Werribee Gorge State Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Werribee Gorge State Park Victoria
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Bushland at Werribee Gorge
Werribee Gorge State Park Location in Victoria
Nearest town or city	Bacchus Marsh
Established	1978
Area	5.75 km2 (2.2 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Parks Victoria
Website	Werribee Gorge State Park
See also	Protected areas of Victoria

Werribee Gorge State Park is an amazing natural area in Victoria, Australia. It's located close to the town of Bacchus Marsh. This park is a popular spot for people who love to hike and climb rocks. They come here to enjoy the beautiful views and learn about the park's cool geological features. It's a great place to explore the outdoors!

Discovering Werribee Gorge

The most important part of this park is the Werribee Gorge itself. The Werribee River flows slowly and twists through this deep valley. The gorge has been famous for a long time because of its special rocks and how it was formed.

How the Gorge Was Formed

The Werribee Gorge is about 200 meters (650 feet) deep. It started forming around one million years ago! This happened because of movements deep inside the Earth's crust. These movements caused a fault, which is like a crack in the ground. This made the river's path much steeper. Over a very long time, the river kept cutting deeper into the rock. It carved its way through ancient sediments that were laid down in a sea over 400 million years ago.

A Look at Ancient Ice

Geologists, who are scientists who study rocks, have been interested in Werribee Gorge for a long time. They found some of the oldest known signs of ancient glaciers here. You can still see parts of these old glacial deposits today. Imagine ice sheets covering this area long, long ago! Other big events also happened here, like volcanoes erupting and lava flowing.

Exploring the Gorge on Foot

There is a special walking track that goes all the way through the gorge. Many bushwalkers and local people use this track. It's a fantastic way to see the amazing rock formations and enjoy the peaceful river.

Getting to Werribee Gorge State Park

Information sign at the park entrance

Werribee Gorge State Park is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) west of Bacchus Marsh. You can get there in two main ways.

Route One: Pentland Hills Road

The first way is to take the Western Freeway. Then, you turn onto Pentland Hills Road. After that, you'll find Myers Road. Myers Road is a gravel road, and some parts of it are quite steep. This route takes you right to the main part of the gorge.

Route Two: Ironbark Road

The second way to reach the park is by using Ironbark Road. This road is also known as the Ballan-Ingliston Road. You can get to Ironbark Road from the Bacchus Marsh-Anakie Road. Both routes offer a way to start your adventure at Werribee Gorge State Park!