Ironbark Gorge Track

Ironbark Gorge Track is a 4.5 km (2.8 mi) loop from the lower Distillery Creek Picnic Ground, usually about 1.5 hours. It climbs one side of the gorge for glimpses down through ironbark forest, crosses a bridge near the head, then returns beside the creek over several small bridges and boardwalks. It is an easy-to-moderate outing if you want a proper circuit without a long day. Start from the lower carpark and follow the Ironbark Gorge sign.

The narrow path follows the creek at first, then climbs a well-benched route along the southwest side of the gorge. The ground gets rockier as you gain height, and the view opens down into the gully in patches. This is more a forest walk with peeks into the gorge than an open rim walk: trees and regrowth hide parts of the cliff faces.

Near the gorge head, cross the bridge marked 8WT and take the opposite side back downstream. Wooden bridges or boardwalk sections carry you across the creek several times. The bed is often dry but can hold water; the lower stretch feels damper, with ferns and moss among rocky banks and fallen boulders. At the Currawong Falls Track junction, follow the Picnic Ground 500 m sign to close this loop. The falls branch is a separate, longer outing.

Spring is the best bet for a colorful understorey, including wattles and heathland plants. Common Correa and Narrow-leaf Bitter-pea are among the flowers recorded here. Bird calls include New Holland Honeyeaters, Red Wattlebirds and Pied Currawongs; the creek-side ferns and mosses give the lower gorge a different feel from the drier rise. The lower picnic area has tables and wood-fired barbecues, and you need to bring your own wood. Toilets are at the upper picnic area, a separate part of the reserve. Dogs are not allowed in the park. Parks Victoria also warns that limbs may fall around Distillery Creek.