Bonnie Doon - Golden Mountain Walk - Northern Country

Bonnie Doon - Golden Mountain Walk

The 4km walk is recommended as a slow ramble towards the peak of Golden Mountain. Walking along old logging tracks you will pass large moss-covered granite boulders, ti-tree thickets and eucalypts including Peppermint Gum. At the summit you will be rewarded with magnificent views to the east and west.

This forest drive plus a walk starts 23 km from the Strathbogie Township. From Euroa it is a 45 minute drive to the start of the track. The drive takes you deep into the Strathbogie Forest to reach the start point which is 12.7 km from the end of the bitumen on Tames Rd, or about 25 minutes drive from Strathbogie.

Location

As the drive to the start of this walk is quite lengthy if travelling from Euroa it is recommended that walkers make the drive a feature as well as the walk. Note the changes in vegetation as you rise in altitude. Note also the forest management as you drive past the Vic Forest coupes. You could break the trip with a coffee or drink at the (only) store in Strathbogie. From Strathbogie Post Office, drive east along Tames Road until you reach the end of the bitumen at 9.7km. Veer right onto the dirt road. Tames Rd continues, turning into Barjarg Rd at 14.7km. Follow Barjarg Rd until it veers right and becomes Ferraris Rd at 20.1km. Follow Ferraris Rd to the intersection with Ferraris Link Track at 21.5km. Take the left branch of this intersection to continue along Ferraris Rd until you reach the T-junction with Harpers No. 4 Track at 22.3km. Park here. Walk along the road uphill for 100m. You will find the entrance to the track from the roadside on your right.

Map of Walk Route

Interactive Map

Track notes

From where the car is parked the first part of the track is not well marked but head in a SSW direction up the rise. The forest is quite open here and as you head up you will begin to see a magnificent granite boulder stack in front of you, this is well worth exploring.

Rounded granite boulders are randomly stacked into a great labyrinth. In winter and spring the mosses and lichens are vibrant and alive.

Our path follows the old logging track just to the south of the stack. Head in a westerly direction into deep forest, at first walking through the tree thicket and then becoming more open. The Mountain Grey Gum are giants in this part of the forest and exploration off the path is recommended as long as you don't get lost!

The path is easily followed and heads below the spur that links Golden Mountain with Tels Mountain. At one point on the path the motorcycles have veered off the track and headed up the spur as a massive tree has fallen and blocked the way. For an agile walker it is not necessary to leave the track as the tree is negotiable. After this obstacle the path is an easy walk as it heads up towards Golden Mountain

As you come up the rise the path meets the Golden Mountain track. Follow it up the hill and as you reach the summit of the track, veer to the right to the trig point on the top. From here to the west between the trees are views to Mount Wombat and the Tableland.

The real gem of the walk lies back down at the base of this path just east of the Golden Mountain track. There is a cliff face looking east. From the edge you can view Lake Eildon, The Paps, and further into the high country to Mt Buller and Mt Stirling and The Bluff.

From here, either you follow the same path back or the more venturesome could follow the ridge that lies above the old logging track you have walked on and meet the track back half way home.

Facilities

Camping in Strathbogie Forest is allowed at either Ruoaks or James Reserve.
The Strathbogie forest is closed on days of Total Fire Ban

Access for Dogs:

Dogs must be on-leash and under control at all times.