Cork Oaks camp ground, Mt Beckworth, Clunes

see also:

• photography and camping main index page
• non-commercial camp grounds for tents within 2 hours of Melbourne
• Pyrenees region
• Victoria's volcanoes

• at the north end of Mt Beckworth in a scenic park which still has cork oak trees growing
• bollarded camp sites are at ~400m elevation and flat ground is hard to find
  • the area around the firepit has some flattish ground but tend to be in shade in winter and open sun in summer - not really inviting
  • the area on the NW corner east of the first car park is reasonably flat but only gets part sun
  • the area on the far SW corner of the bollarded area gets the most winter sun and shelter from southerly breezes and is adjacent the second car park area but is on a bit of slope
• good phone service;
• 2WD accessible with care - it is a heavily wooded area so fallen tree branches can be an issue (I had to move one to get past)
• perhaps best in late Autumn if you wish to see ghost mushrooms but nights can be cold and foggy
• can be very hot in summer with no running rivers nearby
• camping is only permitted in designated areas (ie. the 3 camp grounds)
• fires only in designated fire pits - of which there is only one in each camp ground
• there is a lot of fallen wood which presumably could be used by campers but is not for “firewood collection”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86o7WZmePY4&t=195s

• north of Ballarat and just to the west of the lovely historic gold mining town of Clunes
• just over 1.5hrs, 130km from NW suburbs via Miners Rest (slightly longer via Creswick and Clunes and ~2hrs via Castlemaine);

• campers with small-medium tents or swags or perhaps rooftop tent who want a quiet bush camp mid-week with plenty of hikes available including hikes up a hill to views
• not for caravans or camper trailers although you could get a small off-road one in there

• nice winter sun (but only a few areas with good sunlight) and good night skies but can be very cold at night on clear nights in autumn and winter in particular
  • on days of high pressure systems in July, expect sunny days with little wind and temperatures max 12-14degC falling to 0-2degC overnight and thick fog can occur at these times
    • nights tend to be 1degC warmer but days 0-1degC warmer than Mt Franklin reserve campground, near Daylesford according to BOM but inside the crater it could be colder
    • nights tend to be 0-2degC warmer but days 1degC colder than Green Hill Lakes Camping Reserve, Ararat and nights tend to be 1degC warmer and days 2-4degC warmer than Halls Gap (cold air falls down into the valley)
    • tends to be 1-2degC colder than Melville Caves campground, Kooyoora State Park and 1degC colder than Maldon Mt Tarrengower Butt's Reserve camp ground
    • tends to be 3-4 degC colder than Melbourne day and night

• my pics of ghost mushrooms at night in the area in autumn, especially May;
• various honey eater birds at morning / dusk;
• wallabies, possums, lizards, etc
• bush walks and nice views:
  • Mt Beckworth hits 629m and there is a 1.5-2hr return Feldspar walk for nice views and you could probably camp up there in a hiking tent leave no trace manner
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86o7WZmePY4&t=195s
• short drives to explore the regional volcanic features, historic deep lead gold mining area, a few ghost towns, ruins and relics, and some wineries
  • Clunes
    • the original Mad Max movie was partly filmed here
  • Creswick
    • La Gerche nature walk amongst a large oak forest and colorful autumn fly agaric mushrooms
    • Creswick woolen mills
  • Talbot 23min, 22km to north
  • Majorca ghost town, 30min, 30km to north east
  • Amherst and historic Chinese baths, 26min to north
  • Maryborough city - check out its fantastic train station
  • Smeaton 31km, 31min to south east - nice loop drive to see old gold mines
  • Avoca 47km, 42min to NW - nice pie shop
  • Dunolly 59km, 51min to north via Talbot and Maryborough
• ~47min 50km to the popular spa, gourmet food, LGBTI-friendly, tourist town of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs

• Clunes township
  • petrol, cafes, etc
  • 12km (18min by car)
• Creswick township is larger
  • 27km, (30min by car)
• Ballarat city
  • ~37min south via Miners Rest
  • Bunnings, supermarkets, major hospital and 24hr emergency department
  • Sovereign Hill tourist attraction
  • lake, botanical garden
• Maryborough city
  • 37km (34 min by car) to the north via Talbot

• within the Mt Beckworth Reserve:
  • nearby Dam Reserve picnic / camp area - flatter, more shady, bollarded camp sites and has fire pit and picnic table but no toilets; dam likely to be empty;
    • https://youtu.be/86o7WZmePY4?t=1145
  • nearby Manna Gums picnic area
    • flatter camp sites and has one fire pit and picnic table but no toilets; several walks
    • https://youtu.be/86o7WZmePY4?t=1145
• Slaty Creek gold prospecting campgrounds, Creswick
  • 33km, 38min to SE via Creswick
• Paddys Range campground, Maryborough
  • 38min, 36km to the north
  • not for caravans; can be too slushy in parts for 2WD (2km gravel road access)
• Avoca RV camp along the river - ? not for tents
  • 42min to NW
• Lake Burumbeet foreshore reserve (south end of the lake)
  • 42min to Sth
• Mt Franklin reserve campground, near Daylesford
  • 51min to east via Clunes and Yandoit (1hr via Smeaton and Daylesford)
  • nice camp ground inside a volcanic crater, but will be very cold in winter, and avoid on weekends or school hols at other times as can be very busy
• Laanecoorie riverside camp on the Loddon River
  • 54min 68km to NE via Carisbrook
• Avoca waterfalls picnic area
  • ~1hr to NW via Talbot, Avoca
• Warburton Bridge, Glenluce
  • ~1hr to NW via Newstead; popular with caravans, on the upper reaches of the Loddon River
• Maldon Mt Tarrengower Butt's Reserve camp ground
  • just under 1hr to NE
• Newbridge Recreation Reserve camp ground on the Loddon River
  • 1hr to north, $25/n; hot showers, river, pub
• Waanyarra gold prospecting area
  • 1hr to north
• Mt Buangor / Mount Cole / Langi Ghiran campgrounds and hikes
  • over 1hr drive to SW via Beaufort
• Green Hill Lakes Camping Reserve, Ararat
  • ~71min 91km drive to SW via Beaufort
• Teddington camp ground, Stuart Mill, Kara Kara NP
  • 75min to NW via Avoca
• Melville Caves campground, Kooyoora State Park
  • 80min to north via Talbot, Maryborough, Dunolly
• Lerderderg campground
  • 95min 100km via Ballan (102min via Daylesford and Trentham)
• camping in or near the Grampians
  • 2hrs to west via Beaufort, Ararat, Halls Gap