SPORTS AND LEISURE, GOLF, FISHING, PARKS, CYCLING TRACKS. WALKING TRACKS AND MUST SEE PLACES!
Central Goldfields Shire has outstanding sports and leisure facilities for both locals and visitors.
The Sport and Fitness Centre, corner of Gillies Street and Majorca Road, offers a 25 metre indoor heated pool, toddlers beach front pool, spa, sauna, fully equipped gym and court sports.
There is also a 50 metre outdoor pool in Maryborough, 25 metre outdoor pool at Talbot and a 25 metre outdoor pool in Dunolly which are available in the summer months.
Maryborough Motorcycle Club. The club was originally formed before World War II, their track and club rooms are located at Alma Recreation Reserve.
Located on the outskirts of Maryborough is a velodrome.
There are golfing facilities in Maryborough, Talbot and Dunolly. All towns in the Central Goldfields Shire offer excellent bowling greens. Maryborough's lawn tennis courts are available for visitor use.
There are also facilities for Petanque (French bowls) and croquet.
Dunolly Golf Club
Address:Short Street Dunolly (1 km NW of town)
Phone:(03) 5468 1010
Email:
Visit:
Maryborough Golf and Bowling Club
Address:Park Road, Maryborough
Phone:(03) 5460 4900
Email:
Visit:
Maryborough Harness Racing Club
Address:62 Chaplins Rd, Carisbrook VIC 3465
Phone:(03) 5464 2451 or 0418 552 294
Email:
Visit:
Maryborough Highland Society
Address:35 High Street, Maryborough
Phone:(03) 5461 1480
Email:
Visit:
Talbot Golf Club
Address:1992 Lexton-Talbot Road, Talbot VIC 3371
Phone:(03) 5463 2222
Email:
GARDENS, PARKS AND WALKS
Goldfields Reservoir
Address:Ballarat Road, Maryborough VIC 3465
Phone:(03) 5460 4511
Email:Nil
Visit:Nil
Gordon Gardens
Address:Market Street, Dunolly
Phone:(03) 5460 4511
Email:Nil
Visit:Nil
Lake Victoria
Address:Park Road, Maryborough
Phone:03 5460 4511
Email:
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Maryborough Bush and Town Walk
Address:
Phone:(03) 5460 4511
Email:
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Paddy's Ranges State Park and Maryborough
Address:
Phone:1800 356 511
Email:
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Phillips Botanical Gardens
Address:Alma Street, Maryborough
Phone:03 5460 4511
Email:Nil
Visit:Nil
Princes Park Complex
Address:Park Road, Maryborough VIC 3465
Phone:(03) 5460 4511
Email:Nil
Visit:Nil
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
Coiltek Gold Centre
Address:6 Drive in Court, Maryborough
Phone:(03) 5460 4700
Email:
Dunolly Cycle Tracks
Address:Dunolly, Victoria VIC 3472
Phone:(03) 5460 4511
Dunolly Outdoor Swimming Pool
Address:Market Street, Dunolly
Phone:(03) 5461 4300
Email:
Visit:
Maryborough Outdoor Swimming Pool
Address:Lake Road, Maryborough, VIC 3465
Phone:(03) 5461 1925
Email:Nil
Visit:Nil
Maryborough Sports Leisure Centre
Address:40 Gillies Street, Maryborough
Phone:(03) 5461 4300
Email:Nil
Visit:
Redbank Alpacas
Address:3165 Sunraysia Highway, Redbank VIC 3477
Phone:03 5499 9277
Email:
Visit:
Talbot Outdoor Swimming Pool
Address:Scandinavian Crescent, Talbot VIC 3371
Phone:(03) 5463 2329
Email:Nil
Visit:Nil
Tullaroop Leisure Centre
Address:Carisbrook-Talbot Road, Carisbrook VIC 3464
Phone:(03) 5464 2405
MUST SEE
Aboriginal Wells
Address:Wells Track, Maryborough VIC 3465
Phone:Nil
Bristol Hill Lookout
Address:Miners Drive, Maryborough VIC 3465
Phone:Nil
Grand Duke Mine
Address:8kms north of Maryborough
Phone:Nil
Maryborough Marketplace
Address:47 Nolan Street, Maryborough VIC 3465
Phone:0429184716
Email:
Maryborough Railway Station
Address:Station Street, Maryborough
Phone:
Maryborough Walking Tour
Address:
Phone:(03) 5460 4511
McLandress Square
Address:Clarendon Street, Maryborough VIC 3465
Phone:Nil
Talbot Observatory
Address:9 Camp Street, Talbot VIC 3371
Phone:03 5463 2029
The Aboriginal Shelter Tree
Address:Pollocks Rd off the Maryborough/Ballarat Rd between Maryborough & Talbot
Phone:Nil
Email:Nil
Visit:Nil
CYCLING TRAILS
Dunolly-Havelock Gold Rush Trail (1419 KB)
54km
Mostly gentle ride through undulating forest and farmland.
