Melbourne Bushwalkers invites you to join them on the Blackwood Historic Walk. This walk is part of the Try Bushwalking Month, celebrating the 90th Anniversary of Bushwalking Victoria, the peak body representing 60+ bushwalking clubs across Victoria.

Join the Melbourne Bushwalkers Club on a beautiful walk that will include a few interesting points about the Gold Rush history in Blackwood. We’ll walk past mineral springs (don’t forget to bring a bottle to try some mineral water) along the beautiful tree-lined Lederberg River, where we will sit and enjoy lunch together (which you will bring). Our club is about enjoying the experience, immersing ourselves in nature, and meeting new friends. We will end the day with a coffee and cake at the local café if you are interested.

DISTANCE: 8 km return (loop), approximately 3-4 hours (including stopping for lunch).

WHO IS THIS WALK FOR? This is a great walk for beginners with a moderate level of fitness. The first part of the walk is very easy; however, there is one short steep stepped section where we walk down to the river where poles would be helpful. There is also a hill on the way back that would require a moderate level of fitness. It’s a great way to explore tracks with the safety and support of a group.

CHILDREN AND PETS: This walk is for adults 18 years and over, and due to the nature of the walk, we ask you to leave dogs and other pets at home. Please contact the club directly to inquire about service animals, and any family or pet friendly walks.

AWT GRADE 2 (Easy): AWT Grade information.

PACE: We will walk at a slow to moderate speed, but we will always be mindful of the capacity of all group members.

TOTAL ASCENT: Several undulating hills, plus one short steep hill.

WALK DESCRIPTION:

We will commence the walk from the Blackwood Cemetery where we will walk through the township of Blackwood and down to the Lerderderg River, where we will walk to a picnic area (with toilets if needed), cross the river and walk along the river to a nice spot for lunch (please bring your lunch). We should reach this spot by around 12 - 12.30 pm depending on the speed of the group. We will then cross the river again, walk up the hill and then onto a bushland area. We should finish the walk around 3 - 3.30 pm. For those who would like, I have booked tables at a local café where we can have a coffee after the walk. If the weather is warm you could bring your bathers for a dip in the river after the walk, or a quick dip at lunchtime.

MEETING POINT: We will meet 10.45 am at the Blackwood Cemetery, 35 Byres Road, Blackwood. Parking is available along Byres Road near the Cemetery. Leaving this spot at 11 am to commence the walk.

DIRECTIONS:

Drive into Blackwood Township along Martin Street, then take a sharp right-hand turn into Byres Road near the Blackwood Hotel.

GOOGLE MAPS: Blackwood Cemetery - Google Maps

CARPOOLING/PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Please contact the leader (Helen Graesser) if you have any questions about car pooling or public transport.

PHONE SIGNAL: Depending on your service, you may not have phone service for some or all of the walk. I have Telstra and usually have coverage for all areas.

TOILETS: There is a toilet close to the walk start area within the town (in Byres Road), plus we also walk past a picnic ground where there are toilets.

WHAT TO BRING

Mandatory:

Emergency contact form with medical info. Download this form here, or get one from the leader on the day.
1.5L water
Backpack
Rain jacket
Hiking shoes/boots
Personal first aid kit (your health is your responsibility)
Sun hat/sunscreen
Lunch (we will stop along the way)

Recommended:

Hiking poles
Bug spray

Personal Choice:

Bathers/towel if you want a swim in the river after the walk.
Mineral Springs - you could bring a bottle to fill with mineral water.

LEADER: Helen Graesser 0425 870 822

EXTRA INFORMATION: The leader will be in touch to chat about the Melbourne Bushwalkers walk vetting process. For more information, go to the Frequently Asked Questions section on our club home page at https://mbw.org.au.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RISK: When registering for this event, we ask that you view and agree to our Acknowledgement of Risk.

ABOUT OUR CLUB:

Our club was established in 1940, is one of the largest walking clubs in Victoria and offers a variety of outdoor activities including bushwalking - both single day walks in Victoria (within driving distance from Melbourne) and multi day pack carry/base camp remote area walking both within Australia and overseas (particularly New Zealand and Tasmania but occasionally further afield), ski touring and canoeing as well as information evenings on bushwalking related topics and social events. For further information please visit our website. We are also the only bushwalking club in Melbourne with a dedicated bus for some of our Sunday walks. You may access further information about our club from our website https://mbw.org.au or from (press Control/Click here). We would love to connect you with the great Australian outdoors for fitness, fun and friendship. Explore with us and feed your spirit of adventure. Visit our website.

PRIVACY:

Your privacy is important to us. Bushwalking Victoria and its member clubs are committed to safeguarding your personal information and ensuring that your privacy is protected. The personal data we collect from you is used solely for the purpose of facilitating your participation and communicating important details about the event.

Please note that your contact information will be shared with Activity Leaders for the purpose of organising activities. Your information will not be shared with any external parties without your consent, except where required by law, but may be used for follow-up contact regarding your participation in this event.

You can view the BWV Privacy Policy on our website.

Inclusion in Photographs

We encourage participants to take photographs during activities, which may be shared publicly through various channels such as newspapers, magazines, websites and social media. If you do not wish to be included in any photographs, it is your responsibility to inform the photographer and take reasonable steps to avoid being captured in the images.