Cathedral ranges is a 7KM ridge of mountains in Taggery/Buxton, Victoria approximately 2 hours / 120km north-east drive from Melbourne. The elevation gain of this walk is 835m and there is difficult scrambling. This is the Northern (and easier, but equally spectacular) counterpart to the infamous South Circuit. The trek is approximately 15km long and takes 5 to 6 hours to complete, and you summit Ned’s Peak, Little Cathedral Peak and South Jawbone Peak along the way. There are bathroom’s along the way (at the campgrounds), and various points have various forms of signage, however, some navigation skills may be required (there is a semi-well/well defined path along the way though).
If you wish to start at Neds Gully, as of March 2020, you will be required to check if the campground has reopened. Refer to alternatives below for this GPX file.
We start the trek at Cooks Mill Camping Ground. Turn right onto little river /Cerberous Road, and soon bear right onto Saint Bernards walking Track. Follow it until you reach Jawbone car park. Don’t rejoin the road however, continue onto Jawbone creek track instead. Continue left on the next junction until you reach the next camping ground, and continue forward. You’ll reach the farmyard. Turn left down South Jawbone track to summit South Jawbone peak.
Turn around, continue right at the Farmyard, and then turn left down farmyard track. Eventually, you’ll reach a junction. Continue straight and take the Little Cathedral Track towards little cathedral peak. Summit, and return to the junction, instead turning left this time.
Turn right at the next junction, summit Neds peak.
Turn around, and instead turn right this time down Neds Gully track. Follow the track until reaching the junction leading to Neds Gully Campground (which may be closed). Head right (south) onto Little River track. It runs alongside the road and river all the way south until reaching cooks mill campground and completing the trail
The Visitor Guide is available from: https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/-/media/project/pv/main/parks/documents/visitor-guides-and-publications/cathedral-range-state-park/cathedral-range-state-park-visitor-guide.pdf
Alternative Tracks
Traditionally, most people begin in Neds Gully, however, at this time, there are park closures at that camp ground which prevents it. Once the campground and bridge reopens however, you can use the following GPX to begin from there: https://adventure-buddies.net/wp-content/uploads/gpx/cathedral%20Ranges%20North%20Circuit-2.gpx