australia:vic:buttsreserve
Table of Contents
Maldon Mt Tarrengower Butt's Reserve camp ground
see also:
- Newbridge Recreation Reserve camp ground - hot showers
Introduction
- Butt's Reserve is a free campground with toilets at the base of Mt Tarrengower on the outskirts of the historic gold mining tourist town of Maldon
- mountain bikers tend to use the adjacent track on their ride down from top of Mt Tarrengower
- temperatures tend to be part way between Castlemaine and Bendigo although the campground being 100m higher elevation could be 1 degC cooler in general than this mid point.
- tends to be a few longer stay homeless campers but they keep to themselves although can be protective of their space
Pros
- potable water tap outside the toilet block and the toilets are flush
- there were no mozzies and very few flies late Nov 2024 despite it being humid, warm with little wind
- proximity to Maldon township and centrally located to explore the historic central Victorian goldfields and rural townships
- dogs on leash
Cons
- very little winter sunlight so will be extra cold in winter
- heavy rain makes the edges of the gravel road very muddy and slippery
- much of the camp site is sloping so there is not a lot of flat ground for caravans so you will need to bring wheel chocks and levelers and need to be creative with tent or swag site selection
- the sloping ground does however mean that heavy rains will tend to run down towards the toilets (and potentially under your tent but not pool under your tent)
- a stretcher bed with adjustable legs is a great option to assist with the sloping ground
- avoid camping over areas where it is obvious water will flow if rain is forecast and of course avoid camping on or near bull ant nests
- many of the flatter sites are under overhanging gum tree branches which should be avoided if strong winds or very hot weather is forecast
- ground tends to be rocky from the gold mining days which can make pegging problematic
Location
- 1hr 15min from NW suburbs of Melbourne
- 2.3km NW from the centre of Maldon and you drive on Mt Tarrengower road and it is on the left just before the climb up the mount
- 21km (20min) to the larger gold mining township of Castlemaine (more food options especially midweek than Maldon) via Maldon
- it is at elevation 400m and relatively protected from cold south to westerly winds thanks to Mt Tarrengower which hits a peak of 571m
- the campground lies within a NNE running gully with the toilet block being at the main road entrance and the lowest part
Local attractions
- walk up or drive up to Mt Tarrengower lookout
- walk to or short drive to historic gold mining township of Maldon and explore remnant gold mines, tourist steam train rides on weekends, etc
- short drive to historic gold mining townships of Castlemaine, Bendigo, Dunolly, Maryborough, etc
Nearby low cost and free camp grounds
with toilets and hot showers
- 35km (26min) to Newbridge Recreation Reserve camp ground
with toilets no showers
- Laanecoorie Reservoir on the Loddon
- 32km (30min) to Leanganook camp ground Mount Alexander
- 39km, (32min) to the south via Yandoit and Newstead to Mt Franklin reserve campground, near Daylesford
- 42min W to Bealiba Reservoir (there are water leeches)
- 56km (47min) to Notley camp ground Whipstick north of Bendigo
- 65km (49min) to Melville Caves campground, Kooyoora State Park to NW
- 94km (75min) to Ayson's Reserve Camping Ground to the east
- 95km (75min) to Teddington camp ground, Stuart Mill, Kara Kara NP to the west
no toilets or showers
- 16km (14min) NW to Hamilton's Crossing on the Loddon
australia/vic/buttsreserve.txt · Last modified: 2024/12/01 20:13 by gary1