Six hikers joined us in the Upper Yarra Valley on Sunday 28 January 2018 for another Oxfam Trailwalker training hike. We followed the designated 2018 Section 8 route before using the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail to complete a loop back to our cars.
The event was advertised as a 20km Grade 4 hike. Our Garmin recorded 21.76km, completed in 5hr11min with 544m of elevation gain. The group maintained a strong pace throughout the day, despite sore knees and a few painful blisters by the finish.
Hike details
- Date: Sunday 28 January 2018
- Route: Former Oxfam Trailwalker Section 8 with a rail trail return
- Planned distance: 20km
- Recorded distance: 21.76km
- Duration: 5hr11min
- Elevation gain: 544m
- Attendees: 6 hikers
- Route type: Loop
- Difficulty: Grade 4
Following the former Section 8 course
The outward journey followed the designated Oxfam Trailwalker Section 8 route used in 2018. The course passed through a mixture of open countryside, established vehicle tracks and forested sections of the Upper Yarra Valley.
Beyond the farmland were views towards distant hills and mountains. Large old gum trees stood beside the trail, while other sections entered forests filled with tall gums and tree ferns.
Fallen trees and forest obstacles
The trail was generally broad and easy to follow, but it still presented some characteristically Australian forest obstacles. At one point the route passed beneath a large fallen tree suspended above the track.
Features such as this helped keep the forest portion interesting while providing useful practice for maintaining momentum over a long day.
A koala in the treetops
One of the highlights of the hike was spotting a koala high in a gum tree. It was easy to miss among the branches and foliage, but after locating it we were able to capture both a closer photograph and another showing just how high it was sitting.
Encounters like this are a reminder to occasionally stop looking at the trail beneath your feet and search the canopy above.
Farmland and rural gardens
The open parts of the route provided broad views across farmland towards the surrounding hills. These landscapes contrasted with the enclosed forest tracks and fern-filled gullies encountered elsewhere during the day.
Other sections passed established rural gardens containing a mixture of flowers and large ornamental trees.
Flowers beside the trail
A white flower with a bright yellow centre was photographed beside the route. It appeared to be oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) or a closely related member of the daisy family.
Returning along the rail trail
After completing the designated Section 8 route, we joined the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail for the return journey. The broad, well-formed rail trail provided a more straightforward finish after the hillier sections earlier in the day.
The rail trail follows the former railway corridor through the Yarra Valley, passing forests, farmland and several small townships. Its gentler gradients made it a useful return route while still adding enough distance to create a substantial training loop.
Cooling off in the Yarra River
After maintaining a strong pace for more than 21km, soaking in the cool water of the Yarra River was a refreshing way to recover. A shallow rocky section allowed the water to flow across a broad, flat surface.
The day also included a well-earned bakery stop—particularly welcome for anyone dealing with tired legs, sore knees or developing blisters.
Completing the training loop
We completed the 21.76km circuit in 5hr11min, recording 544m of ascent. The extra 1.76km beyond the advertised distance helped make this a valuable Grade 4 training hike.
The day offered an enjoyable combination of forest tracks, rural scenery, wildlife, river views and the easier gradients of the rail trail. Most importantly, all six hikers worked well together and maintained an excellent pace.
What the hikers said
The comments posted afterwards captured both the physical challenge and the enjoyment of the day:
“We all kept such a good pace! So refreshing soaking in the Yarra River. Thank you Michael for hosting another great training hike.”
“Another great day out with the team today. Knees are a bit sore and blisters are painful—but when is the next one? Thank you Michael and everyone for carrying me all the way to the bakery. See you all soon.”
Planning this route today
This article records a training hike completed in January 2018. Oxfam Trailwalker routes and section numbers have changed over time, so the former Section 8 alignment should not be treated as a current route guide.
No exact current guide to the complete 2018 training loop is available. However, the return portion used part of the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail. Current access and management information is available from Yarra Ranges Council.
For detailed printed coverage, the Vicmap Gembrook North 8022-3-N Map covers Woori Yallock, Launching Place, Yarra Junction, Wesburn, Warburton and surrounding tracks at 1:25,000 scale.
The broader Yarra Valley West Gippsland Adventure Map also covers Warburton and the surrounding Yarra Valley, with roads, tracks, parks, forests and notes relevant to hiking and four-wheel driving.
Check current access, trail conditions, weather and fire danger before setting out. The rail trail is shared with cyclists and horse riders, and walkers should also take care at road crossings.