Enjoy a pleasant day walking along the picturesque Merri Creek on a moderate walk through the inner northern suburbs of Melbourne. The walk includes some hidden gems as well as a good array of birdlife, the result of many years of replanting indigenous vegetation. The often-shady trail hugs the creek intimately, with wetlands, cable suspension bridges, parks and veggie gardens. We then pick up the Inner Circle Rail Trail, with its remnants of the old inner circle rail line which once connected North Fitzroy to Parkville and is now a linear park. Your guide will talk about the history of the rail line and its importance to Melbourne's railway past.  This is intended to be a public transport friendly event where the start and end points will be accessible by train and tram. GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Moderate, approximately 11.5 km point-to-point walk on mostly flat paths.  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: Our walk starts at the very popular Coburg Lake Reserve, where the Merri Creek will be waiting for us. After briefly exploring the lake, we make our way south along the Merri Creek Path where we will closely follow the creek over a number of bridges, parklands, wetlands and reserves.  We will stop for lunch beside the Merri Creek to enjoy the views and sounds of the creek. After crossing the old trestle railway bridge, we will then pick up the Inner Circle Rail Trail, a linear reserve remaining from what is left of the abandoned railway line that stopped running in 1981 after a long history of service. The trail now serves as a shared bicycle path connecting the Merri and Moonee Ponds Creeks. We will discuss the history of the line and your leader will point out the locations of the old stations and the existing infrastructure that remains today. Moving further west our walk concludes at Royal Park Station (next to the Melbourne Zoo), where those who travelled by car will take the train back to the beginning point of the walk. BOOKING: By Thursday 15th April. To register, click on Get Tickets. NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210418: Merri Creek & Inner Circle Rail Trail Walk. FURTHER INFORMATION: Merri Creek Brochure. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 10:30am | Lake Grove Carpark, Coburg Lake Reserve, Coburg North. MAP REFERENCE: Melway map 17 grid H10 | Google map goo.gl/maps/s29AJAqkwh7ejgU87. DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: 9.5 km, approximately 30 minutes to drive, 25-35 minutes by public transport. There is car parking available at the Lake Reserve in Lake Grove free of charge. You will need a Myki card to return back to your car by public transport, either by tram or train. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: By Train: Take the Upfield train line from the CBD and get off at Batman Station. Walk east for 4 minutes to the starting point. The conclusion of the walk will be at Royal Park station (same train line) where you can return back to the CBD. By Tram: Take the Route 19 Tram from Elizabeth Street CBD. Get off at Stop 37 (Gaffney Street/Sydney Road). Walk 2 minutes east to the starting point. The conclusion of the walk will cross the same tram line (Stop 18) where you can return back to the CBD. FOOD/DRINKS: Carry lunch, snacks and at least 1 litre of water. Also carry sunscreen and a hat, your facemask and hand sanitizer. Bring your Myki card for the return trip by tram or train for those travelling by car back to the starting point. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Comfortable walking boots/shoes and dress according to the weather forecast. Ensure your shoes are waterproof as some of the paths may be wet or muddy if it has rained heavily prior to the event. LEADER: Jason T. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website. HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS                      

Enjoy a train ride to Gippsland and a country pub meal followed by a stroll through a park. GRADE: Social with a short walk.  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: Travel will be by train (car optional).  On arrival at Drouin, it is a 5 minute walk to the Family Hotel, situated on the main street across from the station. There is an outdoor deck which looks out towards Civic Park where we can have lunch. Seating is bench style. If it is too hot or wet, we can move indoors for lunch. After lunch we will go for a walk in Civic Park for up to an hour before catching the train home. BOOKING: By Sunday 11th April. To register, click on Get Tickets. NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210414: Walk and mid-week lunch at Drouin. FURTHER INFORMATION: vline.com.au | metrotrains.com.au | drouinfamilyhotel.com.au. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 10:15am at Southern Cross Railway Station for a 10:24am departure, or at stops en route. We will travel in the rear car. Check monitors for the platform number. MAP REFERENCE: Southern Cross Station: Melway map 1A grid A6 | Google map goo.gl/maps/9fKccFxNupbMGEBNA.  Drouin Family Hotel: Melway map X928 grid A7 | Google map goo.gl/maps/hJwKHqgEngUYvXz86. DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: Distance to Drouin is 100 km, 93 minutes by train. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Departure: Traralgon train departs Southern Cross at 10:24am (Flinders Street at 10:29am, Caulfield at 10:43am, Clayton at 10:54am, Dandenong at 11:10am, Pakenham at 11:29am) arriving Drouin at 11:57am. Return: Departure from Drouin at 3:10pm, arriving Southern Cross at 4:44pm with stops at the same stations as the outbound train, except Clayton. The next train departs Drouin at 4:04pm, arriving Southern Cross 5:39pm. FOOD: Pub food in the Family Hotel bistro. Check their bistro menu/prices (PDF). APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Casual. Sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, repellent, face mask and hand sanitiser. Dress for weather forecast. LEADER: Paul K. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

