December 4th, 2025World Mountain Day
The United Nations International Mountain Day is celebrated each year on December 11. Its goal is to raise awareness about the role that mountains play in the lives of people and their importance to the planet.
Barry Golding and Clive Willman made reference in their 2024 book, Six Peaks Speak (Chapter 9) to the origins of Mountain Day in the US in autumn 1838, the exact same time that peaks in the Central Highlands of Victoria were being unsettled.
In 2024, DJAARA, for the Traditional Owners invited the community to share their very successful IMD celebration in the stunning and culturally significant volcanic crater at Lalgambuk/Mt Franklin.
In 2025, during the week leading up to IMD, the Great Dividing Trail Association is organising six interpretive loop walks to the summits of six diverse and special mountains in Victoria’s Central Highlands, across three adjoining First Nations regions (Dja Wurrung, Wadawurrung & Wurundjeri) celebrating IMD.
The walks are:
• Saturday, December 6: Mount Kooyoora/Guyura (486m) including Melville Caves in Mt Kooyora State Park, near Dunolly. Stunning granite landscape. Leader: Barry Golding. 8 km. Medium. 10.30am meet at Melville Caves Picnic Ground.
• Sunday, December 7: Mount Buninyong/Bonan Youang (745m) in Mt Buninyong Scenic Reserve, south of Ballarat. Amazing volcanic craters, messmate forest and views. Leader: Tim Bach. 10 km. Medium. 9.30am meet in Buninyong township.
• Monday, December 8: Mount Steiglitz/Kal Kal Karrah (637m) within the seldom visited Mt Steiglitz Scenic Reserve north of Ballan, including glacial deposits at nearby Pykes Creek. Overlooking extensive First Nations’ volcanic plains. Leader: Arie Baelde. 4 km. Steep but easy. 9.30am meet at Pykes Creek Reservoir.
• Tuesday, December 9 (dawn walk): Mt Beckworth/Nyaninuk (629m), within Mt Beckworth Scenic Reserve near Clunes. Diverse granite landscape. Leader: Barry Golding. 6 km. Medium, some steep/off track. Meet 4.30am at Glendaruel CFA.
• Wednesday, December 10: Wombat Hill (670m), a town walk around historic Daylesford in Dja Dja Wurrung Country, starting with a 10am Welcome to Country and launch of the Lerderderg Track Walk or Ride Guide by GDTA patron Steve Moneghetti, concluding with a picnic in Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens. Leader: Tim Bach. 7 km. Medium. 9.45am assemble at Lake Daylesford. Walk starts at 10.30am.
• Thursday, December 11 (IMD): Blue Mountain/Wuid Krruirk (871m), little- known mountain within the Wombat – Lerderderg National Park south of Trentham on the forested Great Divide between Dja Dja Wurrung, Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri country. Leader: Arie Baelde. 10 km. Medium. Meet 9.30am Newbury.
Registration is necessary and available for any of these IMD walks two weeks prior to each walk. Link: www.gdt.org.au/events
Non-walking club members are welcome – bring $10 cash to cover GDTA walker insurance.
Details: Barry Golding on 0427 216 337 or b.golding@federation.edu.au
Words & Image: Contributed
