Trentham (including Blackwood, the Wombat Forest and Lerderderg State Park)
Small historic town at the edge of the Wombat Forest
Trentham is a small rural township attractively situated amidst the Wombat Forest 97 km north-west of Melbourne's CBD. It sits on a spur of the Great Dividing Range at an elevation of 800 metres and can be approached via the Western Freeway (the turnoff is 15 km west of Bacchus Marsh) or by turning off the Calder Highway at Woodend (which is 26 km east of Trentham) or Kyneton (22 km north-east of Trentham).

The first pastoral run was taken up here in 1838. Trentham was first settled in 1855 after the discovery of gold in the area the previous year by two individuals who had wandered up the Lerderderg River in search of lost bullocks. The vast timber resources of the area were exploited from that time with a number of mills emerging in the Wombat Forest.

The railway arrived in 1880 and, in 1890, over 20 000 tons of produce (mostly timber) left the station. The prospect of disappearing resources led to the controlled harvesting of timber from the turn of the century. Timbergetting and farming ensured that Blackwood survived the end of the goldrush. It was here that the once indispensable Trewhalla jack-and-stump grubber was invented at the local foundry.

Eucalyptus distilling, charcoal burning, sawmilling and firewood-cutting were all carried out in the forest which is dotted with a number of smaller settlements - East Trentham, Blackwood, North Blackwood, Barrys Reef, Newbury, Simmons Reef, Lyonville, Little Hampton and Fern Hill.

Trentham has an hotel (in High St), a bowling club (in Park St), a sports ground and popular golf course (both located at the northern end of town adjacent the road to Trentham Falls and Daylesford), a swimming pool (cnr Camp and Market Sts) and tennis courts (Market St). Fishing can be rewarding along the banks of the Coliban River.

Things to see:  

Tourist Information
The Woodend Visitor Information Centre can be contacted by ringing (03) 5427 2033.

Historic Items
Trentham possesses an attractive streetscape. The old police station and slab lock-up in Camp St (between Market St and Cosmo Rd) are now occupied by the local historical society.

There are two old horse troughs in town. One is located near the High St reserve - a pleasant picnic area by the intersection of High St and Cosmo Rd. The other is by the butcher's shop in Market St (near the High St intersection).

At the northern end of Market St is the Market St railway station (1880) which displays vintage rolling stock. The Daylesford-Carlsruhe line closed in 1978.

At the western end of Victoria St, just past Stony Creek, is the Trewhalla Brothers foundry. Billy and Ben Trewhalla were the sons of successful Cornish goldminers from Barrys Reef. They bought the Blue Mount timber mill in 1887 and Bill, who had served an apprenticeship at a foundry in Ballarat, invented the Trewhalla jack which facilitated the movement of large mill logs. It was manufactured continuously from 1893 until the foundry closed in 1997.

Quarry St Reserve
The Quarry St Reserve and Lake is located on Stony Creek, by the intersection of Quarry St and Victoria St. The springs in the south-western corner of the reserve (which was created by means of voluntary labour) are thought to have been Trentham's first water supply. There are undercover gas barbecues, picnic facilities and toilets.

Shops
At 24 High St is Trentham Old Wares where secondhand books, old wares, furniture, plants and collectables are on sale from 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., Wednesday to Monday, tel: (03) 5424 1611.

Jargon Crafts, at 34 High St, offer a selection of textiles and handicrafts by Helen McRae. They are open Wednesday to Sunday and public holidays, tel: (03) 5424 1668.

Trentham Falls
Head north out of town past the sports ground, heading towards Daylesford. At the intersection turn right, heading east towards Kyneton and Woodend. A very short distance along is a turnoff on the left which leads to the car park near the beautiful Trentham Falls. A short track leads to the Northern Lookout offering views of the Coliban River which falls some 32 metres over basalt columns originally formed by ancient lava flows. These are allegedly the largest single-drop falls in Victoria. The reserve protects an example of pre-colonial vegetation (tall open forest of manna gum, messmate, stringybark and narrow-leaved peppermint, grading to woodland on the drier and more exposed sites). It is an excellent spot for picnics and bushwalks. Further north (by foot or 4WD) are the Trentham Cascades.