Our quarterly planning night, in conjunction with the regular monthly social night - this month at the Duke of Wellington Hotel in the CBD. GRADE: Social.  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: Do you want to see more of a particular activity, or do you have a particularly favourite area of Victoria you would like to share with others? Do you have an idea for something apart from the regular walks? Come along to the planning meeting, and then stay for our monthly social evening where members talk about upcoming events, share a meal and compare notes on past activities. All members are welcome – you don't have to volunteer for an activity. New members are especially invited to this meeting as an orientation to Nomads activities. BOOKING: By Monday 12th April. To register, click on Get Tickets. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 7pm in the Rooftop Bar of the Duke of Wellington Hotel, 146 Flinders St, Melbourne.  MAP REFERENCE: Melway map 1B grid R9 | Google map g.page/thedukeofwellingtonmelbourne?share.  PUBLIC TRANSPORT: 35, 70 or 75 tram to stop 6 (Flinders/Russell St) or any train to Flinders Street Station. LEADER: Garry O. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

An urban walk in Bendigo. GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Moderate, 16 km, point-to-point walk. Mostly flat.  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: Travel will be by train, car optional. We will arrive at Kangaroo Flat at 10:57am then walk from the station to the Bendigo Creek to join the Bendigo Creek Trail. We will walk to Crusoe Reservoir, which we may walk around, then return to Kangaroo Flat and continue on to Bendigo, passing through Gateway Park along the way. BOOKING: By Thursday 8th April. To register, click on Get Tickets. NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210411 Kangaroo Flat to Bendigo Walk. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 8:55am at Southern Cross Railway Station for a 9:06am departure. This train is the Echuca service. MAP REFERENCE: Southern Cross Station: Melway map 1A grid A6 | Google map goo.gl/maps/thDNtAaLvphkZuVp6. Kangaroo Flat Station: Melway map X921 grid D9 | Google map goo.gl/maps/pm12wkEX6fjDRSfr5. DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: Train: 1 hour 50 minutes | Car: 147 km, 1 hour 40 minutes via Calder Fwy. PUBLIC TRANSPORT:  Outbound: 9:06am Echuca service to Kangaroo Flat.  Return: Trains to Melbourne depart at 4:26pm and 5:26pm, arriving in Melbourne at 6:24pm and 7:24pm respectively. Further information: see vline.com.au or ptv.vic.gov.au/journey. Train Cost: Economy Return: Adult $47.60 | Concession $23.80 or use free annual ticket. All regional train tickets include free suburban travel. FOOD: Bring lunch, water, and snacks if desired. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Walking boots, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, repellent, face mask, hand sanitiser and dress for the weather forecast. LEADER: Paul K. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

A gentle, relaxing cycle ride through Southbank, South Melbourne, Middle Park and Albert Park. GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Moderate, approximately 28 km, cycling circuit. This will be a scenic, social ride for those who like to take in the sights and have a chat along the way. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: Departing from Southern Cross Station we head along Collins St West to join up with the Capital City Trail. We head south on that to cross the Yarra via Webb Bridge, onto the Yarra Edge waterside promenade. We'll stop for a coffee (optional) at Hooks at the Yarra, 50 River Esplanade, Docklands, which has plenty of bike parking and outdoor seating.  Upon departing from the cafe, we continue along the waterfront promenade to the end of the path, which connects with Lorimer Street to head west and eventually join the nature trail under Westgate Bridge, which we follow around to Sandridge Beach. Continuing along the Beaconsfield Parade cycling path we cut inland to the Middle Park Hotel, 102 Canterbury Rd, Middle Park for lunch. After lunch we'll cycle around Albert Park Lake then cross Queens Rd, pass by the Albert Cricket Ground and follow Commercial Rd briefly to get to Fawkner Park. We cycle all the way through Fawkner Park to connect to the Botanical Gardens via Marne St. We cycle beside the gardens along Anderson St, cross the Yarra via the Morell Bridge and return to Federation Square via the Capital City Trail. From there you can catch a train, or alternatively follow the Capital City Trail in either direction to return homeward via any of the routes linking to that.   BOOKING: By Wednesday 7th April. To register, click on Get Tickets. NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210410 Cycling from Southern Cross, Albert Park Region. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 10.15am for a 10:30am departure from Southern Cross Station (upper level), at the cycle parking outside Pappa Rich Cafe, 3 Collins St, Melbourne. This is close to the Collins St tram stop outside Southern Cross Station.   MAP REFERENCE: Melway map 2E grid K6/K7 | Google map goo.gl/maps/sCAivYpvUK2WWGQz9.  PUBLIC TRANSPORT: any train line to Southern Cross Station. FOOD: we will order lunch at a cafe in Middle Park. Bring a litre of water plus snacks if you wish. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Bring face mask, hand sanitiser, helmet, spare tube and dress according to the weather forecast.  LEADER: Michael C. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

