Mt Alexander Regional Park

Mt Alexander Regional Park


Mt Alexander Regional Park is a breathtaking natural regional park located near Castlemaine and Harcourt in central Victoria, offering an idyllic escape for nature lovers, hikers, campers and adventurers.


Unique Highlight: Multitude of large granite boulders.


Mount Alexander Regional Park
Images: West Melbourne and Beyond.

The park, centred around the granite peak of Mount Alexander, provides stunning panoramic views of the surrounding landscapes, including orchards, vineyards, and native bushland. Its accessibility and natural beauty make it a beloved destination for locals and visitors alike.


Mount Alexander Regional Park
Image: West Melbourne and Beyond.

Park Map and Visitor Guide

Visitor Guide: You can download the Parks Victoria Mt Alexander Regoional Park Guide here.


Disclaimer: This information may be out of date. Use at your own discretion. Always check for up to date weather and safety conditions when visiting a nature area.


Mount Alexander Regional Park
On the walk up to Shepherds Flat Lookout. Image: West Melbourne and Beyond.

Parking Spots: There are four main parking spots in Mount Alexander Regional Park.

  • The Oaks
  • Dog Rocks
  • Leanganook Picnic Area
  • Television Towers

Mount Alexander Regional Park
Image: West Melbourne and Beyond. Source: Parks Victoria Mt Alexander Regional Park Visitor Guide.

Basically select how far you want to walk or the track(s) that interest you the most and from that select the car park to begin your walk from.


Mount Alexander Regional Park
View from Lang's Lookout by the Television Towers. Image: West Melbourne and Beyond.

Three main walks: There are roughly three walking scenario's to choose from:

  1. Walks on the western side from The Oaks car park
  2. A small circuit walk around the Leanganook Enclosure starting from Leanganook car park
  3. A full walk from the Television towers to Shepherds Flat lookout then to Dog Rocks and then proceeding to Leanganook Picnic Area around the western side of Leanganook enclosure and then looping all the way back.

    Conversely you can do this complete walk starting from Leanganook Picnic Area instead.

Mount Alexander Regional Park
View from Lang's Lookout. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

Lang's Lookout: Although not visibly shown on the map Lang's Lookout is just before the Television Towers as you drive into the carpark area on your right.


If you are walking from Leanganook Picnic Area then when you reach the summit and the Television Towers keep walking past the towers a bit and on the left is Lang's Lookout.


Mount Alexander Regional Park
Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.


Lang's Lookout and the Televsion Towers also happen to be a starting point for the full walk all the way to Leanganook Car Park via Shepherds Flat, Dog Rocks and the Leanganook Enclosure. For this reason if you are an avid walker this is a great place to start your walk.


Mount Alexander Regional Park
Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

Scenery: The scenery is what can be described at semi or partially tree covered with scrubby bush. If you like lush green scenery then this isn't the place for you. However this type of countryside is par the course for most of the Goldfields track and goldfield areas across Victoria in general.


Mount Alexander Regional Park
Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

In general terms while the vegetation is semi scrubby it is probably a bit more dense than many area (such as around Maldon) as as such does provide reasonable cover from any harsh sunlight.


Mount Alexander Regional Park
At the Television Towers. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

Shepherds Flat Lookout

If you want to be lazy and go directly to Shepherds Flat Lookout it is accessible from the Television Towers and is only 800m one way and 1.6km return. Yes, you have to get back somehow.


Shepherds Flat Lookout
View from Shepherds Flat. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

For more avid walkers we do recommend the walk from Leanganook Picnic Area to the Television Towers (or complete in reverse) noting that this is not a loop track and you will have to retread your steps. Yes a bummer but loop tracks are a bit thin on the ground.


Shepherds Flat Lookout
View from Shepherds Flat. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.


Leanganook Picnic Area

The Leanganook Picnic Area is a perfect place to start your walk as it has sheltered eating areas, picnic areas and tables, a public toilet and camping spots.


Shepherds Flat Lookout
Leanganook Picnic Area. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

The Leanganook Picnic Area is of course the starting point if you want to do a walk to Dog Rocks, Shepherds Flat Lookout or the Television Towers (and Lang's Lookout).


Leanganook Picnic Area
Leanganook Picnic Area. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

Walk: Leanganook Picnic Area to Lang's Lookout

The walk from Leanganook Picnic Area to the Television Towers direct is 3.6km (one way).


