BELAIR : LODGE / YURREBILLA TRACKS

Time : 2 hours, Distance : 7 km
LODGE / YURREBILLA


A fine day, and we have a small family group walking in Belair National Park.  We park on Sheoak Road, by the Belair Railway Station entrance.

• 1  There is plenty of parking, and the path goes by this gate and over the railway line, before immediately turning sharp left to join on to Lodge Track.

• 2  Lodge Track follows alongside the railway line below Sheoak Road, and forms part of the Microcarpa Trail.  We follow left past this tank.

• 3  A long goods train heading for Melbourne chooses to pass us at this time, also bypassing a stationary goods train waiting to travel to Adelaide.

• 4  The Lodge Track is quite pretty without being remarkable.  We enjoy the flowering wattles.

• 5  After a time we come to a railway crossing.  We cross the line and join up with the well-marked Yurrebilla Trail which starts to climb quite relentlessly to the high side of the Park.  A lovely lorikeet watches our progress.

• 6  The sound of falling water draws us aside to view the spectacular Lower Fall.

• 7  Returning to the Yurrebilla Trail, we follow in an easterly direction until we come to the creek.  Fortunately the track passes over a culvert, sparing us a dangerous crossing!

• 8  Now returning on the southern side of the creek, the Trail is quite rough for a time, until we reach these well-made steps.

• 9  A small flowing tributary makes a feature by the pathway.

• 10  We come to a more primitive creek crossing.  I notice that someone has put one of the trail signs to good use!

• 11  And here is Echo Tunnel, taking the creek and our path under the railway embankment.

• 12  The tunnel is quite long, and very dark without the flash.  It is also not built for tall walkers.

• 13  Finally we emerge unscathed at the other end.

•14  Nearby is a strangely malformed gum tree.

• 15  Now what is this?  Flood damage, or the handiwork of a local beaver?

• 16  Not much use asking this fellow!  But how can he possibly sit like this for hours on end (literally)?

• 17  Aha!  He's alive.  He actually moved!

• 18  One of the beautiful wattles along this trail.

• 19  An obstacle to trap the unwary.  These Park trails need constant maintenance.

• 20  From here we gradually come into the ‘civilized’ part of the Park, and a view over Playford Lake.

• 21 Sir Thomas Playford was a much-loved Premier of the State.

•22 This is obviously a good refuge for water birds.

• 23 We now follow the Yurrebilla Trail up from the lake towards the Railway Station, passing historic Belair Lodge on the way.

So back to our car. A walk with some interesting finds along the way.
LODGE / YURREBILLA