We currently have a good group of 21 people booked in for this event, which means we have 3 places left. This includes 4 people coming for Sat only. (There is a limit of 20 people overnight so that we can all fit comfortably in the house.) All the bedrooms have now been booked, but there is still carpet space available for sleeping on. AND the good news, the forecast has predicted Saturday and Sunday at the farm to be Sunny and 31C. Amazing! Sunny days for a naturist event! We think we may go to the Rocky Outcrops in the morning, and then in the afternoon go for a short walk to the waterhole for a skinny dip and sunbake on the lovely sandy beach.                                ______________________________________________ A naturist walk of medium difficulty through two farms in the spectacular granite boulder country north of Lancefield. A picturesque creek, some untouched forest and great views from two of the nearby rocky outcrops that we have not visited before. GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Medium 6 km naturist circuit walk. There is some easy walking through grassy paddocks, a little bit of log hopping along the creek and a few moderate inclines. To get to the views from the rocky outcrops will take a bit more effort, but if you like you can travel around the bottom of the outcrops and we will meet you again as we come down.  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: SATURDAY WALK: This walk is for naturists. We will meet and unload the cars at the overnight farmhouse anytime between 10am and 10.30am. Hot drinks and nibbles will be available until 11am. We will then take some of the cars 3 km to a neighbouring property. From there we plan to get ourselves comfortably unattired and start our walk through the picturesque countryside along the creek and up into the forest with the huge granite boulders. We will then cross into a neighbouring property and ascend two of the rocky outcrops for great views to the north. After our descent we can circle around past an old house ruin to our parked cars. If the weather is warm enough we can have a dip in a farm dam. Following this we can then head back to the overnight farmhouse for drinks and snacks at around 4pm. OVERNIGHT: Optional evening BBQ, overnight, breakfast and lunch at the farmhouse. After the walk we have been invited back for further naturist socialising at the very comfortable farmhouse with its great open fire. SLEEPING: For those staying overnight, there are two made-up queen size beds. Other people can sleep on the carpeted floor in the library or the lounge room - please BYO sleeping bag, sleeping mat/lilo, pillow etc. There is one spare doona, a few sleeping bags and a couple of spare foam sleeping mats at the property. Or if you like, you can put up your tent on the back lawn. There is also room for campervans etc. BBQ: BYO meat and drinks. Basic salads and bread will be supplied. A few desserts and other snacks would be appreciated. TOWELS: Please BYO towels for sitting on and for a shower. BREAKFAST: Breakfast is supplied, including eggs and bacon, and for Sunday lunch there are always plenty of leftovers from the night before. OTHER OPTIONS: For those who would like to have a look around the very picturesque scenery at the overnight farm on the Sunday morning, we plan to do a short naturist walk of about 1.5 to 2 hours along Mollison Creek, or to the Gorge, or to the host's back paddocks. This will be followed by lunch to eat up the spare food. BOOKING: By Wednesday 31st March. To register, click on Get Tickets. One ticket covers all activities you may wish to participate in - walk, BBQ and/or overnight.   RSVP FOR OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION: If you wish to stay overnight, you will need to SEND AN EMAIL to Colin, our farmhouse host, on LeaderColinP.thenomadsinc@mail.tidyhq.com to book your accommodation. Please state what accommodation you would like - bed, floor, tent or campervan. Please also include a contact phone number. Sleeping places in the house are limited to 18. There is no limit on tents and campervans. NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210403 Bushwalk near Lancefield, optional BBQ & O/night. COST: Free for Nomads financial members, $10 for visitors. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: Any time between 10am and 10.30am at a farmhouse 15 km north of Lancefield. The exact address will be sent to those who have purchased a ticket by 10am on Thursday 1st April. We plan to drive 3 km to the start of the walk at about 11am. Tea, coffee and snacks will be provided at the farmhouse. If you'd like egg and bacon sandwiches/rolls and a latte etc beforehand, the best place to get these would be from a cafe in the towns of Romsey or Lancefield. MAP REFERENCE: Melway map X909/609 grid J7 | Google Map: goo.gl/maps/5tjy71DBz9waYR9a6. DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: 87 km and 1 hour 15 minutes from the GPO. The farm and the town of Lancefield are due north of Tullamarine Airport. