Taradale District Walks
Starting from the Mineral Springs Reserve there are six routes along local roads that lead to the Coliban Main Channel.
The Coliban Main Channel runs along the edge of the Fryers Ridge forest to the west of town. Walkers and cyclists can use these routes plus a section of the Channel track as a pleasant circuit walk or ride through varied countryside.
TRACKS WITHIN TOWN
Track 1 Viaduct Walk
To Taradale Viaduct and site of Royal Oaks. Access to Barkly Park. Picnic table. Distance is 1km and the gradient is flat.
Track 2 King Billy Bridge Circuit
Cross creek via King Billy Bridge for views over town and surrounds. Distance is 2km with gentle hills.
TRACKS TO/FROM THE COLIBAN MAIN CHANNEL
Download the Taradale District Walks Map
Track 3 Tyquins Road (4.5 km)
Leave the Mineral Springs Park via the playground. Turn left into High St. Follow this road uphill past school and south out of town. After walking 1.5 km in open country turn right into Martins Road. This flat road is straight until it turns sharp left. It then continues until it joins Conlans Road coming in on the left. Bear right into Conlans Road and descend steeply into Back Creek valley and Liberty Flat, site of the first gold diggings in Taradale.
After crossing the creek, turn left into Tyquins Road. Travel 1.5 km along the Back Creek valley side to Tyquins Cottage built ca 1865 and a fingerpost sign 'Channel Track'. Follow this track uphill to the start of the open Channel. This is the mouth of the syphon that carries the water across the Back Creek valley.
Track 4 Old Drummond Road (4 km)
Leave the Mineral Springs Park via the playground, cross High Street, pass a historical sign board and follow the laneway for 100 metres to meet Old Drummond Road. Turn left and follow this road along the Back Creek flats.
After about a kilometre the road climbs a low hill. Soon after this the road becomes tree-lined. The surface changes to gravel and soon after drops downhill to meet Conlans Road at a T intersection.
This point is about half way. Bear right up a short steep hill. At the top of the hill Pass Deardens Creek track on the right. The road now drops down into open country. For the last half kilometre the road is tree-lined, eventually crossing the deep gully of Kangaroo Creek. A short distance later the road crosses the Coliban Main Channel at the entrance to the forest.
Track 4A Deardens Creek (3.2 km)
The first 2.5 kilometres is the same as for Track 4 (Old Drummond Road). After turning right turn at Conlans Road and going up a short hill, turn right into Deardens Creek Track. Follow this track for about half a kilometre to the Coliban Main Channel
To complete a circuit of about 9 km, turn right and enter the Channel track, following this section for about 4 km to meet Fryerstown Road. Follow Track 5 back to town.
For a shorter circuit walk of about 4.5 km, drive to the end of Dearden Creek Track. There is a parking spot on the left inside the forest, next to the start of Kemps track. Enter the Channel track heading south and follow the track to the end of Track 4. Walk north along Old Drummond Road to the start of Dearden Creek Track, turn into this track and return to the parking spot.
Track 5 Fryerstown Road (1.8 km)
Leave the Mineral Springs Park via the playground. Turn right into High Street and walk to the bottom of the hill. Two roads start on the left at this point: Old Drummond Road and Roderick Street. Turn into Roderick Street and go up a long tree-lined hill. The road levels and meets Davy Street after 800 metres. Bear left into the start of Fryerstown Road in open country. After another 700 metres, pass Sargeants Road on the left, admiring a large yellow box tree on the roadside.
The last section of the route passes the Fryerstown Road vineyard before reaching the Coliban Main Channel at the forest entrance.
Track 6. Cypress Drive (1.9 km)
Leave the Mineral Springs Park via the playground. Turn right into High Street. After the first hill section turn left into Arthur Street then, after a few metres, right into Pemberton Hill Road. This small road with its brick bridge is a short section of the original main road. After the bridge, reach a large parking area. Turn left into Cypress Drive. Follow the road along a valley to a T intersection. Turn right and go up the hill. Soon after the road levels out, scenic Tara Lake appears on the right. This large man-made lake was constructed in 1975 by Reg Broad. After the road veers away from the lake view, it crosses the Coliban Main Channel. This is the end of Track 6.
To complete a circuit route of about 7 kilometres. cross the stile on the left and enter the Coliban Main Channel Track. Follow this track beside the Channel until a gate is reached. Exit onto a forest track, turn left and follow signs up a short steep hill, then gently downhill to the end of Track 5 (Fryerstown Road). Follow this track back to the Mineral Springs park. This is a popular walk with the locals.
For a longer circuit of about 9 kilometres, cross the stile on the right and enter the Coliban Main Channel. Follow this track beside the Channel until a stile is reached. Cross over to join the end of Track 7. This section of Channel, a noted hotspot for woodland birds, is popular with bird watchers.
Track 7. Cemetery and Wright Street (3.4 km)
Leave the Mineral Springs Park via the north exit (near toilets). Turn right and follow Roderick Street to a T intersection. Turn left into Lyell St, passing the recreation reserve. Walk steadily uphill road, noting that the road becomes Potts Road.
