Walking Tracks

The Northern Trail is a short driveable trail of about 2km return which runs near the north western boundary of the forest. Unlike much of the forest it does not appear to have been heavily logged. It is walkable even in the wettest of conditions and has a lovely display of flowering shrubs in the warmer months. 

The start point is not signposted and difficult to spot. Take care in parking and leaving as visibility is poor in both directions of the highway. At the start there is a very thick stand of Callitris with a medium shrub understorey of white flowering tea-tree and several acacias. After a junction with another trail in from the road there is a patch of tall open red gum with a reedy depression about 100m in on the south side. There is a picturesque dam, North Mendooran Dam, near here which is worth a visit. There is no track in but the undergrowth is easy to navigate. Glossy Black Cockatoos have been reported here in good numbers in recent years.

Continuing on the trail there is a range of small shrubs including Boronias, Grevilleas and Kennedia vines. Towards the end you will see a patch of tall bottlebrush shrubs and as the forest opens out another dam appears on the left as you approach a fence line to a worked farm with stockyards. The trail turns left to run along the fence line and may be blocked here in wet conditions. If you can pick your way past the dam and a broad patch of pig damaged land the trail continues through some open fields cleared in the past before eventually returning to a dense Callitris/Ironbark forest with a grassy understorey. This trail eventually becomes overgrown but it is worth poking around towards shrubby areas nearby for more wildflowers.