Ballarat to Creswick Loop

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There are wonderful forests on Ballarat's doorstep. You'll see native bush and also plantations along Ballarat's water catchments. This ride takes you along forest-lined roads, with side trips to several reservoirs and into Creswick Regional Park. There are many opportunities for you to add a short bush walk to your cycling trip, and many places to stop for a rest in scenic surroundings. The route is interspersed with paddocks, small settlements and views of distant hills.

The town of Creswick provides a focal point at the northern turn around. There are accommodation options here. The Creswick Visitor Information Centre is at 1 Raglan Street, telephone 03 5345 1114.

Loop Highlights

1. Gong Gong Reservoir Park

This reservoir was built in 1877 and is now used as emergency water storage. The park contains a wide variety of local indigenous flora and fauna, and there are walking tracks, as well as picnic tables and barbecues. You can ride the 800 metre loop road (gravel) into the park to see the reservoir bank. After you leave the park you get a glimpse of the reservoir while riding along the Daylesford Road.

2. Kirks Reservoir Park

You access this park off a sealed no through road on the eastern side of the Daylesford Road almost directly opposite the entrance to Gong Gong Reservoir Park. The first entrance from the side road is to the gardens, accessible only on foot, where a major feature is the Water Wise Garden. The second entrance, another hundred metres along the no through road, gives you bike access to the reservoir, which is 200 metres along a gravel path inside the park. Some of the plantings around the reservoir date from the 1860s. Picnic tables and barbecues are readily available.

3. White Swan

At the road junction near Glen Park Primary School look straight ahead to the swan on the hillside above the reservoir made from white stones.

4. White Swan Reservoir

This is Ballarat's largest drinking water reservoir. You can't really see the reservoir from the road and there is no public access. For more information about all these reservoirs, including details of guided tours, contact Central Highlands Water on 03 5320 3162 or visit www.chw.net.au

5. Russells Reservoir

This small but pretty reservoir is just off the road on your left, tucked into the bush of the Creswick State Forest.

6. Koala Park

The Creswick Koala Park in Creswick Regional Park was founded in 1942 when an attempt was made to fence in local koalas so they would breed. The koalas did breed but soon moved on into the surrounding forest. There are walkways within the fenced area and if you venture on foot to Eaton's Dam (45 minutes one way) and look up into the trees you may get lucky. There's a picnic table by the parking area.

7. St Georges Lake

This lake within Creswick Regional Park is a little gem. You get to it by following the dirt St Georges Lake Road for 300 metres. The lake was initially a mining dam used to supply water to the Creswick State Battery for crushing quartz. There is a 40 minute loop walk around the lake, with longer options taking you further afield.

8. Creswick

The town came to prominence in the 1850s with the gold rush. Some of the world's richest alluvial gold fields were just north of here. Creswick is now better known as the centre of a large forestry industry, and since the 1880s has been at the forefront of forest rehabilitation on former mine sites. The town contains many attractive buildings from the gold rush era and later 1800s.

9. Gillies Street

This long, straight road is popular with local cyclists as it carries far less traffic than the alternative Midland Highway, although the latter provides a more direct route from Creswick to Ballarat. There are constant undulations to relieve the lack of bends, and the views of distant hills will take your mind off the effort.

10. Ballarat Botanical Gardens

These gardens are on the Western shore of Lake Wendouree and were established in 1858. They are considered an outstanding example of cool climate gardens and are home to an annual Ballarat Begonia Festival each March.

11. Lake Wendouree

The focal point for exercise and relaxation for many of Ballarat's residents. This route takes in a short stretch of the lakeside bike path, allowing you to enjoy the abundant variety of water birds on the Lake including black swans, musk ducks and coots.

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