CHALLENGE RATING: “occasional technical sections, river bed hiking, frequent elevated riverside single track”
Come with us on a group trail running/hiking adventure through the Lerderderg State Park on Wurundjeri Country. Our adventure start and finish point is located in the township of Blackwood approximately 1 hours drive north east of Melbourne. The area is renowned for its lush eucalypt forests, clear streams and spectacular waterfalls.
Lerderderg State Park is in the headwaters of the Werribee River catchment. It contains significant scenic and geological gorge formations and provides nesting sites for Wedge-tailed Eagles and Peregrine Falcons. The Lerderderg River is a proclaimed Heritage River, and many of Lerderderg State Park’s geological features are of national and international significance. A range of vegetation types, including a riparian Blue Gum and Manna Gum community of State significance and 23 significant plant species, is present in Lerderderg State Park, together with nine significant animal species. The amazing rugged tracks and trails wind through the gorge providing impressive views overlooking the Lerderderg River and the gorge walls on the adjacent side. The trail is mainly hard packed water race single trails with a few management access tracks and 4wd tracks providing some sensational variety to take in the beautiful surrounding forests.
Our tour distance options include a 16km trail run loop or a 8km hike loop. The area has a rich gold history and our tour will take in gold mines, gold mining waters, a river deviation tunnel, Lerderderg River, Shaws Lake and a mid adventure aid station with water refills, cold coke, chips, watermelon and lollies. We will start and finish at Blackwood Public Toilets before heading to the Blackwood Pub for a post adventure feed, before returning to Melbourne CBD.
Whether you’re a seasoned trail runner, an enthusiastic hiker, or someone with varying mobility needs, this tour invites you to immerse yourself in the splendor of nature, forge new connections, and build memories that will last a lifetime.
What we cover:
- City transfers
- x2 Tour guides
- Aid station with chips, fruit, lollies, coke and water
- Navigation and tour flagging
- Free gear hire, vests, hiking poles, rain jackets and hydration bottles/bladders
- The photos and video
- Customer first aid response (all guides first aid trained and carry first aid kits, with further first aid supplies in van)
- Regroups and head counts
- Radio comms and group coordination
- Emergency response communications via mobile phones, satellite communicators and personal locator beacons
- In run jelly snakes and vegan jellies
- In run toiletries
- Water filtration systems
- Customer snake bandages
- Sunscreen, hand sanitiser, wet wipes
- Doggo blankets and water on the bus
What to bring:
- Water containment for 1 litre or borrow ours
- Sports, running or hiking shoes
- Running/hiking sports wear to suit the weather (a weather update will be sent closer to the tour day)
- Any emergency medications you may need
Tour options available:
8km hike or 16km trail run
The bus will leave at 9:30am from the tourist bus bays on St Kilda rd opposite Hamer Hall and the State Theatre. If you need some assistance finding the meeting point just give Chris a call on 0458 641 415.
Free weekend parking is available on Birdwood avenue around The Botanical Gardens and along Sturt and Wells streets in Southbank. It is a 5 minute walk to the bus pick up point. We will stop for toilets, coffee and food on our way there and back.
11:00am run start from Blackwood Public Toilet 72 Byres Rd, Blackwood VIC 3458.
We strongly recommend having air ambulance cover for this run and all trail runs, due to costs and difficult of access in the remote terrains.
https://www.ambulance.vic.gov.au/membership/fees-terms/
Our tour details, safety notes, weather advice and course GPX/KML files will be emailed out a few days before your tour date.
.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.