After the recent cold snap, the afternoons have warmed back up to the mid 50s with lots of sunshine. Although winter is far from over, we have already passed the shortest day of the year with 9.5 hours of daylight - sunrise at 7:30am, sunset at 5pm.
Werribee Gorge was my next adventure. One hour southwest of Melbourne, wild and rugged Werribee Gorge State Park is shaped by 500 million years of geological history. A range of challenging walks along the steep, river-washed gorge and surrounding rocky ridges offer spectacular views and access to rock-climbing. Local inhabitant include kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, and echidnas.
The Werribee Gorge Circuit Walk is a 10-km loop through the park. I started from the Meikles Point Picnic Area, but would recommend stopping at one of the earlier car parks on the way - they provide the same trail access without driving on a narrow dirt road. It was a busy Sunday.
Walking counter-clockwise knocks out the steep sections first, but I think clockwise would also be fine. The trail is very rocky; trekking poles recommended.
The last section follows a gentle riverside track. There is one short section with cables along an exposed rock face above the river, but it's not too difficult to manage. Plan for at least two hours.