Dunolly is an old gold mining town surrounded by stunning box and iron bark forest. This town was once referred to as the 'Golden Triangle‛ because there were more nuggets found in the district than any other in Australia and was home to the largest gold nugget ever found in the world - the 'Welcome Stranger‛.
Major Trail Features:
1. Hugh Hughes Eucalyptus Site
2. Rock Cairn – 1895 Murder Site
3. Old Bromley School
4. Old Dredge Site
5. Former Township of Bromley
6. Old Sugar Gums Nursery Site
7. Cairn – Naming of Maryborough at Old Police Camp
Timor Grand Duke Trail (918 KB)
45km
Reasonably gentle ride through farmland.
Once a thriving metropolis with a population in excess of 27,000, this now sleeping hollow is home to the spectacular Grand Duke Mine and the intriguing Timor Cemetery.
Major Trail Features:
8. Seaham Mine Bushland Reserve
9. Gladstone Reserve
10. Timor Cemetery
11. Grand Duke Mine and Arch
12. Nuggetty Gully Reservoir
Carisbrook Settlers Trail (1878 KB)
24km
Mostly gentle ride through forest and farmland.
Carisbrook is the centre of a rich agricultural area that poses many historic buildings and sites such as the Old Log Gaol which retains its original interlocking and horizontally-laid log walls and the Masonic Lodge.
Major Trail Features:
13. Old Bluchers Mine
14. Forestry Demonstration Site
15. Carisbrook Cemetery
16. Cairn – Tilly Ashton
17. Historic Walk/Ride Bucknall Street
18. Maryborough Harness Racing Track/ Old Charles
Kingsford Smith Airfield
19. Old Phelan Ready Built Home Site
Majorca Kong Meng Trail (1642 KB)
23km
Reasonably gentle ride through forest and township.
Majorca was founded in 1863 towards the end of the Victorian gold rush after two prospectors struck gold at nearby McCallum‛s Creek. Two months later, there were 250 stores and restaurants catering to a population of around three to four thousand, although many shops and residents soon returned to nearby Maryborough. The town size was sustained for over 50 years through gold mining, including the Kong Meng Mine.
Major Trail Features
20. Old Mosquito School
21. Kong Meng Mine Site
22. Old Majorca School Site, Township
23. Cairn – Gold Escort Route
24. Battery Dam Historic Site – Old Eucalyptus Still
Talbot Heritage Trail (1199 KB)
45 km
Slightly steep hill through mostly forest.
A picturesque early goldmining town with a unique streetscape of heritage sites and buildings.
Major Trail Features:
25. Paddys Ranges State Park - Campground Facilities
26. Wildflowers in Spring
27. Hendrickson Dam Eucalyptus Still
28. Mud Brick Fence 1800‛s House Site
29. Birthing Tree
30. Bull Gully Aboriginal Rainwater Wells
31. Cairn – Discovery of Gold Nugget
Paddy's Ranges Trail (777 KB)
22km
Reasonably easy ride through undulating forest.
