Rubicon: Forest Walks, Sawmill and Waterfall

The Heritage Walk: Forest and Water Infrastructure

On the Rubicon Heritage Walk, Rubicon brings together forest, water infrastructure and industrial history in a circuit walk. The walk is 3.9 km long. Its wide, relatively flat route follows an aqueduct through the forest; smaller wooden trestle bridges lead to the dam wall. The length and track conditions give you specific points to consider when choosing a walk for your stay. The route particularly appeals to travellers who want to take in both the landscape and the structures, as well as how they fit into the forest.

The walk passes through lush stands of Mountain Ash and cool-temperate rainforest. This landscape shapes the experience just as much as the visible traces of water management: the aqueduct, bridges and dam wall are all part of the same walk. Those who enjoy discovering nature alongside human-made structures will find a clear focus for their travel plans here. The 3.9 km distance remains a measure of the walk’s length; it does not specify a walking time.

Historic traces in the valley

The Rubicon Heritage Walk also includes a heritage-listed sawmill. It adds a historical note to the forest route and complements the water infrastructure with another example of how the area was used. The walk is therefore more than an opportunity to pass through Mountain Ash and rainforest: the sawmill and the structures along the track also shape what you can discover along the way.

The Rubicon Valley Historic and Cultural Features Reserve was established to protect the area’s historic sites and values. Those interested in regional history can see this purpose as another way to connect with the area: its protected historic values are as much a part of Rubicon’s character as the tracks through the forest and valley. This offers a different focus when choosing a destination than a stay centred primarily on nature experiences.

There is a picnic shelter at the dam on the Rubicon Heritage Walk. It offers a specific place to take a break along the route. Along with the smaller wooden bridges and the aqueduct, it gives the walk a series of recognisable stops, rather than describing it only in terms of its landscape.

Rubicon Falls and other tracks

The Rubicon Falls Walk offers a different kind of route. It starts at Rubicon Hydro Power Station and follows Rubicon River Road for approximately 3.7 km through a steep-sided valley alongside the river. The road is for operational access only. The walk passes Rubicon Falls Power Station; this station is distinct from Rubicon Hydro Power Station, where the walk begins.

Rubicon Falls is 40 metres high. Because the terrain is inaccessible, the waterfall can only be seen from the elevated roadside. This limitation is important when setting your expectations: the view described does not extend into the inaccessible terrain. Compared with the wide, relatively flat Heritage Walk, the Falls Walk passes through a steep-sided valley and follows a different route. Its approximate length of 3.7 km describes the distance, not the conditions of the other circuit walk.

Kendalls Campground offers opportunities for walking and mountain biking on the Kendall Link and Cicada Circuit tracks. This adds an explicitly mentioned cycling option to the two walks. If you would also like to include mountain biking in your travel plans, these two named tracks offer a specific option; the Rubicon Heritage Walk and Rubicon Falls Walk remain separate route descriptions.

Choosing Rubicon as a destination

Rubicon may be an appealing place to look for holiday accommodation if you want to focus your stay on forest walks, historic sites or the riverside landscape. The experiences described offer different highlights: a wide, relatively flat circuit walk with a sawmill and water infrastructure; a walk through a steep-sided valley with limited views of the waterfall; and opportunities for walking and mountain biking at Kendalls Campground. Choose based on which of these highlights best suits your trip.

If you’d like to discover more places from this selection: Donald, Dartmouth, Kaniva, Geelong, Grovedale, Gruyere, Elmhurst and Kardella South.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.