Blackburn Lake Sanctuary
Blackburn, Victoria
Blackburn Lake Sanctuary
Walks around the Sanctuary
Blackburn Lake Sanctuary has 4 km of easy walking tracks. There is a short walk (1 km) and a long walk (1.7 km). There are also some short detour tracks that you can add on to make the walk even longer.
There is a pamphlet outside the Visitor Centre that you can carry with you as a guide: Exploring the Sanctuary – Map and Walking Guide. A map also appears on our landing page, and below at the bottom of this page.
We hope you enjoy your walk!
Short walk (approximately 15-20 minutes)
From the Visitor Centre, walk down the hill past the historic flower beds. Before Friends Bridge, turn left and walk along Lakeside Circuit. Stop off at The Landing and see if you can identify any water birds. Continue along the lake’s edge, detour onto the Boardwalk and Pobblebonk Point, if you have time. Turn left up the hill at Melaleuca Walk.
Optional: go across Vegemite Creek and do the Wetlands Loop, if you have time. As you continue up the hill, keep an eye out for tawny frogmouths (this is one of their haunts!). When you reach the playground, check out the time on the analemmatic sundial. Finish your walk with a short detour (turn left at the courtyard) to the Yarning Circle, for some quiet reflection.
Long walk (approximately 35-45 minutes)
From the playground, walk down the hill along Melaleuca Walk. See if you can spot any tawny frogmouths. Cross Vegemite Creek and circle around the Wetlands Loop, crossing Billabong Bridge and Firebreak Bridge.
Follow Lakeside Circuit clockwise (alternatively, go along Appletree Track and Wattle Walk) and then exit the Sanctuary onto Lake Road. Turn right and walk along Lake Road. Stop at the lake wall for some good views over the lake and do a spot of bird watching.
On a hot day, you may be lucky enough to see some turtles sunbaking on the lake’s surface or on a log.
Re-enter the Sanctuary after the wall. Stop off at Heron and Duck Points and then continue along Lakeside Circuit and cross Friends Bridge. You may be lucky and spot a stalking heron.
Walk up the hill past the flower beds, detour to the Yarning Circle for some quiet contemplation, and finally head back to the Visitor Centre and carpark.
Whitehorse Wildlife Explorers
Whitehorse City Council has an agents of discovery walk that starts near the Sanctuary, visit this site for more information: Whitehorse Wildlife Explorers
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The Blackburn Lake Sanctuary is a special place that sits at the origins of the Kooyong Koot tributary.
This Country, its creatures, lands, skies and waterways, has been continuously loved and cared for by the Wurundjeri peoples for over 60,000 years. We hope to walk with the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung in caring for this place.
We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung as the First Peoples of this area and pay our respects to their spirits, ancestors and elders.