Bendigo bush

For those who don't know Bendigo is a regional town in central Victoria. It’s home to around 100,000 people and is surrounded by bush and National parks. It was established from the 1850's gold-rush and a lot of the old mine relics remain.

An old slag pile in One tree hill regional park.

This makes it an ideal area to get out and explore. A few of my regular areas that I walked when I lived in Bendigo were: One tree hill regional park, Diamond hill historical area, Spring Gully reservoir, Koolamurt park, kangaroo flat bush and Crusoe reservoir.

But there’s so much more that I'd like to explore including: Whipstick state park, Greater Bendigo NP, Eaglehawk Regional Park and Kamarooka Forest. I’ve also walked from Bendigo to Mt Alexander along the Leanganook track.

The best thing about walking in the bush around Bendigo is I can take my dogs!!! They love being out in the bush and it makes it much more enjoyable for me as I can get my bushwalking fix and walk the dogs at the same time. It also gives me the opportunity to take the dogs on longer walks and wear them out!! There’s nothing I hate more than walking my dogs in the neighbourhood for an hour only to get home and they're still full of beans!

Keppy and Fyfe love their bushwalks!

There are a few national parks north of Bendigo where dogs are not allowed (of course).

One I tried to walk was Kamarooka forest, just north of Huntly. I stupidly took my dog with me and realized when I got there that they aren't allowed (I never knew about this rule until then). So I drove home and I'm yet to check out that area. Apparently it's an excellent area for bird watching. There’s also 17 km long walking track from Mulga dam in Kamarooka forest to Whipstick state park, which I'm keen to walk one day.

A White-eared honeyeater. The bush around Bendigo is perfect for birdwatching. 

All the bush around Bendigo is well used and there's stacks of tracks to choose from. My only challenge is finding a time of day when no one else is around (I prefer to have the place to myself!). I've found that I have a far better chance of seeing wildlife if there's less people around too!

A wallaby enjoying the peaceful bush!

One tree hill is probably my favourite place to walk in Bendigo. It's large and not many people walk in the area that I go, which is a bonus. I can choose between a short walk or a full half day walk. There’s also a few dams and the coliban water catchment running through the park. This makes it even better for the dogs, they love a good swim! The only problem, it's a little isolated in parts. I once almost stepped on a red-bellied black snake, which could've ended badly. There's also a lot of old mine cuttings and slag heaps around the area.

Old mine cuttings in One tree hill regional park.

Another of my favourite areas is Koolamurt park. It joins Spring Gully reservoir and is an ideal spot for taking my dogs for an hour long walk. Recently a mountain bike track was built here so that means walking becomes a little riskier! It's also a training/camping area for the local scout group.

Keppy at Koolamurt park

Diamond hill historical area is really cool for exploring. It's part of the old mining area but there are several old mine shafts that can be quite dangerous. Part of the Leanganook track from Bendigo to Mt Alexander travels through here.

An old mine shaft filled with water, Diamond hill historical area.

In Kangaroo Flat there’s an area of bush that's not a park or reserve but still an area where locals take their dogs for a walk. I've found that it's too well used and motorbike riders are often around. If I lived near here I'd probably use it but otherwise I have better options! Crusoe reservoir is near here.

So if you live in or near Bendigo there are plenty of close options, so get out and explore!

Walking solo

Possibly one of the most controversial topics in bushwalking is whether to walk with a friend/group or brave it on your own.

Honestly some of the best walks I have done have been on my own. Its a greater risk but its also ten times more rewarding. Don't get me wrong I like walking with friends and have done many enjoyable walks with other people, but there's just that element of freedom when you're out there with no backup, no support and no one telling you what to do!

View from Wright's lookout, New England NP, NSW.

There are obvious downfalls to walking solo, here are some barriers I've encountered and my advice on walking safe on your own.

*Please note I'm not a professional and any advice I give is based on my own experiences walking alone.*

The biggest and best advice I can give is be prepared, know your limits and use common sense.

An injury could pose a huge problem if you're out on your own. If you are injured the chances of getting out alive are slim. Ok, its probably not that extreme but it just means you are your only help. A lot if the places I walk I may only see one other person the whole day, if that. So the solution is to be prepared and be cautious.

Don't ever stray off track on your own!! Why people would do this is beyond me, its the reason why you get lost. But also be aware that the track you're on may change quickly. At Point lookout in NSW I went for one of my best walks. It was the middle of winter and pine needles and leaves covered the track. I lost sight of the track a number of times and was lucky to not stray off and end up lost. The solution is to research the area you are walking and always carry a map and compass, and never go off track! Another option in case you do involuntarily stray is to have a personal locator beacon (PLB), it could save you life.