The walk can be broken in the following way:

  • Leanganook Picnic Area to Dog Rocks (900m)
  • Dog Rocks to Television Towers and Lang's Lookout(2.7km)
Shepherds Flat Lookout
Start of walk from Leanganook Picninc Area to Lang's Lookout. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

Start point of Walk: The beginning of the walk can be confusing as you just reach this sign with no indication of whether to turn left or right. Anyway thankfully for you we can advise you that to head to Dog Rocks, Shepherds Flat Lookout and more head RIGHT (to Bendigo). Refer to image above.


Optional extra - Leanganook Enclosure: For those walkers who would like a longer walk turn left at the walk starting point towards Castlemaine (as per image above).


Shepherds Flat Lookout
Start of walk from Leanganook Picninc Area to Lang's Lookout. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

Leanganook Enclosure: You will be rewarded will a few more views looking west if you walk the Leanganook Enclosure.

WARNING: Just make sure to head downwards and to your right eventually otherwise you may accidentally continue walking on the Goldfields track towards Castlemaine. Unfortunately signage in Mt Alexander Regional Park is only passable.


Shepherds Flat Lookout
Start of walk from Leanganook Picninc Area to Lang's Lookout. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

Personally we recommend adding walking the Leanganook Enclosure to the walk for the nice additional view, encountering some boulders similar to those at dog rocks as well as adding a bit more walking distance to the hike.


Leanganook
View from from Leanganook Enclosure. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

Leanganook Starting Point to Dog Rocks: After turning right at the walk starting point just keep following the track and you'll eventually hit Dog Rocks. This section of the walk is the best signposted. At the beginning of this section you'll come across a nice granite wall.


Leanganook
Leanganook to Dog Rocks. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

The scenery will generally be semi scrubby and you'll encounter boulders of varying shapes and sizes until you reach Dog Rocks where you'll encounter the biggest of the rocks on the walk.


Leanganook
On the way to Dog Rocks. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.


Dog Rocks to the Television Towers (Lang's Lookout): This section of the walk is 2.7km.


Leanganook
Dog Rocks. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

At Dog Rocks it pays to take your time and enjoy the size and grandeur of Dog Rocks themselves. If taking photographs I'd suggest you include people so the image lets you take in the scale of the rocks.


Leanganook
Dog Rocks. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

If your images don't include anything of which to measure a sense of size Dog Rocks will not seem as impressive as they actually are.


Leanganook
Dog Rocks. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

Dog Rocks Trivia: The rocks were named in 1846 by Lockhart Morton, the manager of Sutton Grange station, after he noticed many dingoes in the area. Today it is clearly a much safer area.


Leanganook
Dog Rocks. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

It pays to appreciate the magnitude of Dog Rocks. I have visited them a number of times and sometimes they feel a bit underwhelming for such an interesting name. However, if you just look at the image above you can tell the boulder is impressively large.


Leanganook
Dog Rocks. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

It really pays to take in the environment at Dog Rocks to appreciate natures grandeur.


Dog Rocks
Dog Rocks. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

Don't miss the track up: On the track it is quite easy to miss the arrow marker that points upwards and leads upwards towards Shepherds Flat Lookout. Anyway, keep an eagle eye and if the track feels a bit like it is missing in action it means you've probably missed the track to go to Shepherds Flat Lookout and the Television Tower and you are in fact walking on the Goldfields Track and heading towards Bendigo. If this happens to you backtrack and you'll probably then see the marker.


WARNING: Don't look for a sign that says "Shepherd's Flat Lookout" or "Television Towers". You won't find it. You need to follow a track upwards and the marker looks like this.


Leanganook
Dog Rocks. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

If you found the track by yourself later on you'll come across a sign later on that looks like this (see image below). This means you've successfully walked on the correct track.


Leanganook
Dog Rocks. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

Optional Extra - Shepherd's Flat Lookout: We highly recommend taking the walk up to Shepherd's Flat Lookout.


Leanganook
View from Shepherd's Flat Lookout. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

The walk up to Shepherd's Flat Lookout is 600mm one way so will add 1.2km (return) to your walk. This section includes a moderate climb but isn't too strenuous and the views are worth the effort.


