Mount Cole: Hiking, Birdlife and Rural History

Mount Cole combines multi-day hiking with birdwatching, wine and a history dating back to the sawmills of the 1860s. The area appeals to a range of travel interests: you can make active days on the Beeripmo Walk the focus of your trip, or also discover nature, Mountainside Wines and the rural character of Warrak/Mt Cole. When planning your holiday, it’s worth first considering which of these aspects you want to shape your stay.

Walks with Different Starting Points

The Beeripmo Walk is a two-day hike through Mount Cole State Forest and Mount Buangor State Park. Its duration makes it a focus of the trip in its own right, rather than a short walk to fit in along the way. If you’re travelling with your family, you can use this timeframe to decide whether a multi-day hike suits the kind of trip you want. Beeripmo Campground is an overnight stop accessible only on foot via the Beeripmo Walk. If you plan to stay there, be sure to factor in the hike and the walk in as part of your stay.

Another option is the Borella Walk. It starts either at the Ben Nevis picnic area on Ben Nevis Road in Mount Cole or at Chinamans Campground on Chinamans Road in Mount Cole. These two starting points give you a clear choice when planning your outing. The walk was named in memory of Max Borella, a respected local birdwatcher, and celebrates the region’s rich birdlife.

Nature and Activities at Chinamans Campground

At Chinamans Campground, you can hike, camp, ride horses and drive four-wheel-drive vehicles. The campground also has accessible parking and toilets, as well as wheelchair-accessible picnic tables. This information helps you see the campground as a place where a range of activities and specific facilities come together. The wheelchair-accessible picnic tables are a particularly tangible feature for anyone considering options for taking a break together during their stay.

Birdwatching is also part of the character of Chinamans Campground: it’s well suited to birdwatching, and more than 130 bird species have been sighted in Mount Cole State Forest. This makes nature a reason to visit in its own right, alongside the hikes. If you’re interested in birds, you can take this into account when choosing what to do, rather than focusing your stay solely on physical activity.

Wine and Rural History

Mount Cole also offers a culinary attraction: Mountainside Wines offers wine tastings. The family-run winery and vineyard are located at the foot of Mount Cole. This gives you another way to explore the area besides walking its trails. If wine tastings are among your interests, you can plan one as a distinct part of your stay.

The rural setting of Warrak/Mt Cole is characterised by a valley against a mountain backdrop and a peaceful atmosphere. The town also has a history connected to supplying the goldfields: in the 1860s, Warrak/Mt Cole had several sawmills. They supplied timber to the Ballarat goldfields and other new settlements in Victoria. If you appreciate historical context as well as nature experiences, this offers a different way to connect with the area than the walking trails.

When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday house, you can consider the focus of your plans: the Beeripmo Walk is a two-day hike, while birdwatching, wine tastings and the history of Warrak/Mt Cole appeal to other interests.

Discover More Places

If you’d like to explore more places: Coleraine, Chepstowe, Tallangatta, Wycheproof, Bonegilla, Ferny Creek, Koonwarra and Newham.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.