Mt Buninyong Crater Walk

Mt Buninyong's Crater Walk is a short climb through gum forest to the summit of an extinct volcano in the Mount Buninyong Scenic Reserve, about 15 km southeast of Ballarat. Roughly 1.8 km of track tops out near 745 m at a viewing tower with 360 degree views over the Western District plains, and dogs on lead are welcome the whole way.

Leash status

Dogs must stay on a physical lead at all times in the reserve, which is standard for Ballarat's bushland reserves and enforced as such. Keep to the marked tracks and carry waste back out with you.

The walk

This is a climb, not a stroll: a steep pinch near the summit through native forest on a bush track, so it suits dogs with a bit of fitness rather than flat-walk specialists. Most groups take under an hour up and down, and the tower and crater rim views are the payoff.

Water and hazards

Bring your own water and a bowl, because there is nothing reliable on the track for a dog, and the exposed upper section runs hot in summer. The summit edges and the area around the tower are the spots to keep the lead short. The access road is shared with cars, so mind the final stretch.

Max: on-lead the whole way and one serious pinch at the top. Shorten up near the tower and the rim edges, because the drop does the damage, not the gradient.

Getting there

Mount Buninyong Road is sealed all the way up towards the summit, with parking near the top, and there are toilets and picnic tables up there. Public transport is thin, so this is a car trip from Buninyong township or Ballarat.

When to go

Early on a weekday is quietest; weekends and sunny afternoons pull the crowds, and the reserve can be busy with families at the summit car park. Views are sharpest the day after rain clears.

More walks nearby

For an off-lead reward afterwards, Buninyong Fenced Dog Park at James Reserve has a secure yard, and back in town The Buninyong Hotel welcomes dogs in the beer garden. Brim Brim Gardens takes dogs if you are making a weekend of it.

More options are on the Victoria dog friendly trails guide and the Buninyong destination page.