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Catch the 7:48am Metro train from Southern Cross to Sunbury station arriving at 8:32am. At Sunbury catch the 9am regional bus to Lancefield. From there we will need to arrange a ride to the farm for you. It probably would be easier for you to email the leader, Russell, on LeaderRussellW.thenomadsinc@mail.tidyhq.com to see if he can arrange a lift from your home for you. FOOD: Carry lunch, snacks and water for the Saturday naturist walk. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Face mask, hand sanitiser, sunscreen, hat and sunglasses. Wear comfortable walking shoes/boots. A small towel to dry off after a swim in the farm dam if it's warm enough. LEADER: Russell W. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

A scenic, relaxing ride along the Darebin and Merri Creeks with lunch at the Edwardes Lake Hotel (formerly Zagames). GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Medium, approximately 47 km, circuit cycling, mostly on sealed cycling paths, with minimal hills.  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: While waiting for others to arrive, you could get a coffee from Nikos Cafe if you wish. From the meeting point we head to the nearby Darebin Creek Trail and follow that northwards all the way to the Western Ring Road Trail. We take that, heading west, for about 7.5 km to the top of the Merri Creek Path, where we head south as far as the Broadhurst Av exit. Broadhurst Ave and the Edgars Ck Path take us directly to our lunch point, the Edwardes Lake Hotel, 257 Edwardes St, Reservoir, overlooking Edwardes Lake. After lunch we retrace our steps back to the Merri Creek and follow that southwards back to our starting point at Fairfield Station, or to any convenient exit point along the way. This route gives us lots of options in case of inclement weather, and the final stage of the ride connects with a host of convenient cycling paths and train stations. BOOKING: By Wednesday 31st March. To register, click on Get Tickets. NOMADS COVIDSafe Checklist: Checklist 210402 Good Friday Cycling. FURTHER INFORMATION: the route: Fairfield - Darebin Ck - Ring Road - Merri Ck - Fairfield. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 10:30am beside the Fido Statue (between the Fairfield Station outbound direction exit and Nikos Cakes, 254 Wingrove St, Fairfield).  MAP REFERENCE: Melway map 30 grid K10 | Google map goo.gl/maps/yXr41h1emqG9z2Cb6.  PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Hurstbridge line to Fairfield Station. FOOD: We will order lunch at the Edwardes Lake Hotel, Reservoir, but you should carry 1 litre of water. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Face mask, hand sanitiser, bike, helmet and dress according to the weather forecast. Bring a spare bike tube if you have one. LEADER: George W. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

**THIS EVENT IS AT MAXIMUM NUMBERS SO SORRY NO NEW ATTENDEES** Enjoy the comfort of a home stay, together with access to the world class Wilsons Promontory National Park for day walks. GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Easy – day walks and beach activities.  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: We have a private house at Yanakie overlooking Corner Inlet just near the park entrance. You can come down for as many days as you like. It is quite flexible. There are many nice day walks in the area. We will decide where to walk each day taking into account the condition of the weather and the participants. The base offers hot showers, comfortable accommodation and a log fire to warm up if the day is cold. There is a range of gay themed movies to watch in the evening for movie buffs. BOOKING: By Monday 29th March. To register, click on Get Tickets. NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210401 Yanakie/Wilsons Promontory Walks. FURTHER INFORMATION: www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/wilsons-promontory-national-park. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: You can arrive any time from Thursday as arranged with the leader. You will be given location details after registering.  MAP REFERENCE: Melway map X928/628 grid C10 | VicRoads map 103 grid D7 | Google map goo.gl/maps/A8fupz5R28HgD9Ec9. Detailed directions will be provided after the RSVP date.  DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: Approximately 195 km. Yanakie is 2.5 hours drive from Melbourne towards Wilsons Promontory. TRANSPORT: Public transport not available. We will try to maximise car-pooling as parking is limited at the house. FOOD: Bring supplies for your own breakfast and lunch. Communal night meals will be arranged once the numbers are known. There are staples at the house like sugar, tea etc. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Face mask, hand sanitiser, warm waterproof gear and changes of clothing. Summery attire is also likely to be needed. It might be warm enough to dive into the sea. Light comfortable walking footwear. ACCOMMODATION: There are a limited number of beds for the early birds, some floor space and plenty of tent space in the garden. Bring linen and towels. COST: Free entry to the National Park. Donation towards any meals that are provided. LEADER: Roger H. