Bruthen Walking Tracks Bruthen couple walking along forest trail

Bruthen Walking Trails

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Bruthen Walking Trails

600m - 7.5km, 0.5 – 2 hrs | Bruthen State Forest | A series of trails through Australian bush tucked into the hillside above the town.

The trails range from short and easy loop walks to more challenging walks through steep gullies. All walks are loops, with a dedicated car park at the starting point of most walks, McLeans Rd. The car park is 2km north of Bruthen, off the Great Alpine Road.

Wander through box and ironbark forests with grassy tussocks making up the understory. In spring the area is carpeted in wildflowers and orchids. The Bruthen State Forest is home to kookaburras, possums, gliders and the endangered powerful owl.

Sites of interest include a plane crash site and an explosive magazine (a small cement storehouse where explosives were kept). The explosive magazine is surrounded by hills so that an accidental explosion would send the storehouse upwards, rather than out. The explosives were used to blast rocks to make roads.

Dogs are welcome on a lead.

Bruthen Walking Tracks Bruthen couple pointing at sign

Bruthen Walking Tracks Bruthen shot of forest track with sun poking through

Bruthen Walking Tracks Bruthen couple walking along trail with greenery

Bruthen Walking Tracks trails through gums at Bruthen State Forest

Easy Magic Walk (all abilities)

Distance: 600m

Duration: 10-25 minutes

Grade: Level 1

Start/ finish: McLeans Rd Car Park, Bruthen Walking Trails Head

Accessibility

This is an all abilities walk along a well-formed track with no steps. There rest stops and a series of interpretive signs along the way.

McLeans Loop

Distance: 1.6km

Duration: 30 minutes

Grade: Level 1

Start/ finish: McLeans Rd Car Park, Bruthen Walking Trails Head

A formed track with some short steep sections.

Berry Farm Loop

Distance: 3.2km

Duration: 1 hour

Grade: Level 1-2

Start/ finish: McLeans Rd Car Park, Bruthen Walking Trails Head

Explosive Magazine Loop

Distance: 2.5km

Duration: 45 minutes

Grade: Level 2

Start/ finish: McLeans Rd Car Park, Bruthen Walking Trails Head

Around the halfway point you can see the small cement hut for which the walk is named. It stored explosives in the early 1900s, used to blast rocks to make roads.

Plane Crash Loop

Distance: 5.3km

Duration: 1:45 hours

Grade: Level 3

Start/ finish: McLeans Rd Car Park, Bruthen Walking Trails Head

The trail is an extension of the Explosive Magazine Loop and passes by the site of plane crash. The trail includes some steep sections through forested gullies and a creek crossing.