Frost Trail Drive

If you are looking for an accessible shortish drive that will show you a range of the different habitats in the forest then Frost Trail is a good option, particularly in the warmer months when the flowers are out and summer birds are active. Best to start at the western end of the trail at its junction with Gates Trail. You access Gates Trail north from Mogriguy Forest Road, it is a well maintained road running along some farming properties. The junction with Frost is 4 kilometres from the Forest Road.  

The junction is an interesting location, before a fire in May 2023 there was a shallow reed covered creek line here. It was a significant indigenous occupation site and there are a number of scar trees in the area, the most prominent being on the trail just beyond the creek line. A short fire break was cut here for the 2023 fires and this should be a good walking track for many years. There are patches of mallee and open fields on the southern side and this type of environment attracts a wide range of birds in the spring and summer including the lovely Rainbow Bee-eater and Woodswallows soaring out from the taller Ironbarks in the forest. There are many Box Gums along the creek line and this is one of the best spots to see Brown Treecreepers in the forest. Beyond the creek line as the trail rises there are good patches of mallee on both sides of the trail. Yellow plumed Honeyeaters have been seen regularly here.

Beyond the mallee the Ironbark returns and about 50 m or so after cleared land appears on the right there is a straight fire break track on the left. This is a good spot to stop and talk a short walk down the track. There is a good patch of mixed flowering shrubs beyond a dense field of Acacia Triptera. The track continues but eventually is halted by a dense wall of this prickly shrub. Returning to the trail you will shortly come to the junction with Bauman’s Trail. The elusive Chestnut-rumped Heathwren has been seen here.

Continuing east along Frost Trail you pass through a mixture of different forest, woodland and shrubby areas, well worth stopping every now and again to check out the different wildflowers in summer. Past the junctions with Cashells, Burrows and Paddy’s Dam Trails you will come across 2 old small quarry sites on the southern side of the trail. At these types of sites you often find many uncommon plants because of the hard pans and thin soils. Across the road from the most easterly quarry is a narrow, indistinct and short track which is also worth checking for wildflowers. 

Soon you will come to the sealed Mendooran Rd. The eastern part of Frost Trail beyond this is more poorly maintained and contains a number of heavily eroded sections and rutted creek crossings. If you are adventurous it is worth persisting as it has more variations on the Ironbark, Sheoak and shrubby areas encountered on the western part of the trail. After crossing Frazers Trail, the trail descends to a large flat open area which is Frazers Swamp, interesting but impassable when wet. The trail crosses Goan Creek shortly after and you will note a large number of Blakely’s Red Gums. There is a large dam further on which is a good spot to stop. Glossy Black Cockatoos have been seen in this area , particularly where there are groves of fruiting Sheoak. Frost Trail shortly ends at Mt Carl Trail and you can return to the Mendooran Rd north via Garlings or south via Freeman’s without too much difficulty.