Moonlight Circuit – Mount Worth State Park – Victoria (Bare Bones Bushwalking)

The most common feedback I get from readers of The Bushwalking Blog is that they “just want more hikes to do”. I get it – hiking is my passion too. I do more hikes than I’d ever have the time to write about, so that’s why I’ve decided Bare Bones Bushwalking is now a thing. Not every hike has a story I can attach to it and some I just don’t get around to writing up, so in an effort to share ALL of (or at least more of) the hikes with you I’m doing this. A more simplified blog post that gives you everything you need to go and do the hike yourself. Make your own stories.

Mount Worth State Park sees far fewer visitors than it should. I’d almost go as far as saying it’s a hidden gem.

The Moonlight Circuit, starting from Moonlight Creek Picnic Area, takes in a gorgeous section of the parks cool temperate rainforests. For the first half of the walk, you’ll follow Moonlight Creek. Strolling through lush fern glades, you’ll stumble upon the sites of some old sawmills (though little evidence of their existence remains), and an unnamed waterfall which is impressive after rain.

The return to the car park climbs a ridge that separates Moonlight and Lorkin Creeks. The climb up the ridge is a bit of a trudge, or at least it was for me because I was at the tail end of a bout of gastro, but the rainforest surroundings are delightful.

Need to Know

Last Visited: 2013
Length: 8.5 km
Time: 3 hrs
Grade: Easy to Moderate / Grade 3 (according to the Australian Walking Track Grading System).
Style Circuit
Region: South East Victoria
Park: Mount Worth State Park
Closest Town: Warragul (25 km)
Path Taken: Moonlight Creek Picnic Area – Moonlight Creek Track – Link Track – Moonlight Divide Track – Moonlight Creek Picnic Area
Car Access: From Warragul, head east on the freeway for 7 kilometres and turn south on the Darnum-Allambee Road. Go straight ahead at the cross roads and climb the steep ridge, joining McDonalds Track at the top. Stay right at the next junction and follow Allambee Estate Road for 2.7 kilometres to Moonlight Creek Picnic Area.
Map: There are no commercially available maps that cover this park in enough detail, as far as I’m aware. Parks Victoria’s Park Note for Mount Worth State Park is your best bet, though it isn’t topographic.