The Paddys Ranges Trail is a great place to observe relics of the goldmining era. This trail is well known for its wildflower displays and is home to more than 140 native birds, including the rare Painted Honeyeaters and Swift Parrots
Major Trail Features:
26. Wildflowers in Spring
32. Water Race feeding Goldfields Reservoir
Craigie Forest Trail (878 KB)
11 km
Easy Forest Ride; Short rocky area
Craigie State Forest is home to beautiful Box and Ironbark trees. Set amongst the forest are the historically significant Bull Gully Aboriginal Rainwater Wells and The Battery Dam Historic Site, home to an old Eucalyptus Still.
Major Trail Features:
30. Bull Gully Aboriginal Rainwater Wells
24. Battery Dam Historic Site- Old Eucalyptus Still
Avoca Mountain View Trail (1819 KB)
80km
Mostly gentle ride through forest, farmland and townships.
With the backdrop of the Pyrenees Ranges and tall red gums along its riverbanks, Avoca is an idyllic rural town with a mixture of cafes, galleries, specialty shops and accommodation.
Major Trail Features:
32. Water Race feeding Goldfields Reservoir
26. Wildflowers in Spring
27. Hendrickson Dam Eucalyptus Still
28. Mud Brick Fence 1800‛s House Site
33. Historic Blue Stone Culverts
WALKING TRAILS
Maryborough Town Walk Tour
The best way to explore the town of Maryborough. Taking in grand buildings, historical sites, galleries and much more. The perfect way to spend your day in town and keeping active.
Grab a copy of the Town Walk brochure from the Central Goldfields Visitor Information Centre.
Maryborough Bush and Town Walk
Maryborough is surrounded by Box-Ironbark parks and forests including Paddys Ranges State Park, Maryborough Regional Park and Craigie State Forest. Walking is one of the best ways to see the township and the surrounding bush. The Maryborough Bush and Town Walk takes advantage of many of the natural and historical features while providing opportunities for the health benfits of walking. The Maryborough Bush and Town Walk uses footpaths throughout the town, minor gravel roads and specifically constructed walking trails in the bush. The walk, which can be done in sections, is about 25 kilometres in total. There are several sections or loops that can be done as individual walks. These include:
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Goldfields Reservoir Walk - approx. 1.7 kms
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Paddys Ranges State Park - Loop walk from the picnic area - approx 1.8 kms
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Craigie State Forest - Battery Dam to Bull Gully rock wells - approx 2kms
Picnic tables, parking areas, barbeques and other visitor facilities are available on the walks. Toilets are located at the Goldfields Reservoir, Paddys Ranges State Park picnic area and campground and at the Information Centre in Maryborough.
Carisbrook Town Walk
Self-guided tour of the historic centre of Carisbrook. Brochure is available. Contact the Central Goldfields Visitor Information Centre for further information.
Welcome Stranger Discovery Walk - Moliagul
The Welcome Stranger Discovery Walk starts from the Welcome Stranger obelisk and explores the reserve which has a picnic area, shelters, barbecues and drinking water. It was near the start of the track that John Deason had a small two-roomed shack. It was to this shack that he first transported the nugget, placing it in the fire to burn off the debris.
A little further on is the puddler where Deason and Oates treated the wash from their claim. A puddler was a watertight circular trench that was filled with water. Dirt from the claim was then added and a horse walked in a circle dragging chains or harrows around the trench to break up the dirt and dissolve the clay. The sludge was drained off and the remaining rocks removed and put through a cradle to glean the gold. The puddler was built close to the house to deter thieves.
The pile of stones further on is all that remain of Richard Oates' house. He was working in the paddock here when Deason called him to see the nugget. There is a wooden headstone on the fence line which dates from the 1860s. It is thought to mark a Chinese grave. There were many Chinese as well as European miners in the area at that time.
Stones from fireplaces and raised dirt floors are all that remain of the Chinese camps from the 1860s. Like most such camps it was removed from the remainder of the settlement due to the hostility of the other miners.
The walk continues past an old puddling machine and the remnants of a once robust forest which provided shelter for kangaroos and emus before being chopped down by the miners.
The path then crosses Black Gully, so named because the gold here tended to be stained with black ironstone.
A guiding brochure is available from the Central Goldfields Visitor Information Centre.