Summary

This 45 minute walk takes you through open woodland to the top of Black Hill, where you can enjoy exploring massive granite rocks and views in all directions. Keep an eye out for wildflowers.

Description

Kyneton is an easy day trip from Melbourne and the streets of the historic town are a good place to wander around. But if you are looking for a bushwalk in the neighbourhood, Black Hill Reserve is the place to go.

The park is a variety of open woodland, denser forest and patches of open grassland, interspersed with massive granite rocks. On January 7th 2015 bush fires started by lightning strikes burnt 80% of the reserve, but excellent winter rains in 2016 and reasonable rains in 2017 have promoted rapid re-growth of the devastated areas. The bright green regrowth provides an interesting contrast with the older trees.

Most trees seem to have survived the fire, but nonetheless this is not a walk with very tall forest - if that's what you are looking for, try a walk on Mt Macedon.

The reserve is home to a range of wildlife including Brush Tailed Phascogale (or Tuan) and Sugar Gliders, along with more common animals like wallabies, echidna, lizards and bats. Dusk and dawn are the best time to spot animals on the move. In addition, over 60 varieties of birds have been seen here.

The Ridge Track mapped here is a short but vigorous walk to the top of the hill, where you can explore around the rocks and enjoy the views out over the surrounding countryside. Walking time is about 45 minutes, but allow more time for exploring.

There are other walks in the park, notably a longer but flatter circuit walk around the outside that takes in 'the monolith', a particularly massive granite rock.

There is also a picnic area by the car park, providing a pleasant spot to eat if you prefer a natural setting to the Kyneton cafes.

Apparently spring is the best time to see the wildflowers in the reserve, but there were still plenty to see when we visited in mid summer.

Notes:
- Dogs are allowed on a lead.
- Bikes and horses are not allowed.
- The 'Langley Bushland Reserve' shown on the map does not reflect the reality of the reserve on the ground.
- The woodland provides only partial shade, so perhaps not the best walk for hot summer days.

4595 Views

Points of Interest

1. Picnic area

The walk starts and finishes at the picnic area , which is a pleasant place to eat, with picnic tables, information boards and a shelter.

2. Wildflowers

Keep an eye out for wildflowers on this walk

3. Flowers

Another type of wildflower to be found here.

4. Monoliths

Throughout the reserve, but particularly on the ridge, there are a range of very large rocks to be admired (or climbed).

5. View to Mount Macedon

At various points from the ridge there are views to Mt Macedon in the distance.

6. Views

The ridge is fairly well forested, but you do get views in all directions over the surrounding landscape, especially if you climb the rocks.

7. Dragon

If you're very lucky you might spot one of these lizards with a super long tail basking on a rock

8. Climbing frame

A tree fallen across is pretty easy to walk under, but more fun to climb on.

9. Lower track

On the lower slopes of the hill, the track passes through more open woodland.

10. Field of wildflowers

When we were here, the wildflowers in this area were putting on a pretty impressive display.

11. Regrowth

The regrowing trees often seem to have bolder colour than older vegetation.

Features

Picnic spot

Seating available

Nature trail