and bush recovery after drought, clearing and thinning of the forest. c. 10km. For more information Lionel Jenkins and Barbara Guerin on 5472 1994.

21 July
Mt Tarrangower and Lisles Reef
Beginning in Maldon, a 2 km steep climb along Fountain Track to the top of Mt Tarrangower. Then follow Lisles Reef walk which is generally easy, flat or downhill. Return via edge of township. Mining relics, deep shafts, whim sites, ruins of blacksmiths shops and mullock heaps will be of interest on this walk. (If not meeting in Castlemaine, meet at Fountain Street corner, at gardens, opposite Kangaroo Hotel, Maldon.)  7 kms. For more information contact Jelsa Veenstra on 0466633946.

18 August
Mount Alexander
Mount Alexander (Leanganook) has experienced many changes since white settlement in the 1840s. Major Michael described it as being lightly timbered but by the 1870s was totally denuded of timber. It has been used as a source of firewood, the grazing of livestock and the quarrying granite. Over the last 30 years there has been a massive amount of natural regeneration of eucalypts and wattles. Weeds such as St John’s Wort and blackberry are spreading over most areas. The walk will start at the koala park and cover the west side of the mountain.  Approximately 10kms. For more information contact Doug Ralph on 5470 5407.

15 September
Fryers Ranges
This walk to the west of Taradale in the area between Cypress Drive and Webbs Track will pass through bush that was burnt four years ago, unburnt bush, early spring wild flowering and the traces of some human history. Please note that it is possible that a 20 minute portion of this walk will be conducted as a “sound walk” during which (without speaking) we listen to the soundscape to which our own passing will contribute. 8 to10kms. For more information contact Alex Panelli on 5423 2041.

20 October
Fryers Range
The walk will start and finish at the Fryers Ranges Fire Tower (Old Tower Track.) We will investigate the regrowth in what was a native plant garden prior to the early 2012 controlled burn, and proceed down to the Nuggetty Creek valley. Then back up to the main ridge and over the east side into Kangaroo Creek valley. Finally we will follow Telecom Track back to the Old Tower Track. c. 9km. For more information contact Richard Piesse on 0448572867