Essendon Bushwalking Club

Meeting Held at Moonee Ponds Bowling Club, Mt Alexandra Road, Moonee Ponds

This walk explores the Warrandyte-Kinglake Nature Conservation Reserve.  It starts gently along Happy Valley before going up and over One Tree Hill.  There is then a loop up into the northern Rifle Range Block of the park before returning to our start point. The walk is all on tracks.  Some hilly sections can be slippery with loose gravel, so use of poles should be considered.  Highlights, in addidion to the lovely bush we traverse, include views towards Sugarloaf Reservoir and towards hills to the north and passing a working gold mine.

We will meet at the carpark near the southern end of Happy Valley Track in Christmas Hills (Melway 265C12).  Turn-off to this track is trom Eltham-Yarra Glen Road.  When travelling on this road heading towards Yarra Glen (east), turnoff is to the left 700 m past the signposted access to Sugarloaf Reservoir via Simpson Road.  The track entrance is in a cutting and is small and unsigned.

The walk will commence at the meeting point, near the Kiosk at Shortlands Bluff, Hesse St,Queenscliff. We will walk along the beach to Pt Lonsdale at low tide.  After retracing our steps for part of the walk we will cross over to the Bellarine Rail Trail beside Swann Bay, making our way back to Queenscliff for afternoon tea. Morning tea will be prior to the walk commencing, but dont count on the Kiosk being open. It's a flat walk so poles and boots won't be needed. 

Ruffey lake park is a pleasant area at Doncaster. The lakeside track is 3.1km and the hilltop track is 3.7km  which gives us options of both or permutations of the routes there depending on how much walking you feel like covering . The local 903 bus altho taking longer is direct and eliminates other public transport connections . .For tram, train and bus walkers the  Essendon Rly St bus stop for the outward journey is at St Johns church, Mt Alexander rd  where we used to hold our meetings The actual stop is at the driveway into the church hall . Those not meeting at St Johns can park their cars at Essendon DFO to meet the same bus 15 mins later . As the journey is about 80 mins , come prepared with book , newspaper, knitting or succumb to a catnap enroute . LIght walking shoes will be fine altho if damp conditions prevail something sturdier would be preferable . Not entirely hill less as the return to the bus stop needs a degree of enthusiam .For those needing a coffee break, depending on the timing it wo uld be possible to stop off at Northland on the return trip. An opportunity to explore some parks "on the other side of town"

Known to many club members, this is a circuit walk of Malmsbury township viewing the reservoir, cemetery, historic buildings and lovely landscapes of the surrounding countryside. The full circuit is possible at the moment because the reservoir level is low enabling the crossing of a spillway. Hopefully the winter rains won't start early this year!

Lunch will be in the Malmsbury Botanic Gardens where it will be possible for those who need a coffee fix to buy one at the local shops. After lunch there will be a short walk along the Coliban Channel to view the work being done on the Malmsbury Common, returning to the station via back streets. The walk is an easy one mainly on gravel trails and roads.

Travel to and from Malmsbury will be by public transport using the VLine train on the Bendigo line from Southern Cross Station.

Trawool Reservoir was built in the 1890s as a water supply dam for nearby Seymour and the railway (now rail trail) below it. It is no longer used for water supply, but is still a tranquil site perched on the Northern rim of the Tallarook State Forest.

This walk takes the energetic (but shorter) route to reach the reservoir - we start in the Goulburn Valley beside the rail trail, and climb up 300m (in 2km) on a steep 4WD track to reach the plateau. Hard work, but we can allow a hour for that if needed. After morning tea at the reservoir, we follow Falls Creek gradually upward through some beautiful forest, then climb again (not quite so much this time) on a foot track towards Warragul Rocks, where we'll have lunch - sensational views across the valley. After lunch, it's ALL downhill back to the cars. Only 12km, but your legs will swear it's a bit longer!

The walk is nearly all on dirt 4WD tracks. Possibly muddy if it has been wet, although it mostly drains quickly. Poles very useful, boots perhaps also? We need to cross Falls Creek twice, possibly wet feet if it's been very rainy.

Meeting Place 1 (for car pool) is in the Airport West Westfield car-park to the west of Target - near corner Westfield Drive and Sexton Street.

Meeting Place 2 (for the start of the walk) is the car-park at "Trawool Estate" (a large brick building at Trawool, on the left (NE) side of the Goulburn Valley Hwy at Trawool. There is a (rail-trail) toilet nearby.

When we do this walk, Kings Birthday will be only one week away - but the current holder of the title is perhaps not well, and William is next in line! Under the circumstances, a walk from Kingsville to Williamstown is perhaps symbolic?? Hmmm

This walk will follow the various paths along Stony Creek, through Kingsville, along to the Stony Creek Backwash to admire the white mangroves and other flora. After that it's along the coast path into Williamstown. The path along Stony Creek is mostly quite pleasant, and the track along the coast from Spotswood to Williamstown will be familiar to most, but nevertheless is also a pleasant stroll.

This walk is best done making use of our train system, starting at Tottenham Station and heading home from Williamstown Station.

We'll start from near Tottenham Station, but it's a bit of a desert regarding Cafes to meet at. So, meet at "J A McDonald Reserve" - that's a little park one block South of Sunshine Road (and Tottenham Station) - in Aliwal St.

Coffee in Williamstown to conclude the walk. 

This walk is in the Upper Loddon State Forest. (General area - between Daylesford and Castlemaine) It's a loop walk, along some quiet 4WD tracks, a little on the Great Divide walking track, and quite a lot off-track - either through open forest or along the valley of Tarilta creek. It's not particularly long or hilly, and in fact is very pleasant, but is rated medium/hard because quite a lot of the walk is off-track. Distance 11.5km.

The meeting point, and start of the walk, is a small car-park where the Dry Diggings Track (part of the Great Divide Trail) crosses Porcupine Ridge Road. (It's about 100m  N of the intersection of Loop Track (signposted with green post/sign) with Porcupine Ridge Road. Another marker is that the intersection is 2.2km after Porcupine Ridge Road turns to a dirt road, as you're travelling North. Meet 9.30am at the start point.

If car-pooling, meet at 8am at Airport West (Westfield car-park, to the West of Target).

Coffee after the walk at Glenlyon General Store, provided we can get there in time. Or Daylesford.

A short and flat walk in Point Cook Coastal Park. Some beach walking, the rest along walking tracks and a little suburbia. Distance is just over 10km, so people will have plenty of time to prepare for the Club AGM in the evening.

The start of the walk will be from the carpark/toilets etc at the seaward end of "Side Entrance Road", in Point Cook Coastal Park. Meet at/before 9.30am.

Alternatively, car-pooling from Westfield car-park, to the W of Target. Meet at 8.30am.

Coffee location TBA.

Meeting Held at Moonee Ponds Bowling Club, Mt Alexandra Road, Moonee Ponds