The 405-hectare Bannockburn Bush Reserve offers varied terrain, with red and yellow gum woodlands, casuarina forest, snowy mint bushes, rare indigenous grasses, orchids exclusively indigenous to the region and even plantation timber.<\/p>\n
Friends of Bannockburn Bush convenor Stuart McCallum said \u201cenvironmentally sensitive clientele\u201d are welcome to ensure wildlife are protected and appreciated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more people are using it for good healthy recreation, and the less people are using it for burning petrol, the healthier the place is,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The reserve will soon be a little more accessible in summer. Upcoming grading works planned for November will fill in potholes and mean prams, pushers, wheelchairs and mobility scooters can easily get around.<\/p>\n
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Inverleigh Flora and Fauna Reserve<\/strong><\/p>\n Inverleigh Flora and Fauna Reserve offers a similar bush experience with native birds and iconic wildlife like koalas and wallabies.<\/p>\n It\u2019s more than 1000 hectares amongst the grassy eucalypt woodlands of the Volcanic Plains, with tens of species of unusual orchids, and a walking track between eight and nine kilometres.<\/p>\n Only one per cent of these woodland areas with native gums and unique wildlife like the striped legless lizard, growling grass frog and golden sun moth remain, following development post-European settlement.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Moorabool Valley<\/strong><\/p>\n To the far east of the Shire, the Moorabool Valley offers rolling hills, cool-climate wineries and food experiences, where visitors can meet the families behind businesses.<\/p>\n Lethbridge Wines and Clyde Park Vineyard are just off the Midland Highway. Clyde Park\u2019s grapes grow next to the Moorabool River, while Lethbridge Wines is based just north of Lethbridge itself.<\/p>\n On Steiglitz Road in Sutherlands Creek is Austin\u2019s Wines, run by second generation winemaker Scott Austin and his wife Belinda.<\/p>\n Mrs Austin said the Moorabool Valley has some of the \u201cbest wines in Australia but it\u2019s completely undiscovered.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s like this little hidden secret and when real wine lovers discover it, they become loyal fans,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a region of wineries that\u2019s such high calibre, and you\u2019ll find they\u2019re all still small-batch and really passionate about the wines in the region, so we\u2019re really fortunate.<\/p>\n \u201cOn top of that, you\u2019ve got amazing food producers, so we\u2019re lucky. It\u2019s still rustic, the owners are behind the counters, so that makes it pretty special too.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Steiglitz<\/strong><\/p>\n Turn out of Austin\u2019s to travel north and you\u2019ll reach Steiglitz, a historic gold and quartz mining town in the Brisbane Ranges.<\/p>\n A sleepy village in the bush, including an old courthouse, it once boomed in the second half of the 1800s, and is now all part of the Steiglitz Historic Park.<\/p>\n Mostly managed by Parks Victoria, Steiglitz has lots of picnic and hiking options including Deadmans Loop, Steiglitz Circuit, Beards Gully and township walks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Enfield State Park<\/strong><\/p>\n To the west is Enfield State Park between Berringa and Mount Mercer. Now a safe space for wildlife, it was another goldrush hotspot.<\/p>\n With walking tracks and separate bike tracks covering varying terrain, wildlife and spring wildflowers can be spotted.<\/p>\n The Enfield and Surface Point picnic areas are ideal for a break, some food and a drink.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/goldenplains\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2020\/09\/20200311_115503-300x225.jpg\")
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