Five Mile Track

Five Mile Track is an 8 km one-way point-to-point walk from Waverley Avenue in Lorne to the signposted Deans Marsh Road access, about 7 km north of town. It follows an unpaved 4WD track through cool temperate rainforest and takes around three hours. Plan a car shuttle; walking back makes it about 16 km. Published distances vary slightly, from 8 to 8.5 km, depending on the described endpoints.

The route crosses Little Erskine River twice: once by bridge and once on stepping stones. The stones can be slick, and the crossing is a poor choice when water is high. The track is slippery when wet, with some steady climbs, so expect a moderate walk rather than a quick forest stroll. Hiking sticks are useful for the river crossing.

Leaf litter covers much of the track beneath tall Mountain Grey-gums and Manna Gums, with tree ferns and dense understorey around it. The Lorne end widens under Southern Blue-gums and messmates, with views across toward Erskine Falls Road. Look for scars left by the 1983 fires and old logging stumps; smooth-barked trees may show heart-shaped or V-shaped cuts from gliders feeding. White-throated Treecreepers are often heard in the forest, though gliders are nocturnal and seldom seen.

The river crossing is the most distinctive scene on the walk: from a safe, dry spot on the bank, frame the rocky water with the track climbing into forest on the far side.

The northern end has a small roadside parking area on Deans Marsh Road. Waverley Avenue is the published Lorne start, but a dedicated parking lot there was not identified, so confirm where you will leave your car before setting out. Dogs are not permitted on this national-park track. The sources consulted did not list toilets or drinking water along the route.