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

For the last weekend prior to the end of daylight saving, take a ferry from Docklands to Portarlington, cycle the Bellarine Peninsula then return to Southern Cross Station (Docklands) by train from South Geelong. GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Medium, approximately 46 km, cycling (plus ferry and train). The route is flat to gently undulating on both cycling paths and roads, with a combination of sealed and gravel surfaces. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: Enjoy a relaxing, multi-mode tour of the northern Bellarine Peninsula, starting with a ferry ride from Docklands to Portarlington to take in the scenery of the lower Yarra and the Bay. Once docked in Portarlington, we'll have lunch at the Portarlington Golf Club, taking care to not over indulge though as there's work to be done afterwards! (** we had originally planned to dine at the Portarlington Grand Hotel, but unfortunately it's closed for renovations). After dining, we follow the scenic off-road coastal trail around to St Leonards (13 km). There we head inland, riding on-road (mostly unsealed), to meet the Bellarine Rail Trail at Drysdale (13 km). That trail takes us back to South Geelong Station (20.7 km) to catch a V/Line train to Southern Cross, with departures from South Geelong every 20 minutes approximately.  IMPORTANT: There's a limit of 20 bikes on the ferry. Book your ferry ticket early to ensure you don't miss out! WALKING OPTION: You can also join us for lunch, followed by some relatively easy walks around Portarlington if you wish. Richard Chater will lead those walks. Afterwards, you can either return by ferry (departing Portarlington at 4:30pm) or else catch a bus to Geelong, then V/Line train back to Melbourne. BOOKING: By Thursday 25th March, or ASAP to ensure you can get your bike on the ferry. Cycling: To register, click on Get Tickets and also book your ferry ticket to Portarlington, being sure to select the (free) bike option. Lunch/Walking: to register, click on Get Tickets as normal, but be sure to select your "Preferred Activity" as "Walking" (or "Other" if you only wish to attend the lunch then make your own way home).  Note that because of COVID regulations, walkers also need to pre-book your ferry ticket to Portarlington. NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210328 Ferry to Portarlington and Cycling Bellarine Peninsual. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 10:20am at 131 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands to load your bike for a 10:40am ferry departure (which arrives in Portarlington at 11:50am).  COST:  Ferry: Full $16.50 or Concession $15.00. No surcharge for bikes, but they must be booked (limit of 20 bikes) Lunch: see the Portarlington Golf Club menu V/Line Train (South Geelong to Southern Cross): the Geelong stations are in Myki Zone 4. The cost for an off-peak Zone 1-4 trip is $9.52 full or $4.76 concession.  MAP REFERENCE: Ferry terminal: Melway map 2E grid G5 | Google map goo.gl/maps/UmmEhXgNVsBYY8SY6.  PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Southern Cross Station is close by. The safest way to ride from Southern Cross Station is to take the Collins Street exit. Turn right onto Collins Street then after 500 metres turn right onto Harbour Esplanade. The ferry will be located on your left after 500 metres. FOOD: Lunch will be at the Portarlington Golf Club. Carry a litre of water. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Face mask, hand sanitiser, comfortable cycling gear, plus bike, helmet and gloves. Dress according to the weather forecast. A light jacket may be useful regardless of the forecast. LEADER: Alan D. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website. Image: Port Phillip Ferries   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

Have a relaxing Saturday walk through the iconic gardens that border the southern edge of the Melbourne Central Business District (CBD) and relax with a BYO picnic lunch on one of the many lawn areas that are dotted throughout the Royal Botanical Gardens. GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Easy, approximately 5 km of walking to/from and within multiple gardens.  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: Meeting in the booking hall at the main entrance to Flinders Street Station, the event will head south along St Kilda Road passing through two major Gardens: Queen Victoria Gardens and Kings Domain. Stops will be made to learn about multiple installations in these Gardens; including MP Pavillon, The Pathfinder Sculpture, The Water Nymph, the Floral Clock and the COVID-19 retrofitted Myer Music Bowl. Time will then be spent exploring the Pioneer Women's Memorial Garden and the Fern Gully Health and Wellbeing Garden before entering the Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) via the Lych Gate. Must-sees in the RBG are Guilfoyle's Volcano and the newly created Sensory Garden. The latter is best "felt" by walking through it in bare feet!! Depending on crowds and the weather, a spot will be selected for lunch and as a base for exploring the gardens. BOOKING: By Thursday 25th March. To register, click on Get Tickets. NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210327 Iconic Gardens Walk. FURTHER INFORMATION: rbg.vic.gov.au/visit-melbourne or What's On: Queen Victoria Gardens or What's On: Kings Domain. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 10:30am at the Booking Hall between the Clocks and the Myki entrance gates off the Flinders Street entrance to Flinders Street Station.  MAP REFERENCE: Melway map 1B grid N10 | Google map goo.gl/maps/B4c19Q8yRQjAA3KF7. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Multiple train, tram and bus routes either arrive at or within a short walk of Flinders Street Station. Cost is free for those with a Myki Pass or Seniors card. Myki Money daily weekend fares are capped at $6.50 full fare and $3.25 for concession holders. FOOD: Carry lunch, snacks and at least 1 litre of water. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Face mask, hand sanitiser, comfortable walking boots/shoes and dress according to the weather forecast. LEADER: Garry Oliver | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

THERE ARE CURRENTLY 2 SPARE TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT.  We now have 35 out of 37 going. You can purchase your ticket from this page. Enjoy a naturist bushwalk through the open and hilly forests west of Melbourne for some great gorge views and maybe a splash in the river. GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Moderate 7 km to 8 km walk. The track varies from sometimes undulating to occasionally steep and at times a bit rocky. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: We shall meet at a coffee/takeaway venue on the outskirts of Bacchus Marsh. From there you can drive your car, or carpool to the start of the walk 14 km away. After applying sunscreen we will head off into the forest with lunch and water in our packs for a pleasant naturist walk in the outdoors. Hopefully we will find a spot with a good view for lunch. Later if we are feeling energetic we can walk down to the Werribee River and try out the water. For those feeling less energetic they can rest at the top and continue to enjoy the views. After we return to the cars there will be the opportunity for us to go to a Bacchus Marsh hotel for cool drinks or a coffee (COVID-19 restrictions permitting). It will probably be Flanagans Border Inn at 139 Main St, Bacchus Marsh - to be confirmed on the day. BOOKING: Preferably by Thursday 18th March. To register, click on Get Tickets. NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210321 Werribee Gorge back route walk. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 10.15am at the BP Service Station Takeaway, 65 Grant St, Maddingley, a suburb on the outskirts of Bacchus Marsh.  MAP REFERENCE: Melway map X911 grid F2 | Google map goo.gl/maps/hU4LTE1V9aeejdnG9.  DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: 65 km, approximately 55 minutes. Various routes are possible but probably using the Western Fwy is best. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Take the 9:15am Wendouree (Ballarat) train from Southern Cross. Alight at Bacchus Marsh Railway Station at 10.03am. From there it is a 550m (7 min) walk to the meeting place. FOOD: Carry lunch, snacks and approximately a litre of water. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Face mask, hand sanitiser, comfortable walking boots/shoes, hat, dark glasses, sunscreen. Bring a small towel in case we get to have a dip in the river. Shorts may be needed for part of the track, Otherwise clothes should not be required. However if cold or windy bring appropriate items. LEADER: Russell W. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

4 Spots Left! Enjoy a pleasant naturist beach day, with a leisurely lunch and swim. An optional late afternoon clifftop hike with spectacular views followed by dinner is also being offered as part of this event.  GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Easy, approximately 1.5 km walk from the car park to the lunch spot on the beach. There are quite a few steps from the road down to the beach, but you can always take your time. The afternoon/evening hike is graded as moderate (the Ironbark Basin Trail is rather flat with a few uphill steps and tracks on a long gradual climb with a few steeper sections through the basin and along the cliffs).  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: Enjoy a pleasant clothes-free beach day, with a leisurely lunch and swim. Optional activities include body surfing in a moderate surf and a 1 km beach walk to the rocky headland towards Southside. As the tide will go out during the day, we could if you like walk around the headland for another kilometre to the very end of the naturist beach at Southside.  A beach game or two will also be played. The optional afternoon clifftop hike through the Ironbark Basin will take place after the official beach day finishes. If time permits and there is enough interest, we will also visit the red ochre rocks at Black Rock Beach, about 2 km away. This beach boasts amazing rich red and black rocks, with a secluded beach and plenty of photo opportunities to be had. This beach will require a 2 km walk (easy to medium walk with some steps) along the Surf Coast Track to get to it. The evening hike is proposed to run from about 4:30pm/5pm to about 7pm. At the conclusion of the walk, all participants are invited to an optional dinner (approx. 7:30pm) at the local Chinese restaurant in Torquay to end a most enjoyable day out. IronBark Basin Hike (Clothed): (3 km return trip): Moderate A very pleasant hike through the Ironbark Basin, which is part of the massive Great Otway National Park.  