APSLEY & SURROUNDS

Discover Apsley

Driving along the Wimmera Highway, when you cross the South Australian border into Victoria, the first town to welcome you is the historic village of Apsley. Surrounded by beautiful Red Gums, wetlands, flora and fauna, all still found in their natural environments.

If bushwalking is your passion, Newlands Nature Walking Trail is one for you. Federation Corner is the start of the easy all weather walking track linking the township of Apsley to the picturesque Newlands Lake. Meandering through 258 hectares of natural unspoilt bushland, the 5 km walk (or a shorter version if you choose) takes you into amazing stands of stringbarks, banksias and rare orchids of the Newlands Lake Reserve.

Federation Corner Information Bay was erected in 2001 to celebrate Australia’s Federation. It is also a good starting point for Apsley’s Historic Walk to relive the history of a former thriving community since it was first settled during the 1840’s. Established in 1855 the Apsley Racing Club is now the oldest surviving racing club in Victoria – even predating Australia’s icon sporting event, the Melbourne Cup.

There is an outstanding collection of historic buildings around the district; many of these were built by Chinese labourers as they travelled through to the goldfields from the port of Robe, during the gold rush period of the 1850’s.

A short drive south is the tiny hamlet of Dergholm adjacent to the Dergholm State Park with the unusual and unique green granite Bailey’s Rocks, there’s a lovely picnic ground set amongst natural bushland where you can picnic or enjoy a BBQ or go for a stroll through the bush and forget the outside world!

(Source:  http://www.westwimmera.vic.gov.au/Discover/Apsley)