The major part of the Great Dividing Trail (but not all) is now re-badged as the Goldfields Track, a hiking and mountain-biking track through the historical

Goldfields region of Victoria The Goldfields region of Victoria is a region commonly used but typically defined in both historical geography and tourism geography (in particular heritage tourism). The region is also known as the Victorian Golden Triangle. Description I ...

to the north-west and west of

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. The trail passes along the southernmost parts of Australia's

Great Dividing Range The Great Dividing Range, also known as the East Australian Cordillera or the Eastern Highlands, is a cordillera system in eastern Australia consisting of an expansive collection of mountain ranges, plateaus and rolling hills, that runs rough ...

. The Goldfields Track, runs from the summit of Mount Buninyong to Bendigo, and is divided into the Eureka Track, Wallaby Track, Dry Diggings Track and Leanganook Track. A separate leg of the Great Dividing Trail, the Lerderderg Track, branches from Daylesford to

Bacchus Marsh Bacchus Marsh (Wathawurrung: ''Pullerbopulloke'') is an urban centre and suburban locality in Victoria, Australia located approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne and west of Melton, Victoria, Melton at a near equidistance to th ...

. The trail was primarily intended for hiking, but has proven attractive to mountain bikers, and is being further developed for that purpose. As the tracks pass through populated areas, they are suitable for day walks. In total, there are 304 kilometres of walking track. The tracks are overseen by the ''Great Dividing Trail Association'', a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

, incorporated organisation.

Route

The four sections are as follows: ;Lerderderg Track (90 km) :This track runs from

to Daylesford, through

Lerderderg State Park Lerderderg State Park (incorporating the former Pyrete State Forest) is a 14,250-hectare park located between Bacchus Marsh and Blackwood, an hour's drive from Melbourne, Australia. The park is part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape in the tra ...

, via Mt Blackwood and the township of Blackwood. ;Eureka Track (43 km) :This track runs from Mount Buninyong via

Ballarat Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...

to Creswick. ;Wallaby Track (52 km) :This track runs from

Creswick Creswick is a town in west-central Victoria, Australia, 18 kilometres north of Ballarat and 122 kilometres northwest of Melbourne, in the Shire of Hepburn. It is 430 metres above sea level. At the 2016 census, Creswick had a populatio ...

, via Dean and Mollongghip to Daylesford. ;Dry Diggings Track (58 km) :The first section to be implemented, it runs from Daylesford to

Castlemaine Castlemaine may mean: * Castlemaine, Victoria, a town in Victoria, Australia ** Castlemaine Football Club, an Australian rules football club ** Castlemaine railway station * Castlemaine, County Kerry, a town in Ireland * Castlemaine Brewery, Western ...

via

Hepburn Springs The traditional land of the Dja Dja Wurrung, Hepburn Springs is a resort town located in the middle of the largest concentration of mineral springs in Australia, situated in Victoria, 48 km northeast of Ballarat. At the , Hepburn had a pop ...

, Vaughan Springs and Fryerstown. ;Leanganook Track (61 km) :This section runs from Castlemaine to

Bendigo Bendigo ( ) is a city in Victoria, Australia, located in the Bendigo Valley near the geographical centre of the state and approximately north-west of Melbourne, the state capital. As of 2019, Bendigo had an urban population of 100,991, makin ...

via Mount Alexander. There is no particular order in which sections should be completed, and each can be done independently. In addition, each section has several entry points, meaning many different combinations are possible.

External links

*
Parks Victoria

Goldfields Track

References

Hiking and bushwalking tracks in Victoria (state) {{VictoriaAU-geo-stub

Route

See also

External links

References