campgrounds in Rubicon valley

Introduction

nice free campgrounds alongside a fast flowing mountain stream
drop toilets
limited mobile reception - may need to go back to main road
dogs allowed on leash
can be dusty in dry conditions in peak periods when there is lots of traffic on the access road
nice walks to do:
- Rubicon heritage walk mainly alongside the old tramway and waterway - SEC sawmill and up to Rubicon Dam
  - hint: drive up Royston Rd and park at junction of Rubicon River Rd
- Rubicon Falls walk and Rubicon Falls Dam
short drive to Snob Creek Falls
not far from Eildon

can be extremely popular with families on long weekends with good weather given close proximity to Melbourne
- despite it being quite a large camp ground, may need to arrive on the Thursday afternoon before a long weekend with a Monday public holiday
- if you can avoid these peak periods and go mid-week
- late arrivals will need to pinch a bit of ground off other campers or find somewhere else to camp such as Murrindindi Scenic Reserve camping

does not seem to have as much variety of bird life as does Murrindindi Scenic Reserve camping
lots of kookaburras which can be a little too “friendly” and try to take your food
magpies
some smaller birds and other birds
the usual snakes but are not commonly seen

public toilets with flush toilets and change rooms at Willow Park Playground alongside the river on the main Taggerty-Thornton road (6km from Kendalls)
may be able to find fire wood on the Blue Range Rd
Thornton
- small town 8min (9km) from Kendalls
- public toilets, hotel with nice lunches, cafe/general store, butcher, caravan park
Eildon
- main regional town 18min (21km) via Thornton
- hardware store, 24hr petrol, cafes, bakery, caravan parks, grocer, public toilets, medical centre, house boat rentals
Alexandra, Victoria
- main regional town 18min (21km) via Thornton
  - petrol, cafes, pizza, hotels, Foodworks, caravan parks, pharmacy, medical centre, public toilets
Taggerty
- small store only, but has smallstreamside picnic area in “Little River” and public toilets near main intersection
Buxton 21 min (28km)
- hotel meals; petrol

Rubicon valley:
- Rubicon hydroelectric power station
- Rubicon Heritage Walk - SEC sawmill, walking path alongside water race to the pondage +/- waterfalls Rubicon Falls - fairly flat walk through tall timber, ~2hrs return from the sawmill
- fast flowing alpine stream
- 4wd track to Morris Lookout
Snob Creek waterfall + 4WD tracks
Lake Eildon
Cathedral Ranges - lots of strenuous hikes up to the peaks
Marysville
- rebuilt rural town after bushfires
- 32min (40km) via Taggety
- Steavensons Falls
- Lady Talbot Drive
- Lake Mountain Alpine Resort

Rubicon dam at the end of the Rubicon Heritage Walk

via Taggerty:
- 26min (7min, 5km from the Maroondah Hway - Cathedral Lane turnoff near Taggerty) to Ned's Gully campground Cathedral Ranges (Parks Vic bookings) and then Cooks Mill campground (Parks Vic bookings)
- 40min to Anderson's Mill campground via Marysville
via Eildon:
- 35min to Jerusalem Creek campground, Lake Eildon (Parks Vic bookings)
via Alexandra:
- 36min to Candlebark camp ground, Lake Eildon (Parks Vic bookings) - see also Eildon and surrounds
- just over 1hr to Murrindindi Scenic Reserve camping
- 1.5hrs to campgrounds in Mt Disappointment / Clonbinane region
- 2hrs to Howqua Hills / Sheepyard Flats camping area
see Yea region camp grounds

much smaller camp ground 4km further and closer to the Rubicon hydro-electric power station
1.1km flat walk from Kendalls
5 large sites on the left at the entrance (may get dust from both gravel roads) prior to the single toilets block then there are a further ~15 sites in the next section
access to the stream which is mainly shallow at this point