Pass Pennos Road on the left. Opposite is Station Street leading to the Taradale station (now closed) on the busy Melbourne-Bendigo line. A short detour is recommended for viewing the old station and goods shed. After about a kilometre reach the level crossing and turn left into Back Road. Follow this road for a kilometre to its junction with Calder Highway. Turn right. After another 400 metres the Taradale Cemetery is on right, noted for its wildflowers in spring. Continue along the Calder Highway to Wright Street on the left. About 300 metres further the entrance to the Coliban Main Channel is on the left of the road.
Sargeants Road Circuit ( 2.6 km)
This circuit follows the first section of Track 4 (Old Drummond Road) then turns off right along the delightfully scenic Sargeants Road to meet Fryerstown Road (Track 5) which brings the traveller back to town.
Leave the Mineral Springs Park via the playground, cross the highway, pass a historical sign board and follow the laneway for 100 metres to meet Old Drummond Road. Turn left and follow this road along Back Creek flats. After one kilometre ascend a low hill. Turn right into Sargeants Road (gravel surface). Follow this tree-lined road up a steady hill then down a short incline to meet Fryerstown Road. Turn right. At the road junction take either fork, Davy or Roderick Streets (Davy Street is a sealed road, Roderick Street passes historical buildings). Turn right at the highway and return to the Mineral Springs park.
Conlans Road Circuit (6.3 km)
This circuit follows Old Drummond Road (Track 4) as far as the intersection with Conlans Road, then turns left leaving Track 4 and continues on Conlans Road then via highway back to town.
Leave the Mineral Springs Park via the playground, cross High Street, pass a historical sign board and follow the laneway for 100 metres to meet Old Drummond Road. Turn left and follow this road along the Back Creek flats. After about a kilometre the road climbs a low hill. Soon after this the road becomes tree-lined. The surface changes to gravel and soon after drops downhill to meet Conlans Road at a T intersection. Turn left and continue along Conlans Road, past the end of Tyquins Road, across Back Creek, up a steep hill and straight ahead into Martins Road. Follow Martins Road to the old highway, turn left and return to town.
COLIBAN MAIN CHANNEL
Coliban Main Channel
The Coliban Main Channel was constructed in the late 1860s. It is an open gravity channel between Malmsbury and Bendigo and is approximately 70 kilometres long. The channel transfers water from the Malmsbury Reservoir to the Bendigo and Castlemaine Water Treatment Plants, which supply 14 towns in the region, and it also supplies irrigation water to rural water customers of Coliban Water. The channel consists of concrete sections and earthen or rock sections. The concrete sections are around 60 to 80 years old.
Today there are walking tracks alongside most of the Channel. North of Mount Alexander the Goldfields Track follows the Channel to Bendigo. In the Taradale district the south end of the walking track begins at the start of the open channel north of the siphon and continues to Elphinstone, north of Taradale, passing under several roads on the way. These roads provide access to the Channel.
Walking and Cycling along the Channel (note: the track is not accessible to horse riders)
The track alongside the Coliban Main Channel can be accessed from any of Tracks 3 to 7. See Taradale District Walks Map. There is easy cycling along the track. Note that some exits/entrances are via stiles. A lone cyclist will need a light bike or strong arms to lift their bike over the fence.
For people with an interest in birds, sections of this track feature in the 2018 publication Castlemaine Bird Walks by Damian Kelly
Tyquins Road (track 3) to Old Drummond Road (track 4) (3 km)
The Channel track begins at the syphon mouth. Follow the track to meet the Old Drummond Road at a stile. Striking views over valley farmland to the north.
Dearden Creek Track (Track 4A) to Fryerstown Road (Track 5) (4 km)
Enter via gate. This is the longest and most diverse section of the channel. Features such as tunnels and overshoots are visible from the track. Sustained views across country, including views of Mount Macedon and the Metcalfe hills on the northern section. Note that the narrow concrete 'bridges' that span the channel to carry water across in wet periods are major kangaroo crossing points to and from night grazing areas. There can be heavy traffic at dawn and dusk. The track meets Fryerstown Road behind Fryerstown Road vineyard.
Gate exit.
Fryerstown Road (Track 5) to Cypress Drive (Track 6) ( 2 km)
To reach the next section of Channel track, cross the Channel at the end of Fryerstown Road via the bridge into the forest and the start of Old Coach Road. Turn right onto Salt Water Track (note B>
Go uphill then down a steep hill. Pass the start of No Name Track then look on the right for the track that rejoins the channel via a 'gap' stile (easy bike access). Note the large overshoot and tunnel structure that carries creek water over and channel water under. Continue to meet Cypress Drive at a stile.
Cypress Drive (Track 6) to Wright Street (Track 7) (2 km)
Enter via a stile. After passing through a forested area the track emerges onto the edge of cleared land, with pleasant views of farm land. The last section is noted for its display of wildflowers during spring. Exit via stile. This is the end of the Taradale section.
Note that the Channel track continues on the far side of Wright Street to reach the old Calder highway. After crossing the highway the traveller can pick up the track again on a pleasant diversion around the edge of a section of forest, to reach a gate which exits onto Diggers Way. A few hundred metres along this road is the town centre of Elphinstone and the Elphinstone Pub noted for its hearty meals, including the very popular Sunday roast lunch. An alternative route to Elphinstone is via Wright Street, noted for its beautiful wide road reserve with mature trees.
Location
Cnr Murchison Street and Jackson Street, Taradale 3447 Map
Web Links
→ Taradale District Tracks Map (PDF)
