Loddon Falls Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Visit an interesting rock formation exposed where the Loddon river has cut through the basalt flow from Mount Franklin to the Ordovician rock below.
The morning sun provides for the best photography of the opposite cliff face.
The edge of the cliff looking down to the river has a very steep drop, so please take extra care with young children and pets in this area.
Also, the last hundred metres may become boggy after a winter's rain, so even if the 'No Vehicle Access' gate is still open, use your own judgement before proceeding beyond this point in a vehicle.
If possible, approach GZ via Leslies Road, just North of Mount Franklin for a scenic drive and a couple of interesting stopovers along the way.
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Mount Franklin is a 220 thousand year old breached volcano (i.e. one side of the crater is much lower than the others, possibly as a result of strong winds during the eruption). The road to the picnic area actually passes through the breach.
About 500 metres away on the lower slope of the mountain's North-Eastern face there is a 50 metre wide depression, which can be accessed on foot by turning right from Leslies Road into Church Road and parking after 25 metres or so, about opposite where an old dilapidated fence turns into a hedge. There is an old windmill on the nearby hill.
Aboriginal folklore from the Franklinford area speaks of a time when Mount Franklin was seen 'throwing rocks' at Mount Tarrengower.
This depression has been dated to be around 50 thousand years old, and is quite a young crater, so an eruption from this crater is more likely to be the source of the folklore than the mountain's original eruption, which would have been a major event.
The Eastern edge of the crater is slightly lower than the others, and indicates the direction that the lava flow would have taken.
Some geologists believe that the lava from this crater is the source of the basalt found at the Loddon Falls, 8 kilometres to the East.
Looking East from this position you can see some plains, and an interesting (very wide) cutting in the ridge-line further off in the distance.
Continuing on towards GZ, you will need to leave Leslies Road and turn South-East onto Woolnoughs Road, which drops down to a crossing over the Loddon River.
Here you will find the Woolnoughs Crossing Mineral Springs, which is well worth a brief stop, if only to take in the quiet ambience of this area.
Parking for about three cars is available if you drive in past the spring's solitary hand pump. The area seems quite new, but I could find no date to indicate when it was constructed/refurbished.
Finally, after travelling to GZ and locating the 1 litre Sistema container (hidden in the traditional manner), walk down to the edge of the cliff and examine the unique formation of the basalt in the opposite cliff wall.
Notice the tree clinging tenaciously to the cliff face.
If the river is not flowing, you should be able to see a tessellated rock formation on river bed itself (a mosaic pattern).
Access to the river bed is possible, but please be careful.
Four-wheel drivers who are returning North after leaving this cache may like to turn left into Holcombe Road rather than right, and follow the Ridge Road back to the Drummond-Vaughan Springs Road near the Doxa Youth camp, and then West towards Vaughan or East towards Malmsbury.
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