EEWG Weekend Walk
Coliban Main Channel, South of Bendigo
Saturday 18 November
Walk details: We will be walking along the Coliban Channel, which is part of the Great Dividing Trail.
In 1865, a scheme to divert water to Bendigo from the Coliban River, 70km away South of Malmsbury, was proposed by the engineer Joseph Brady. Twelve years later, the first water redirected from the Coliban reached Bendigo. A section of the channel using the adjacent path will be followed on this walk. In particular, it takes in the Waterfalls and Dissipators. With each waterfall, the water came down a steep chute, pouring into semi-circular structures that dissipated the force of the water, before shooting out at right angles back into the channel. Whether any water will be in the channel on 18 November is a matter of conjecture.
We will walk for about 75 minutes from the base of the dissipator uphill and along the channel, have some refreshments, and then return to the cars.
Starting place and time: 10am
Drive North along the Calder Freeway, passing turnoffs to Macedon, Kyneton and Malmsbury. Off to the left are the small towns of Taradale and Elphinstone.
When you reach the sign ‘B180: Elphinstone, Castlemaine Maryborough Exit 1km’, you are getting close to the turn-off you need. After a further 300m is the same sign with an arrow to veer left onto a side road, and without the ‘Exit 1km’ indication. After taking the side road off the Freeway, go sharp right, and drive over the Freeway and look for the sign that indicates ‘Elphinstone Castlemaine’ (left arrow), and ‘Metcalf Sutton Grange’ (right arrow). Turn here onto Sutton Grange Rd. It’s a 30km drive to the parking place. You are now on one of the back roads to Bendigo.
Travel through Sutton Grange, pass Axe Creek Rd on the right, and a little further on Harcourt Rd. Continue to Sedgwick. With the Sedgwick CFA on the right, turn left onto Springs Rd (it looks like a sharp turn on the map, but isn’t particularly sharp). Drive along Springs Rd. Don’t turn right onto Madurang North Rd (on the right), but keep straight ahead. You are now on a gravel road. A short distance further on, the countryside becomes lightly timbered. On reaching Gate 460, and driving for a few metres over rough ground, park wherever there is space. The road here is narrow, so depending on the number of cars, you may need to turn round and drive back a short distance to make room for our cars.
The walk: Through lightly timbered country, past the dissipators, then along the winding channel, up a further hill (you will see that the channel goes underground), and finally along an undulating section. We will walk for about 70 minutes, stopping for refreshment, and then returning to the cars.
Length: About 8km, walking for two and a half hours.
Level of difficulty: Medium. There are two hills of moderate gradient
Cautionary note: If there has been recent rain, mosquitoes can be in diabolical numbers. Bring a repellent, even if there hasn’t been much rain.
Lunch: At the LynnVale Estate, at 83 Cahills Rd, Mandurang. Tel 5439 3635.
A booking will be made for 1pm. I had hoped to have the menu by now, but will forward it when it is received. If we choose in advance, it will save time waiting to be served
To reach LynneVale from the parked cars is a 12km drive. Return along Springs Rd to Sedgwick, and the CFA on the right. Veer left (don’t take the road used to reach Sedgwick from the Freeway), and drive North along Sedgwick Rd. After about 6km, look for the Hallidays Rd sign on the left. You are now in Victoria’s Geographic Centre (there is a monument to indicate this nearby). Turn left here, and immediately left again into Cahills Rd. LynneVale is 1km further, on the left.
Car pooling: Diamond Valley Sports Centre, off Civic Drive, Greensborough; car park adjacent to, but furthest from, Civic Drive (Mel 11 A10). Be there by 07:55.
Fuel contribution: $15
Make a weekend of it? If this seems a long way to drive for a day, you might be interested in an overnight stop in Castlemaine or Bendigo, or ?? in the vicinity. Diners are spoilt for choice in both Castlemaine and Bendigo. LynneVale also offers B&B accommodation. Contact Glenn and Hilary Baldock if interested. Email: tel 5439 3635. They have a web site:
Contact: Tony Stutterd, and tel 9439 3214
Deadline: Tuesday 14 November. I will then phone the restaurant with numbers, and menu choices