One day after holding the first Green Trails Day Hikes event at Brimbank Park, it was time to venture a little farther from Melbourne for our second group walk.
On Saturday 26 August 2017, two of us met at Anakie Gorge Picnic Ground in Staughton Vale for a circuit through Brisbane Ranges National Park. The walk was another last-minute addition to Meetup, reflecting the spontaneous way many of our early events came together.
Like Brimbank Park, Anakie Gorge was already a familiar place to me. I had visited the area with my family and spent time exploring this part of Melbourne’s west. Returning as a hike leader gave an old favourite a new role in my outdoor story.
Our Anakie Gorge hike at a glance
- Date: Saturday 26 August 2017
- Meeting place: Anakie Gorge Picnic Ground, Gorge Road, Staughton Vale
- Distance: 11.48 kilometres
- Walking time: 2 hours 51 minutes
- Total ascent: 338 metres
- Participants: Two
- Trail type: Circuit
- Difficulty: Grade 3
- Terrain: Predominantly sandy tracks with some steeper and potentially slippery sections
Exploring Brisbane Ranges National Park
Brisbane Ranges National Park lies approximately 80 kilometres west of Melbourne, between Bacchus Marsh and Geelong. Its low ranges, dry gullies, open woodland and rocky creek valleys create a landscape quite different from the wetter forests found east of Melbourne.
The park is on Wadawurrung Country and contains places of enduring cultural significance. Its valleys, waterways and surrounding plains form part of a landscape with which Wadawurrung people maintain a continuing connection.
One of the park’s most distinctive qualities is its botanical diversity. More than 600 native plant species have been recorded across the Brisbane Ranges, including plants with limited distributions elsewhere in Victoria. Spring is especially well known for wildflowers, with wattles, grevilleas, bush peas and native orchids adding colour throughout the otherwise dry-looking woodland.
Our late-August visit came near the beginning of that seasonal transition, when winter was giving way to the first signs of spring.
The park also provides habitat for kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, possums, gliders and a considerable variety of native birds. Although encountering wildlife is never guaranteed, the relative quiet of the ranges makes it an appealing place to walk slowly and pay attention to the surrounding bush.
Through Anakie Gorge and into the ranges
Our route began and finished at Anakie Gorge Picnic Ground, following tracks through the gorge before climbing gradually into the surrounding hills.
The circuit closely followed the route now commonly identified as the Ted Errey Nature Circuit. The published version includes a short side trip to Lower Stony Creek Reservoir, which we did not complete on this occasion. That difference helps explain why our Garmin recording measured 11.48 kilometres rather than the approximately 12.5 kilometres shown for the complete route.
Rather than confronting walkers with one sustained, punishing climb, the route accumulated its 338 metres of ascent progressively. In the original event description, I had compared the expected climbing with roughly 110 flights of stairs. Spread across the circuit, however, the gradual hills made it suitable for novice hikers with a reasonable level of fitness.
The predominantly sandy surface made much of the route comfortable underfoot. There was a short downhill section where loose or damp ground could become slippery, so hiking shoes or supportive runners with reliable grip were recommended.
Several lookout points along the circuit provided possible places to stop for a snack or packed lunch. They also opened up broader views of the surrounding ranges and plains after the more enclosed sections through the gorge.
We completed the 11.48-kilometre circuit in two hours and 51 minutes, recording 338 metres of ascent. This was faster and slightly shorter than the original estimate of approximately four hours, largely because we omitted the reservoir side trip.
Another small step forward
Once again, there were only two of us on the trail. At this early stage, however, the size of the group mattered less than getting outside, gaining experience and beginning to establish a rhythm of regular events.
Anakie Gorge was a natural choice for that second outing. It was familiar enough for me to feel confident leading there, but substantial enough to introduce a longer distance, more elevation and a stronger sense of being out in the bush.
Following our short local walk at Brimbank Park the previous day, the Anakie Gorge Circuit demonstrated the variety of experiences Green Trails Day Hikes could offer. One event followed suburban river paths; the next climbed through a gorge and into the dry woodlands of the Brisbane Ranges.
Both started with only two people, but together they marked the beginning of something that would continue to grow.
Planning the Anakie Gorge Circuit
Our route followed most of the Ted Errey Nature Circuit but omitted the short side trip to Lower Stony Creek Reservoir. A detailed description of the complete 12.5-kilometre route, including a map, elevation profile and recent walker observations, is available in the Ted Errey Nature Circuit guide on Trail Hiking Australia.
For current park access, closures, safety information and official visitor guidance, consult Brisbane Ranges National Park on the Parks Victoria website before setting out. Conditions and track arrangements may have changed since our walk in August 2017.
Green Trails group hikes are organised and managed through Meetup. You can view the original Anakie Gorge Circuit event and join Green Trails Day Hikes to discover future group walks.