Leanganook
View from Shepherd's Flat Lookout. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

If you do the optional Shepherds Falt Lookout walk then just head up otherwise ignore the sign and keep following the track. This will be uphill all the way up to the Television Towers.


Wildlife

In addition to a native koala plantation Mt Alexander Regional Park is host to lots of native Australian wildlife. Expect anything from black wallabies, eastern grey kangaroos, echidnas, brushtail and ringtail possums, sugar gliders and the rare Tuan or Brush Tailed Phascogale.


Leanganook
Resident Mt Alexander echidna. Image: West Melbourne And Beyond.

Arrive early in the morning and you'll definitely see wallabies or kangaroos about.



Location

From Taradale Town Centre: Oxart Pottery is a 1 minute drive and located at 128 High St, Taradale VIC 3447.



From Malmsbury: Oxart Pottery is a 6 minute drive from Malmsbury.



From Kyneton: Oxart Pottery is a 15 minute drive from Kyneton.



In A Nutshell

Oxart Pottery comes as highly recommended. Oxart Pottery is the premiere or should we say only shop in Taradale. You cannot miss it when you drive into Taradale and if you are the curious type you may be rewarded.



We have no real interest in pottery or ceramics but were still enticed to visit Oxart Pottery. Oxart Pottery happens to be a great place to look for unique and one of a kind gifts while also supporting a local small enterprise.


We happily came away with a yarnball to gift away to my mother so it was all worth while making the special effort to visit and NOT drive on by.



Oxart Pottery Facebook

The official Oxart Pottery Facebook is here.


Oxart Pottery

Other Things To Do Around Taradale

Highlights of Bacchus Marsh
Taradale Viaduct. Image: West Melbourne and Beyond.

While you are at Mount Alexander Regional Park why not consider:


Explore more of Victoria - Kyneton

Kyneton has a number of attractions including many wineries! Plan ahead for your next visit to Central and West Central Victoria.


Kyneton
Image: West Melbourne and Beyond.

Guide to Kyneton: Check out our guide on some of the great things to do in Kyneton.


More Information on Kyneton


Explore more of Victoria - Malmsbury

There are plenty of reasons to keep exploring Western Victoria. Check out our guide on the great things to do in Malmsbury.


Malmsbury
Image: West Melbourne and Beyond

More Information on Malmsbury


Explore Country Victoria - Taradale

Explore more of the West. Check out our guide on the great things to do in Taradale. Visit the historic Taradale Viaduct, sample the Taradale Mineral Springs and hike in Mt Alexander Regional Park.


Castlemaine
Image: West Melbourne and Beyond

More Information on Taradale


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Castlemaine
Image: West Melbourne and Beyond

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Daylesford
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Macedon
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Lancefield
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Explore more of Victoria - Trentham

Keep exploring west Victoria. Check out our guide on the great things to do in Trentham.


Trentham
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More Information on Trentham


Explore more of Victoria - Colac

Keep exploring the Western Victoria. Check out our guide on the great things to do in Colac.


Colac
Image: West Melbourne and Beyond

More Information on Colac


Explore more of Victoria - Ballarat

There are plenty of reasons to keep exploring the Western Victoria. Check out our guide on the great things to do in Ballarat.


Ballarat
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More Information on Ballarat


Explore more of Victoria - Creswick

There are plenty of reasons to keep exploring the Western Victoria. Check out our guide on the great things to do in Creswick.


Creswick
Image: West Melbourne and Beyond

More Information on Creswick


Explore more of Victoria - Bacchus Marsh

There are plenty of reasons to keep exploring the Western Victoria. Check out our guide on the great things to do in Bacchus Marsh.


Bacchus Marsh
Image: West Melbourne and Beyond.

More Information on Bacchus Marsh


This Weekend in the West

Find out events, markets and festivals this weekend in the West. Bookmark the page for your handy reference.

This Weekend


What's On Calendar

Use our calendar to find out events, markets and festivals this weekend and to plan look for upcoming activities over coming months. Bookmark the page for your handy reference.

Calendar of Events


Bushwalks in West Melbourne and Beyond

If the weather is good why not go on a walk in West Melbourne and Beyond. Plan ahead so you leave early enough!


Newport
Williamstown Foreshore Walk
Cherry Lake
Cherry Lake
Creswick
Trentham
Heathcote
Werribee Gorge
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Port Fairy
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Why not visit a waterfall in West Melbourne and Beyond.


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