where is Mount Bonan Yowing?

Last weekend we drove from Ballan to Mt Buninyong (Victoria, Australia) via Mt Egerton and Yendon as seen in the following blog posts:

Ballan to Mt Egerton

Mt Egerton to Yendon

Our destination was Mount Bonan Yowing or better known as Mt Buninyong, an extinct volcano that rises to 719 metres (2,359 ft) above sea level. We had not been here for many years and we were anxious to explore this area again.

The views are still magnificent, the weather in winter is still as cold as ever, though I must admit, we were lucky.  Even though the day was cold, we had no rain at all.  It often snows here in July, so it is worth noting to keep away from there over the next few weeks!

The following images show just how beautiful the scenery is from the Mt Buninyong Road:

... and did you know that Mt Buninyong was originally named Mount Bonan Yowing? It is said to derive from an Aboriginal word meaning a man lying on his back with his knee raised. It was from the peak that Thomas Learmonth and a group of squatters first viewed the Ballarat area in 1837.

The road is quite safe, it is narrow and only 'one way', but do take it slowly as there are many walkers and tourists in the area, especially over the weekends.

 

Mount Buninyong, located in Buninyong is one of the more recognizable landmarks in the entire Goldfields region and is used as an antenna site for radio, TV and telephone equipment. The summit has been a minor tourist destination and picnic spot for over 140 years. The major part of the mountain was cleared for agriculture or housing, but widespread protests during the 1980s led to the preservation of native forest cover on much of the upper portion.

When visiting Mt Buninyong or walking the trails, do keep your eyes open for the 'hidden beauty' as seen in the images above. Be it fungi, dead gum nuts, a leaf, a branch of a gum tree or moss on a fallen branch .... there is beauty all around us and we can only see this when our eyes are open.

“You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.” 

 ― Dr. Seuss

Mt Buninyong is also part of the Ballarat Cycle Classic - Mt Buninyong Classic Challenge of 60 km and in January (usually) the Cycling Australia Road National Championships are held. Though do check Cycling Australia's website for "up to date" events as the Buninyong Cycling website is often out of date.

The following are a few URL's that maybe of interest:

Mt Buninyong

Walks on Mt Buninyong

Mt Buninyong Recreation Reserve

Mt Buninyong LandCare

Museum Victoria's images of Mt Buninyong

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