Razorback Track

The Razorback Track climbs out of the Lerderderg Gorge country near Mount Blackwood, about an hour from Melbourne, and it is hard country: AllTrails rates it hard and logs 10.1 km at three and a half to four hours, which is honest for the terrain rather than the distance. Steep pitches, loose rock and real elevation change run through dry eucalypt forest, with gorge views as the reward. Many walkers take it anti-clockwise so the steepest section becomes a descent. A short-legged or older dog will not enjoy this one, and there is a bigger question first: whether dogs belong on this track at all.

Leash status

Lerderderg State Park sets its dog rules track by track rather than park wide, and this is where the Razorback gets complicated. Parks Victoria permits dogs on lead on the Lerderderg Heritage River Walk, on Byers Back Track and at O'Briens Crossing, but prohibits them in the park's conservation and reference-area zones, at Mackenzies Flat, and on the Lerderderg Gorge Circuit. Several walking guides, including the walking maps listings for this track, place the Razorback inside the sensitive zone where dogs are banned outright. Treat that as the working assumption: before you set out with a dog, confirm the current status with Parks Victoria or read the trailhead sign carefully. Where dogs are permitted anywhere in the park, it is on lead only.

Water and hazards

Carry all the water you need. The Lerderderg River runs low or dry for much of the year and there is nothing on the ridge, and four hours of climbing in dry forest is a great deal of water for a dog. Loose rock on steep ground is hard on paws and on anyone handling a pulling dog; the forest is snake country in the warm months; and summer heat in dry open forest is unforgiving. Tracks close in wet weather and for maintenance, so check Parks Victoria alerts before the drive.

Getting there and parking

No public transport reaches the trailhead. Drive the Western Freeway towards Bacchus Marsh, then head for Blackwood and Greendale to the gate on Mount Blackwood Road. The last roads are dirt, fine for a two-wheel drive in the dry and worth caution when wet. Drop toilets and picnic tables sit at O'Briens Crossing, which doubles as the sensible dog-friendly destination in its own right.

Max: Four hours of loose rock will find every weakness in a dog's feet. Check pads at the halfway point, not back at the car.

More walks nearby

Whipstick Loop Walk at Blackwood is the gentler dog-friendly option in the same bush, and Blackwood Mineral Springs Reserve welcomes leashed dogs by the river. Lerderderg Campground on Upper Chadwick Track takes dogs, Blackwood Mineral Springs Caravan Park is close by, and Little Lucky Cafe at Bacchus Marsh is on the drive home. Our guide to dog friendly trails in VIC and the Lerderderg destinations page list the rest.

When to go

Autumn and spring, starting before ten to beat both the heat and the weekend parking squeeze. Skip summer altogether on this track: hot, dry, exposed and snake-active is no combination for a dog on lead.