The drive to Fyansford Hotel car park will take about 40 minutes. There are amenities at this location. Google Co-ordinates are: 38°08’32.3″S 144°18’38.4″E
You will need to bring water, clothing appropriate for the weather, sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots (no sandals or thongs), first aid kit, morning tea and lunch (BYO or you can buy lunch at the Mill)
This walk is mostly flat or slightly undulating along concrete, earthen and gravel paths. There are a number of stairs and a short area where the path is narrow with protruding rocks so care must be taken. Poles could be handy.
Our walk takes us through the Fyansford Common Park before crossing the Moorabool River. After the bridge we head to Buckley Falls past Red Gum Island where the river becomes the Barwon. We stay on the South Bank Trail until we reach Buckley Park.
Taking the river edge track alongside the Barwon we have views of the Paper Mill on the other side of the river and check out the weir via a set of stairs down to a viewing platform. The site of the Buckley Falls has long been hotly debated and what was thought to be the falls is actually a man-made weir with the real falls further upstream which is more of a rocky cascade than a waterfall. This part of the journey is very rocky and single file is necessary.
A long set of stairs lies at the end of this track which ascends to another path giving us a more elevated glimpse of the river, the mill and the weirs. Another set of stairs take us lower again for a spectacular view of the man made weir. From here the path becomes a bit more civilised and along it we find Baum’s Weir and our turn around point with several seats for a good place to stop for morning tea.
We retrace our steps up the stairs and take an easy elevated track to the junction of the North/South Trail before making our way to the Paper Mill. Here you will be able to buy lunch or bring your own. There are amenities here too.
After lunch we return to the car park via the same route.
