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!