A mostly sheltered forest trail with features of spectacular clifftop views of Addiscott Beach. At first the trail enters a stringybark woodland, scattered with ironbark trees and an understory of wattle, grass trees and ground covers. The walk affords not only spectacular views of the coast, with opportunities for animal and birdwatching, but also insights into the local Indigenous culture explaining the use of bush food by the local Koori people. Bring your cameras! The Day's Runsheet: 10:30am - Start of beach day/swim at Point Addis 4:30pm - Start of the Ironbark Basin hike (optional) 7:00pm - Head to the local Chinese restaurant in Torquay or another venue of choice for dinner (optional) 9:30pm - Leave Torquay bound for Melbourne BOOKING: By Thursday 18th March. To register, click on Get Tickets. NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210313 Pt Addis Beach Day with hike and dinner. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 10:30am at Point Addis Beach car park in Pt Addis Rd (this is on the right-hand side of the road and is about 500 metres before the end of the road on the Pt Addis headland).  If you arrive later, you can meet us on the beach. Instructions will be emailed prior to the event on the exact spot. MAP REFERENCE: Melway key map 15 grid A21 | Google map goo.gl/maps/w3hMeN4CigLwvQiV6.   DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: 107 km, approximately 1 hour 20 minutes to drive via the M1 freeway. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: The Apollo Bay coach has a stop at Pt Addis Rd, but you would arrive late to the event. FOOD: Bring lunch, snacks and drinking water. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Sunscreen, hat, repellent, beach towel, footwear if sand is hot. Shorts required to get from the car park to the appropriate section of the beach. Beach umbrella or shade equipment could be useful. Hand sanitiser and a face mask when a minimum of 1.5 meters cannot be achieved. LEADER: Jason T. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website. HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS                      

Walk along green reserves in Thomastown and explore the original German colonial village of Westgarthtown that includes the Ziebell Farmhouse, its colonial gardens, Lutheran cemetery and bluestone chapel, where the earliest German settlers established dairy farms. Walk where John Batman met with the local leaders of the Wurundjeri people and made a contentious treaty with them in 1835. Reflect on the impressive contribution of these settlers to the formation of Victoria's wealth and diversity, achieved however by the dispossession of the Indigenous first peoples' lands and hunting fields.  GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Easy, approximately 7 km, circuit walk.  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: From Thomastown Station, we will walk down Main Street, then turn into Edgars Reserve that follows the Edgars Creek and has been re-planted extensively with native vegetation. Within Edgars Reserve, historians believe John Batman "negotiated" a treaty with the Wurundjeri people. We will walk up a pathway to the simple bluestone Lutheran chapel - the oldest operating Lutheran church building in Australia, dedicated in 1856. From the chapel, we'll cross the paddock to the original Ziebell Farmhouse. Ziebell's Farmhouse is open to the public, built between 1851 and 1856 with 61cm walls and is a typical German farmhouse design. It is surrounded by the original, shady colonial garden that features still healthy 140 year old roses. Entry fee is $3 per person. PLEASE NOTE COVID 19 RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE AS AT 17TH FEB 2021: Entry to the Museum and Gardens is limited to 4 people for a 45 minute time slot. Two time slots have been booked to hopefully allow us sufficient time to inspect the house and gardens. The first time slot is 12:15pm. The second slot is 1pm. We will all get an opportunity to go in; another 4 people can enter once the first group of 4 exit the house -- SO it may be necessary for each group of 4 to limit their inspection time to say 20 minutes. How long each group of four gets will depend on the attendee numbers on the day. It had been anticipated that we could have lunch in these gardens but that doesn't seem possible now. Either way, we will have lunch under some shady trees! From the Farmhouse we will walk to the oldest Lutheran cemetery in Australia nearby, then on to a heritage walk to see the other German farmhouses that constituted the original village. We'll skirt a sports reserve and return to Edgars Reserve for our return to Thomastown Station. We can have an afternoon tea either at a covered outdoor cafe on the heritage walk or back at a reasonable kiosk with seating at Thomastown Station. We will catch the 3:35pm train to Flinders St.  NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210314 Westgarthtown Urban Walk, Thomastown. BOOKING: By Thursday 11th March | To register, click on Get Tickets. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 10am at Flinders St Station for the 10:08am Mernda train. We'll travel in the front carriage. Gathering time outside Thomastown Station 10:50am.  MAP REFERENCE: Melway map 8 grid H5 | Google map goo.gl/maps/NnReL3xVAk84psyH9.  DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: 16 km, approximately 40 minutes by train. TRANSPORT: By train as described above or car parking available at Thomastown Station. FOOD: Carry lunch, snacks and at least 1 litre of water. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Comfortable walking boots/shoes and dress according to the weather forecast. Don't forget a face mask and hand sanitiser. LEADER: Don V. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