Enders Bridge and Lyonville Mineral Spring
Head north out of town past the sports ground. At the intersection turn left, heading west towards Daylesford. You will soon cross the Coliban River. Nearby is Enders Bridge. Jeremiah Enders was a Californian goldminer who established one of the first mills in the area. It operated from 1856 until Enders left for the Klondyke in 1895. Enders bridge is no longer in use but the fine stonework can be seen. Upon his return to the area Enders settled on a farm to the south-west of the bridge where he built two distinctive smokehouses which are still visible.

About 6 km further west there is a turnoff on the right into the Loddon River Road which leads to the Lyonville Mineral Spring which flows all year round by the Loddon River. There are fireplaces, picnic tables and toilets.

Newbury
6 km south of Trentham, en route to Blackwood, is Newbury. In Beaches Lane you will find Kattemingga Lodge which offers horse rides through the Wombat State Forest, ranging in length from one hour to a full day. There are also special school holiday camps, tel: (03) 5424 1415.

Blackwood
14 km south of Trentham is Blackwood which is situated on the Lerderderg River, 570 m above sea-level. Walking trails lead to Shaw's Lake which is a good swimming spot in warmer weather. Picnics, bushwalking and goldpanning are possible on the river. The Blackwood Easter Carnival is held in April.

There is a mineral springs reserve in Golden Point Rd. The two canopied springs are connected by a bridge over the Lerderderg River. This is the site of a flora and fauna reserve. There are barbecues, a picnic area, toilets, parking and a kiosk. It is open in daylight hours and there is an admission fee per car, tel: (03) 5368 6539.

Blackwood Mineral Springs are just east of town, adjacent the Lerderderg River in the Wombat Forest (off the Greendale to Trentham Rd). There is a large play area with toilets, barbecues and a kiosk.

Garden of St Erth
Signposts clearly point the way from Blackwood to the Garden of St Erth in Simmons Reef Rd. It features an attractive perennial garden and nursery and a stone cottage which is one of the few surviving buildings from the days when St Erth was a goldmining town in the 1860s. Other features of the early townscape are marked out as you walk through the garden and the old coach road runs across the property. It is located in Simmons Reef Rd and is open Friday to Tuesday from August to May. There is a cafe. The garden hosts several annual festivals: the Summer Festival (featuring perennial borders, cottage annuals and harvest vegetables), the Autumn Perennial Show, the Daffodil Festival (held in September) and the Spring Festival, tel: (03) 5368 6514.

The Wombat Forest
The Wombat Forest (69 200 hectares) was once scoured for gold and has long served as a major source of timber. A few remnants in more remote parts of the forest indicate the nature of the flora here in pre-colonial days - tall open eucalyptus forest, woodland in the drier areas, strips of mixed wet sclerophyll/temperate rainforest with ferns along the watercourses. About 100 species of wildflowers and orchids can still be found in bushland areas.

The Wombat Forest Drive is a 50-km route that starts in Blackwood and takes in lookout points, mineral springs and gardens. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment in Daylesford have a map and brochure relating to the drive, tel: (03) 5348 2211. There are also numerous walks in the Wombat Forest, some of which follow old water races associated with the old goldfields.

At 830 metres above sea-level McLaughlin Lookout, to the west of Blackwood, offers excellent views of Mt Macedon, the You-Yangs and the Dandenongs. It is located near the junction of the Blackwood Ridge Rd and Wheelers Track. The former heads west off the main road to the south of Blackwood.

