Laanecoorie River Trail



As with many small goldfields towns, Laanecoorie was once a lively community with numerous businesses supporting a population drawn to the region by the lure of gold. Regular dances were held on moonlit nights. In such light revellers returning home in their gigs could find their way safely.

Laanecoorie means 'place of kangaroos' in local Dja Dja Wurrung language and was adopted as the name for this part of the original 'Simpson Run.' The 'Janevale' home was built on the western bank in 1840 and named after Simpson's wife Jane Charlotte Coghill.

Gold was discovered in the Laanecoorie area at 'Jones Creek' in 1853 attracting many people seeking their fortune. Today life in this little hamlet is much more sedate and visitors can enjoy the serenity as they meander along the trail through the River Redgums lining the banks of the Loddon River, from the historic Janevale Bridge, to the weir and spillway of the Laanecoorie Reservoir. The trail is an easy stroll of 1.2km and has several bench seats allowing users to rest and enjoy the sights, scents and sounds of the river environment. Returning via the attractive tree-lined Weir Road (1.2km) offers a different perspective with views over adjacent farmland testifying to the value of the fertile alluvial soils.

Things to see
Before you set out, take some time to appreciate the elegance of the Janevale Bridge, a reinforced concrete structure designed and constructed by Sir John Monash and completed in 1911.

As you wander through the Floodplains Riparian Woodland on the banks of the Loddon River, notice the variety of shrubs, grasses, herbs, rushes and reeds that flourish in the absence of grazing animals. These plants and the riverine environment provide perfect habitat for a variety of fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals.

The Laanecoorie weir serves to regulate water flows used for irrigation and town supply further down the Loddon River. It was completed in 1891 and, though it has been reduced in capacity due to siltation over the years, provides a valuable storage and recreational facility.

On the return along Weir Road you may notice a change in the vegetation as Yellow Gum trees become dominant. Halfway along the walk the bottle-trunked tree with bright green foliage is a Kurrajong.


Location


1 Main Road,  Laanecoorie 3463 Map


Web Links


Laanecoorie River Trail (PDF)


Laanecoorie River Trail1 Main Road,, Laanecoorie, Victoria, 3463