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This guide to the best Mount Worth State Park walks includes additional tips and information to help you plan your visit. It is without doubt one of my favourite walks in Gippsland.
It’s one of the regions best kept secrets. Mount Worth State Park is indeed a place of incredible beauty. It features towering native trees, cool running streams, waterfalls and a rich amount of gorgeous ferns. The lush scenery, abundant bird life and gentle running water has a peaceful & calming effect as you wander through the charming rainforest.
This post features the 2 main walks in Mount Worth State Park, Maslins Mill and Giants Circuit Walk. It also includes a not to missed waterfall conveniently located roadside, but easily missed due to poor signage. A good half day is needed to complete all attractions.
If you have ever visited Tarra Bulga National Park in South Gippsland, you may notice many similarities between the two, but this one comes without the crowds.
Remants of a once booming timber industry
Did you know that Mount Worth State Park was once the location of several saw mills during the early 1900’s?
The former sawmills that reside here have well and truly been lost to thick vegetation, but there is still some evidence peeking through the dense forest. During your walk be on the lookout for the signage boards that give you more of an insight of this long gone era.
Where is Mount Worth State Park?
Located along the western rim of the Strzelecki Ranges, the closest town to Mount Worth State park is Warragul. Other towns within easy reach include Leongatha and Mirboo North.
Heading along some of Gippsland’s most scenic back roads, you’d almost think you had travelled much further. The bitumen gets left behind as you slowly wind your way deeper into the forest before finally arriving at the carpark.
Distances:
- Melbourne : 128 km / 1 hour 40 minutes
- Warragul: 23.6 km / 28 minutes
- Mirboo North: 27.7 km / 38 minutes
- Leongatha: 29.9 km / 39 minutes
Mount Worth State Park Walks
The Mount Worth State Park has a range of walks to cater to everyone’s needs.
The most popular walks are considered easy and are relatively flat. This makes it a perfect place for the whole family to enjoy. For those seeking something more challenging, the park also has you covered.
Some of these walks interlink, so if you do decide to extend your walking distance you’ll easily have the option to continue on.
More reading: 20 Great South Gippsland Walks
Maslins Mill Walk – with optional extension
Distance: 1.5 km / 40 minutes return
Difficulty: easy (accessible walk)
Maslins Mill trail heads off to your right past the picnic area. Be sure to stop at the small information board and grab a map of the area for guidance.
The trail is a mix of gravel, pavement and wooden bridges. It is by far in the best condition if mobility is needed.
The trail starts off with open areas and provides a great vantage point for taking in the tall mountain ash trees that abound the area. Winding your way further into the forest, the ferns start to surround you from both sides. It is incredibly lush and drop dead gorgeous. Much of the low line plants gently overhang the trail as you pass under the forest canopy.
Maslins Mill
When you reach the site of Maslins Mill you’ll find some information to read, including pictures of its time in operation between 1928 and 1932.
It is a good insight into the extreme remote workings back then, when the goal was to clear the land for farming. Workers were subjected to tough labour, especially when heavy rain made conditions extremely muddy and hard going.
Extension option
As this stage you can choose to go back to the carpark the same way you came in. I chose to walk a bit further until I reached the Moonlight Creek track. The signage will direct you back to the carpark from here and it gives you some different scenery along a grassy trail.
Expect it to take a similar time for this detour.
Giants Circuit Walk
Distance: 1.8 km / 1 hour return
Difficulty: easy
The Giants Circuit Walk is definitely my favourite. It is incredibly stunning, and surprisingly, offers a different experience than the Maslins Mill Trail.
Head out on the trail at the far end of the carpark. It is also the starting point for Gardiners Mill, a 3 km return trail. keep an eye of the sign posts to keep you on the right track.
Standing Giant
One of the highlights of the Giants Circuit Walk includes the “standing giant”, a 300+ year old mountain ash tree with a girth of 14 metres. The lookout is just off the main trail so try not to miss it.
The noticeable changes of the forest come to life the further you walk, and it’s simply stunning. Fungi clinging to trees is ever present, as is the bright green moss wrapping itself around fallen and tall tree ferns trees along the path. The fern gullies create a soft spongey path and display one of the most enchanting scenes I have ever seen. It is simply spellbinding!
Trevorrows Mill
The site of Trevorrows Mill is just a short detour off the circuit trail and only adds an additional 10 minutes or so to your walk. The mill was in operation from 1923 to 1927.
All that remains is some old machinery where the mill once stood.
Extended Mount Worth walks
Here are some longer walks you might want to consider.
Moonlight Circuit
Distance: 8.5 km / 3 hour return circuit
Difficulty: Grade 3 / strenuous in steep sections
This particular walk combines Moonlight Creek Track with Moonlight Divide Track.
Sections of the trail are quite steep and are considered best for for experienced hikers. The sites are Seymours Mill and Bromfields Mill can be seen along the trail.
Waterfall Bower Circuit
Distance: 7 km / 2.5 hour return
Difficulty: Grade 3 / moderate to difficult
A combination of Waterfall-Bower track and Moonlight Divide track, the small picturesque waterfall can be seen at the midway point.
Ainsley Falls – a road side stop
Depending on which direction you are coming in from, Ainsley Falls is a great and easy waterfall to view right along roadside.
For those coming in from Leongatha, you will pass it only 1 km from the carpark. If you are coming in from Warragul side you will need to continue past the carpark area for the additional 1 km to view it.
A small sign erected on a nearby tree is the only indication you’ll get that it’s there, so be on the lookout or you’ll easily miss it.
Additional Tips and handy information
Toilets: Yes – in the carpark area
Picnic Area – includes an undercover pagola with a few picnic tables and gas BBQ.
Information and maps: Yes, next to the picnic area. Paper maps are provided.
Dog friendly: No dogs are allowed except for Assistance Dogs.
Camping allowed: No
Mobile phone reception: No, or limited on Telstra
when is the best time to visit Mount Worth?
The summer months are ideal to visit as the forest canopy provides an abundant amount of shade to keep you cool. Also, the sun looks amazing against the foliage with several shades of green glistening in the sun.
Autumn and Spring are also great months to visit and equally as nice when weather conditions suit.
Winter can be extremely muddy when the rains have passed through the area. Trails become virtually impassable as the soggy ground makes you wish you were wearing gumboots. Not all trails are impacted, but you are sure to have to navigate some muddy patches at some stage.
How long should I spend at Mount Worth?
For the shorter walks I would allow a good half day. Both the Maslins Mill and Giants Circuit trails took me a 2 hours total to complete. I was also stopping to take pictures and read the information boards along the way rather than just walk in and out without stopping.
If you plan to take on some of the longer walks, a full day is likely more needed.
You may also like to stay for a picnic and really making a day of it.
What wild life might I expect to see?
Mount Worth State Park has an obvious amount of birdlife that sends the forest into a harmony of song.
Species include rosellas, king parrots, tawny frogmouths and the elusive lyrebird to name a few.
Animal species you might come across include wallabies, wombats, brushtail possum and platypus.
