Mt Alexander (Leanganook) West Spur and Cidery walk - Grade 4 (medium)

Melbourne Bushwalkers invites you to join them on a day exploring Mt Alexander (Leanganook) West Spur and Cidery 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. 

This walk starts at a cidery near the small town of Harcourt in Central Victoria.  From the orchard we climb Mt Alexander with its granite boulders, gnarly old eucalypts and views over the surrounding countryside, take a loop around the top of the mountain, and return to the cidery for a refreshing drink before going home.

DISTANCE:  12 km return walk, approximately 4-5 hours.

WHO IS THIS WALK FOR?  This walk is suitable for fit, experienced bushwalkers who are confident with walking off track, up and down steep grades and along rocky, uneven trails.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:  To secure a place on this walk you must visit our clubrooms the Wednesday prior – the 6th Nov.  Our clubrooms are located at The Mission to Seafarers Victoria, 717 Flinders Street, Docklands. We are open Wednesday nights 6:30 - 8 pm.  Further details on our clubroom location and the booking process can be found in the FAQs Page on our website: https://mbw.org.au/MBW_FAQs.php  

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 4 (Medium):  Bushwalking experience recommended.  Tracks may be long, rough and very steep. Directional signage may be limited. This walk is not suitable for beginners.  AWT Grade information. 

PACE:  Due to the steep, rocky terrain with off track sections requiring navigation, we will proceed at a medium steady pace to make sure that the group stays together.

TOTAL ASCENT: 500 m approximately.  A steep climb and descent, plus some undulations.

WALK DESCRIPTION: 

The route will take us through apple orchards and up onto the lesser travelled Western flank of Mt Alexander.  We will follow a faint footpad up the mountain past outcrops of rocks being rewarded with views over the country below as we climb, until we reach the Goldfields Track and ascend to Shepherd’s Flat lookout.

From this point we will wend our way off and on track along the top of the mount keeping an eye out for the Spring wildflowers that grace this area, stopping for lunch at the site of an old quarry, before descending to Dog Rocks saddle with its ancient boulders.  From here we will follow the Goldfields Track around the western side of the mountain until we find the trail we ascended and make our way back down to the cidery, where walkers can enjoy a drink by the duck pond before returning home.

On a fine day we will enjoy expansive views, on a wet day we may be enveloped in atmospheric mist.  Either way it will be a walk to remember.

MEETING POINT:  Meet at Harcourt Mountain Bike parking area, 60 High Street, Harcourt at 10 am to carpool in convoy to the cidery.  Preferably arrive about 10-15 minutes early to meet the group, visit the toilets etc. so that we can start on time.

DIRECTIONS:  From Melbourne take the Calder Freeway M79 and take the signed exit to Harcourt.  Turn right and drive through the roundabout onto Victoria Road, left onto Harmony Way, right onto Market Street and left onto High Street. The Mountain Bike Parking is near the adventure playground. When participants have assembled, we will move onto Henry of Harcourt cidery in Reservoir Road.

Google Maps Link

CARPOOLING/PUBLIC TRANSPORT:  If you require transport, we may be able to put you in touch with another walker from your area for carpooling.  You might be asked to meet the driver at a mutually convenient location for pickup.

PHONE SIGNAL:  We should have phone coverage in this location.

TOILETS:  Public toilets available in Harcourt near the meeting place and a toilet at the cidery at the end of the walk.  Trees to go behind on the mountain.

WHAT TO BRING

Mandatory:

• Emergency contact form with medical info.  Download this form here, or get one from the leader on the day.
• 1.5-2L water
• Backpack
• Rain jacket
• Hiking shoes/boots
• Personal first aid kit (your health is your responsibility)
  
• Sun hat/sunscreen
• Snack for morning tea
• Lunch
• Spare shoes to put on at end of walk (especially if travelling in another person’s car)
• Suitable clothing for weather

Recommended:

• Hiking poles
• Bug spray
• Money to pay for refreshments at the end of the walk.

LEADER: Deb Shand and Quentin Tibballs (phone number provided on check-in, see below).  

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:  To secure a place on this walk you must visit our clubrooms the Wednesday prior – the 6th Nov.  Our clubrooms are located at The Mission to Seafarers Victoria, 717 Flinders Street, Docklands. We are open Wednesday nights 6:30 - 8 pm.  Further details on our clubroom location and the booking process can be found in the FAQs Page on our website: https://mbw.org.au/MBW_FAQs.php  

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.