Nolans Creek forest site has a fireplace and picnic tables for those who wish to explore the forest further. A mill was established at the junction of Nolans Creek and the Lerderderg Rover in 1887 with a tramway connecting it to another mill further east. A pile of sawdust attests to the fact that another mill was established on the site by Edward Firth in 1934 with houses for millworkers and a network of tramways which provided the basis of some of the present roads and tracks. To get there from McLaughlin Lookout continue west along Blackwood Ridge Rd for about 2 or 3 km beyond Wheelers Track, and turn right into Nolan Creek Rd. After about 4 km the driver will reach a T-intersection with Lerderderg Road. Turn right and the forest site is to the immediate left.

Lerderderg State Park
The main formations associated with this 14 000-ha park, to the south-east of Blackwood, are the rugged gorges and escarpments of the Lerderderg River.

There are numerous walking trails of varying length which follow the river and the water races cut by goldminers from the days when the area was scoured for gold. There are good sandy riverside beaches, swimming areas (particularly at Shaw's Lake) and bushcamping is permitted away from main roads, rendering the area popular with summertime bushwalkers.

Access roads are often crude and may be unmanageable in wet weather. The main point of ingress to the northern section is O'Brien Rd which is signposted off the main road 3.8 km south of Blackwood. It leads to a picnic spot at O'Briens Crossing, on the Lerderderg River, which is a popular picnicking, bushwalking and goldpanning spot. The crossing is the start of East Walk (14 km one way), which follows the Lerderderg River south, Byers Back Track which is a 3-km walk that follows the river to Tunnel Point, and the longer Lerderderg Gorge Walk. For further information ring 131 963.

Firth Park
5 km east of Trentham, via Pearsons Rd, is East Trentham. A little over a kilometre further east along Pearsons Road is a turnoff on the right into Firth Road which leads south for about 5 km to Firth Park (100 ha) where there are fireplaces, toilets and picnic tables. It is near several former sawmills, one of which is accessed via a walking track.

This block was selected by Joseph Firth in 1881. It was used for eucalyptus distilling and planted with the exotic trees which still grow here. All are labelled for identification. At the park is a lake and an old horse-drawn timber tram. The wheels were used on Edward Firth's Nolan Creek tramway.

	Motels
	Pine Cone Country Motel 966 Daylesford-Trentham Rd Bullarto Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5348 5522 Rating: **
	Hotels
	Blackwood Hotel Martin St Blackwood Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5368 6501 Rating: **
	Bourke Family Hotel High St Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1303
	Pig & Whistle Hotel James Lane Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1213
	Trentham Hotel High St Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1303
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Blackwood Retreats RMB 100 Blackwood Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5368 6607
	Bromwich Bed & Breakfast Martin St Blackwood Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5368 6888 Facsimile: (03) 5368 6888 Rating: ***
	Feldspar Cottage Bed & Breakfast 11 Falls Rd Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1821 Facsimile: (03) 5424 1884 Rating: ****
	Fir Tree Guesthouse & Cafe 51-53 High St Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1549
	Lisieux Bed & Breakfast RMB 580 Newtons Lane Fern Hill Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1401 Facsimile: (03) 5424 1051 Rating: ****
	The Cosmopolitan Trentham Cnr Cosmo Rd & High St Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1616 Facsimile: (03) 5424 1616 Rating: ***1/2
	Trentham Waters Bed & Breakfast 495 Coliban Rd Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1216
	Trenttham Guesthouse 37 Market St Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: 0419 324 367
	Wattlefield Bed & Breakfast 130 McGiffords Rd Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 8561 Facsimile: (03) 5424 8563 Rating: ****1/2
	Holiday Homes & Units
	Kattemingga Beaches Lane Newbury Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1415 Rating: **1/2
	Cottages & Cabins
	Blue Mount Accommodation Kearneys Rd Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1296 Rating: ***1/2
	Feldspar Cottage Bed & Breakfast 11 Falls Rd Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1821 Facsimile: (03) 5424 1884 Rating: ****
	Trentham Guest Accommodation 37 Market St Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: 0419 324 367 Rating: ***
	Restaurants
	Thai Issan Restaurant 42 High St Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1811
	Cafés
	Trenttham Cafe 44 High St Trentham VIC 3458 Telephone: (03) 5424 1730