Five hikers set out to complete an extended circuit through Bunyip State Park on Sunday 14 January 2018, turning the existing Four Brothers Rocks loop into a challenging full-day walk.
The event was advertised as a 22km circuit with more than 500m of ascent. Our Garmin recorded 21.42km, completed in 4 hours and 58 minutes, with 686m of total climbing.
Much of the route followed broad tracks primarily used by horse riders, trail bikes and park-management vehicles rather than a purpose-built tourist walking trail. The combination of distance, limited directional signage and a steep opening descent made this a Grade 4 hike requiring good fitness and confident navigation.
Hike at a glance
| Detail | Planned | Garmin recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Sunday 14 January 2018 | — |
| Starting time | 9:15am | — |
| Distance | Approximately 22km | 21.42km |
| Duration | Up to 6 hours 30 minutes | 4 hours 58 minutes |
| Total ascent | More than 500m | 686m |
| Group size | Five hikers | — |
| Route type | Extended loop | Loop |
| Difficulty | Good fitness required | Grade 4 |
Extending the original 13km loop
The hike was based on the existing Four Brothers Rocks 13km Loop, but additional forest tracks were incorporated to increase the distance to approximately 22km.
The original loop begins near Four Brothers Rocks before descending steeply along Rankins Track. It then uses Pines Track, Helmet Track and Burgess Road to return through the forest.
Our extended version retained the steep opening descent and the visit to Four Brothers Rocks while adding approximately eight kilometres to the standard Green Trails route. The extended sections followed the network of broad horse, trail-bike and management tracks running through this part of Bunyip State Park.
These tracks provide more space than a narrow walking trail, but they also require awareness of other users. Hikers need to listen for approaching motorcycles, horses and vehicles and move safely to the side when necessary.
A steep start and a long climb back
The opening downhill section was one of the steepest parts of the circuit. Loose or uneven surfaces can make long descents difficult, particularly after rain.
Hiking poles can provide additional stability on steep descents and reduce some of the strain placed on the knees. They remain useful later in the circuit when the route begins its sustained climb back towards Four Brothers Rocks.
After reaching the lower parts of the trail network, the route passed through increasingly lush vegetation before gradually beginning to climb again. The Garmin’s 686m ascent figure confirmed that the extended circuit was significantly hillier than a typical moderate forest walk.
Four Brothers Rocks
Four Brothers Rocks was the major landmark on the circuit. The formation consists of enormous rounded granite tors rising above the surrounding forest.
Some of the rocks appear to be carefully balanced or stacked together, creating narrow gaps, overhangs and unusual shapes. Their orange and grey surfaces contrast strongly with the surrounding green forest.
The stacked granite tors and distinctive shapes of Four Brothers Rocks.
The rocks also provide views towards Black Snake Creek Valley, Blue Range and the surrounding landscape of Bunyip State Park.
Visitors exploring the formation should take care around exposed edges and avoid damaging plants, mosses or other vegetation growing between the rocks.
Tall gums, ferns and forest details
Away from the rock formation, much of the route passed beneath tall eucalypts with a dense lower layer of ferns. Looking towards the canopy gave a sense of the scale of the forest, while the shaded ground supported mosses and other moisture-loving plants.
A tall tree fern, the gum canopy overhead and mossy ferns growing along the side of a tree-fern trunk.
The varied forest communities of Bunyip State Park range from fern gullies and mountain ash forest to drier ridges and areas of heathland. Changes in elevation and moisture can produce noticeably different vegetation over the course of one long circuit.
Fungi and leeches
Several examples of brown shelf fungi were growing from tree trunks and fallen timber along the route.
Brown shelf fungi growing from trees beside the walking route.
Fungi play an important role in breaking down fallen wood and recycling nutrients through the forest. They should be photographed without being touched, picked or removed.
The damp forest also provided suitable conditions for leeches, with one photographed on a hiker’s thumb during the walk.
Long clothing and hiking gaiters may help reduce access to the lower legs, although they cannot provide complete protection against leeches. Walkers should check their footwear and clothing during and after a hike through damp vegetation.
Completing the extended circuit
The five hikers completed the loop in a Garmin-recorded time of 4 hours and 58 minutes. At 21.42km with 686m of ascent, the finished route was slightly shorter than the advertised 22km but comfortably exceeded the difficulty and climbing of the original 13km circuit.
The hike demonstrated how the network of tracks around Four Brothers Rocks can be connected to create a substantially longer challenge. It also showed why route planning is important in Bunyip State Park: many intersections connect tracks with similar appearances, and directional signage can be limited.
Planning a Four Brothers Rocks hike
This report documents an extended route completed in January 2018. It is not a turn-by-turn guide or a current navigation resource.
The standard Green Trails Four Brothers Rocks 13km Loop provides details for the shorter circuit on which this event was based.
Trail Hiking Australia also publishes a 13km Four Brothers Rocks Hike. However, that route starts from Mortimer Picnic Ground and uses a different combination of tracks. It is neither identical to the Green Trails 13km loop nor to the 21.42km extension completed during this group hike.
Before visiting:
- Check the current Bunyip State Park information for closures and warnings.
- Carry a current map and suitable navigation equipment.
- Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return.
- Take sufficient water, food and weather-appropriate clothing.
- Be prepared for steep, rough and potentially muddy tracks.
- Remain alert for horses, trail bikes and management vehicles.
- Give horses plenty of space and follow the rider’s directions when passing.
- Check yourself for leeches after walking through damp vegetation.
- Avoid climbing onto exposed rocks in wet, windy or unstable conditions.
- Remember that dogs are not permitted in Bunyip State Park.
A selection of Victorian hiking maps is available from Green Trails Australia.
This group hike was managed through Meetup. View the original Four Brothers Rocks 22km Loop event.