Barwon River - Geelong - VIC

Walk:  Barwon River

Distance/Type: 20km / Return  
Terrain/Rating:  Flat / Easy
Start Time:  11am/3pm
Start Location:  Fyansford Information Centre on Hamilton Hwy.
Trip Detail Summary: 
Walk along the northern bank of Barwon River to the Breakwater Rd / Rail Bridge, crossover, lunch then return back along the southern bank.
Trip Details:
This walk was done with the hiking group I'm a part of.
The "Information Centre" could be easily missed as its nothing more than shelter with no signage or maps or information to be seen from the carpark. We drove past as we werent sure but also to have a look along the path that we were going to walk as we knew that rain during the week had meant the Barwon River was flowing and a lot higher than normal.
We all met at the dirt carpark next to the Fyansford Hotel under windy and overcast conditions.
Even with the later start than normal there were more than usual late starts so the walk started 30 minutes late.We had 4 new members on this walk.
We headed east along the trail on the northern bank of the river and within 500m had to divert up a grass bank due to flooding over the path. There were many benches along the way but most were surrounded by water.  Sound people were putting a kayak in at the disused pipe bridge.
After 1 hour we had walked approx 5km, pretty much as you would expect with the easy terrain.
There was a cafe about 90 minutes into the walk but we had our own drinks and food and planned to walk halfway and have lunch near the bridge train bridge in Geelong.
Toilets were located at Moorabool St Bridge and were well received.
We continued onto past the athletics track but were forced to turn around approx 100m from our half way point as a feeder creek/drain was overflooded and could not be passed around.
A couple of policemen on trailbikes passed us here as we headed back. I assume they may have been looking for the reason an alarm was going off at a riverside factory.
We choose to have lunch at a picnic ground between the athletics ground and rowing clubhouses.
A few decided to get out of the strong breeze and lunched by the clubhouses.
Having lunch we watched a dog swim across the river as well as the local fire brigade testing out there long ladder hose by feeding it from the river.
After 15 minutes for lunch we headed back crossing the river at the Moorabool St bridge.
Plenty of walkers and bike riders along the path today.
One of our new members had problems with her hip on the return leg so I took her bag and took the back with Anne to nurse her back to the starting point.
All in all it was an easy hike but was tough on the feet for some due to walking mainly on bitumen.
Total time was 5hrs incl lunchbreak.
The distance we ended up doing was 18km but really it could have be done in 4:30 hrs or less.
Drinks were had at the Fyansford Hotel afterwards and then we had dinner at the Mexican Graffiti restaraunt in Geelong.
Unfortunately this was one of the few times I didnt take photos having left my memory card in the laptop. grrr