Track sign in New England NP, NSW.

Out in the bush there's usually no phone reception so if you're going on your own you need to let someone know at home your plans. This includes where you'll be walking i.e the exact track, how long it should take and what time to expect you home. And you need to stick to your plans for obvious reasons, you don't need a search party looking in the wrong place because you changed your mind at the last minute, or sent out unnecessarily because you didn't let anyone know you were going to be home late.

Watch the weather, not just on the day you plan to walk but in the lead up. You never know if the weather might take a turn for the worse. Be prepared for all conditions by bringing the right clothing and footwear. Also keep in mind where you will be walking and how the weather could affect the track i.e. a walk alongside a river could be prone to flash flooding or the track could be completely washed away.

Flooding at Turpins Falls, VIC. 

Know your limits. Realize that you may not be able to walk as far as you planned and head back if you need. No one's judging you on how far you walk, its better to head back and be safe than to walk the extra track that adds another 10km to your overall walk and results in you not being able to move for a week. Trust me I've done this and its not pleasant!! Also the further you go the more fatigued you become which could pose a huge risk when out on your own. If you're already tired and then become injured how are you going to make it back!!

Know the dangers in the area. Australia is vast and varying. The dangers vary greatly between states and even regions. Know the local wildlife that could pose a threat e.g wild boars, snakes and the elusive drop bear! Keep informed and stay safe.

Red-Bellied black snake in Victoria.

Basically only walk alone if you're confident of your survival skills and have researched or know the area well. If not walk with a friend or join a bushwalking club to gain experience.

Enjoy the great outdoors on your own with no restrictions and marvel at its beauty. You may even find some inner peace and enlightenment!

Stay safe!

Wollomombi Gorge Pt 1

Wollomombi gorge was my first solo walk in NSW. I was quite anxious to head out on my own as most people advise against it due to the 'higher risk'. Having recently moved to Armidale I didn't have my trusty bushwalking partner (whose nickname is Bushy!) So anxiety and worries aside, I set out to Wollomombi gorge. Being only a half an hour drive from home and the second highest waterfall in Australia (424m) it promised to be a good day’s walk.

Wollomombi falls close up, NSW.

I left around lunch time and figured I’d do the Chandler walk (1km return) then if I had time go across to the other side and do the Wollomombi walk (4km return). 

So of I head on a very busy day with a ton of people in the barbecue area staring at me as I walked along by myself. The first lookout was only a short distance and not very exciting, so I continued to the second lookout which offered much better views of both Wollomombi falls and Chandler falls. Around this area I noticed a few lyrebirds but couldn't get any pictures of them this time.

View of Wollomombi falls with Chandler falls far right.

 I decided to continue down to Checks lookout, which was fine going down but coming back up was quite the struggle, particularly after I was just recovering from a bout of pneumonia.

The walk to Checks lookout was pleasant, if a little strenuous on the way back up, although it didn't offer much more in views of the falls. 

View near Checks lookout of Wollomombi gorge and the falls in the distance.

There used to be an extension of the track which made its way down to the river, but due to flooding and erosion the track was closed. As I was walking solo I wasn't game enough to check out the damage that was done.

Upon heading back to the picnic area I felt unsatisfied with the length of my walk. So I decided to do the Wollomombi walk around the rim of the gorge through to Chandler falls.

It was a nice walk, there were a few families swimming at the top of the Wollomombi river. I saw a female scarlet robin and was successful in getting a decent photo for the first time ever!

Female scarlet robin at Wollomombi gorge, NSW.

I walked on to Chandler falls lookout and watched the flow of water coming out of it..... it wasn't that exciting! Heading back I stopped at the lookout gazing across the valley and waaaay over the other side I saw eagles circling. There were a few people standing directly below getting some awesome photos, I was jealous!  So I decided to run around and take the chance that the eagles would still be there and I'd get some shots of them. Yeah well epic fail! I ran and fast walked about 2kms around to the lookout to find they'd disappeared. So I waited and waited, it started getting dark by this stage and I was tired so I called it a day. No close up eagle pictures for me this time.

This is the best shot I could get of the eagles!

Wollomombi gorge is a nice easy walk and if you don't necessarily want to go far this is a great spot. The waterfall lookout is only a short walk from the car park. It would have been an awesome walk if the track down to the river wasn't washed away. Checks lookout is worth it if you want to go a little further but don't expect anything overly exciting.