Wallaby Track

Swagmen used to talk about “taking to the wallaby track” and swamp wallabies are common in the regrowth messmate and peppermint forest on top of the Divide. 

From an ancient volcano above the gracious township of Buninyong, the Wallaby Track heads through the heart of stately Ballarat, plunges into a gold rush era churned landscape and on to Norman Lindsay’s home town of Creswick. From there, it’s uphill past St Georges Lake and rolling pastoral countryside ringed by volcanic hills to contour next to the state’s longest timber tramway system and a traverse through an impressive one kilometre long railway cutting on a long abandoned railway line. More tall forest with a side trip to Sailors Falls delivers you to the cluster of mineral spas waiting for weary bodies and feet at Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. 

Don’t feel like taking on all 90kms in one day? Review the provided information on recommended sections to help you break into your Goldfields Track adventure. All start and finish points all easy car access.

Ride the Wallaby Track

Total distance: 90 km

Total time: 8-10 hours *

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For fit and confident riders, the Wallaby Track can be done in one day. For a more leisurely approach, the track can be broken into four sections, as detailed below.

  1. Mt Buninyong to Ballarat (20km)
    Descending the road from Mt Buninyong don’t be fooled by the smoothness of the tarmac underneath you nor the ease of the descent itself. The Wallaby Track is the longest leg of your Goldfields Track adventure and will see you take on almost every type of mountain bike terrain imaginable. This section offers great family friendly riding into the centre of Ballarat.
  2. Ballarat to Creswick (25km)
    Bitumen soon gives way to dirt and gentle gradients soon give way to lung busting climbs as you head into the Dividing Range. Long sections of singletrack through open native forest have recently been upgraded by Dirt Art on the roll into and out of Creswick – it’s great riding and there are a few climbs to test the legs. Rest up and refuel in Creswick for the fun ahead.
  3. Creswick to Wombat Station (29km)
    Exiting the Creswick Regional Park there is some well-timed respite for weary legs as the Wallaby Track takes you along rolling roads, mostly bitumen, that afford beautiful views across the fertile lava fields. Back into the Wombat Forest it’s more great singletrack mixed in amongst fascinating gold rush relics and amazing engineering feats. Take a break at the Wombat Station rotunda, built on the grassy platform of a long gone railway station.
  4. Wombat Station to Daylesford (19km)
    The forest is greener in these higher parts and some stands of natives appear sky high. Try the waters at the Sailors Falls mineral springs, you may need the nourishment as there is still some serious climbing to be done. By the time you reach Daylesford you will know you’ve covered 90km.
Please note, we apologise but at moment there are issues with the Garmin file for this track.  The GPX file available is only showing the route from Creswick to Daylesford. We are working to rectify this as quickly as we can.
* All times are based on walkers and riders with a reasonable level of fitness and experience. Walking times are based on approximately 4km/hr.

Walk the Wallaby Track

Total distance: 90 km

Total time: over 4 days *

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The Wallaby Track can be broken into six smaller walks, some can be combined to create a four day hike. These walks are detailed in the Goldfields Track walking guide.

  1. Mt Buninyong Walk : Mt Buninyong – Whitehorse Bridge (13km)
    From 745m high Mt Buninyong, descend steeply with splendid bucolic views to emerge in Buninyong township’s pretty botanic gardens. From the cafes of the town centre, the track grinds along beside highways for the next 8km – good exercise but definitely pedestrian.
  2. Whitehorse Walk : Whitehorse Bridge – Ballarat Railway Station (7km)
    Meander through rehabilitated wetlands alongside Yarrowee River into the suburbs then inner city of Ballarat. You will pass some impressive heritage buildings.
  3. Creswick Miners Walk : Ballarat Railway Station – Creswick (25km)
    Continue along Yarrowee River, turning to gently climb into twice-hammered forest – first, by the gold diggers, then for forestry. A long, but not difficult walk.
  4. W.G. Spence Walk : Creswick – Mollongghip (22km)
    Back among tumbled old diggings in forest, emerging into farmland for the only section of the whole track on roads. Enter forest again at 700m on top of Divide, skirting the high valley of Mollongghip.
  5. Andersons Tramway Walk : Mollongghip – Wombat Station (7km)
    Contour on top of Divide next to a 19th century timber tramway system, before dropping gradually to a GDTA rotunda on the grassy platform of the long-departed Wombat railway station.
  6. Wombat Forest Walk : Wombat Station – Daylesford (19km)
    Pass through the high walls of the 1km long railway cutting to embankment beyond. Gradual uphill to footpad through ever-taller forest. After the basalt columns of Sailors Falls, the track descends steeply, before beginning a relentless climb uphill along 4WD tracks and finally reaching the haven of Lake Daylesford.
* All times are based on walkers and riders with a reasonable level of fitness and experience. Walking times are based on approximately 4km/hr.

Elevation

The Wallaby Track traverses a variety of terrain and elevations.

Wallaby Track