Without a doubt, the most popular, and most walked, trail in the area, the Mount Macedon Walking Trail is a fantastic, yet challenging, day hike in Victoria.
The first 40 minutes of the trek winds its way uphill through a messmate forest with the last section consisting of mountain ash and snow gums.
From here, you can take a slight detour to check out the Mt Macedon Memorial Cross.
The cross itself is really something to look at, as this particular section offers some really good views of the surrounding area.
You can retrace steps back to the junction and continue on through the car park and back onto the trail by the cafe.
After spending the first section of the hike walking uphill, the walk is significantly easier going from this point until you descend Mount Towrong.
A short while later, you’ll find yourself at Days Picnic Ground which is a good spot for lunch and an extended break.
If you haven’t been here before, the area is wide open with small fireplaces and picnic tables scattered all over, as well as a toilet block.
However, prior to arriving at Days Picnic Ground, be sure to make your way to Camel’s Hump lookout where the views across the valley are fantastic.
Once you’ve finished your lunch at Days, you are more than halfway finished the Mount Macedon Walking Trail.
The next highlight along the trail is the Sanatorium Lake which, if you have little kids, really is a nice spot to stop.
Best of all, if you come up for the day, and aren’t keen on doing the entire trail, you can park your car at Days and do a short walk around the lake.
From there, it’s all downhill from here you make your way down and then ascend on your way to Mount Towrong.
As mentioned at the start of this blog, the second trickiest section of the Mount Macedon Walking Trail is the descent of Mount Towrong.
It’s not overly hard but it can be tricky as you navigate your way down an exposed area complete with loose rocks everywhere.
After spending most of the day in the forest, it’s a nice change of scenery as you complete the final section of the walk.
Once at the bottom, it’s approximately another 15 minutes back to the start where the Post Office cafe is hopefully still open for you to duck in for something to eat & drink.
Overall, the Mount Macedon Walking Trail is an exceptional 18km day hike that will leave you completely satisfied as a hiker once finished.
Whilst it is a popular walk regardless of how it is done, it is still worth hiking even if you have done it before.
The Stats – Mount Macedon Walking Trail
Length (km): 18.5kms (according to WikiLoc)
Time: 5hrs and 9mins (moving time of 4hrs and 47mins)
Average Speed: 3.57 km/h
Difficulty: Moderate (Grade 3)
Return/Circuit/One Way: Circuit
Location: Mount Macedon
Maximum elevation: 1015m (according to WikiLoc)