Cap off your long weekend at ChillOut Festival with this scenic walk in the goldfields/mineral springs region, or alternatively, do part or all of it as a day walk.  GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Moderate 12 km point-to-point walk with car shuffle. There will be the option to exit the walk at The Blowhole (at 7 km) if you request that in advance. There are some challenges including steep sections and poorly formed tracks. Some sections will be slippery if there has been recent rain. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: In this scenic walk from Hepburn Springs to Daylesford, you'll be surrounded by bushland virtually all the way, but will never be too far from suburbia. Winding our way along tracks beside Spring Creek and Sailors Creek, we'll get to check out the Jacksons Tower Lookout, natural springs (to sample some natural spring water), Breakneck Gorge, The Blowhole, the Mistletoe Mine site and Tipperary Springs.  The Blowhole is an artificial diversion tunnel on Sailors Creek, built by gold miners around the early 1870s. A tunnel through the spur was cut to redirect water flow from the original creek line. The soil in the dry creek bed was then sluiced for gold. Breakneck Gorge is a deep, tree-filled gorge. Mistletoe Mine is one of many deep-shaft mines in the region, though many have now been filled in. This one is still open, but capped off with wire mesh. The walk officially finishes at Tipperary Springs where a car(s) will have been parked in advance to take the drivers back to their cars at the start point. While waiting for them to return to collect you, you can explore the scenic Tipperary Springs or just relax at the picnic tables. Alternatively, it's only 2.5 km to walk to Daylesford's main street via Tipperary Springs Rd, a few metres on Midland Hwy, then Central Springs Rd - see map below. BOOKING: by Friday 5th March. Click on Get Tickets to book. The ChillOut weekend consists of a number of Nomads events. If you are not a Nomads member but plan to attend more than one Nomads ChillOut Weekend activity, we suggest you take out a 1 month temporary membership (cost $8) prior to booking for the events you wish to attend, to avoid paying multiple visitor fees. Once you have taken out your membership, select Get Tickets on each event that you wish to attend and choose the Member ticket option.  NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210308 Bushwalking from Hepburn Springs to Daylesford. FURTHER INFORMATION: Bushwalking Victoria: Breakneck Gorge and Jacksons Lookout and Federation Walks 2015. The Life of Py blog: www.thelifeofpy.com/tipperary-track-daylesford-victoria. WalkingMaps.com.au: Bryces Flat to Breakneck Gorge. This walk, along with the Nomads ChillOut Saturday Morning Community Bushwalk and the Nomads Mixed Naturist Bushwalk and optional swim on Saturday 6th March, forms part of the ChillOut Festival Camping Weekend, where you can camp at the Jubilee Lake Holiday Park and participate in some of the Nomads walks and ChillOut Festival activities.  MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 10:30am in the car park at the end of Mineral Springs Reserve Rd, Hepburn Springs (follow the road past the Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa to the car park at the end of that road). MAP REFERENCE: Melway map X909 grid C9 | Google map: goo.gl/maps/8oRRGDQ5MBWmuodx9 DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: Via Western Fwy 118 km, 1 hour 25 minutes | via Calder Fwy 117 km, 1 hour 30 minutes. FOOD: Carry lunch, snacks and at least 1 litre of water. You will be able to sample natural spring water along the way. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Face mask, hand sanitiser, comfortable walking boots and dress according to the weather forecast. Depending on recent rainfall, you may get wet feet in some creek crossings. Some sections contain sharp rocks.  LEADER: Alan D. | Email the leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   (Optional) walking route from Tipperary Springs back to central Daylesford.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS

Enjoy a pleasant clothes-free stroll in the forest followed by an optional swim, during the ChillOut Festival weekend at Daylesford. GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Moderate, approximately 3.5 km circuit walk. The country is generally undulating, though there are a couple of short steep sections. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: This event is for naturists. Enjoy a pleasant clothes-free stroll through the tall trees and along the picturesque creeks in the forest near Daylesford. A good chance for a chat, or just enjoy the pleasure of being in the forest, without clothes. The walk should finish by about 4:30pm. We can head then for our swimming place and can swim until about 5:30 to 6pm when some of us will need to return to Daylesford for the Saturday night activities. The swimming place is about 10 minutes' drive from Daylesford. People can leave from the swimming place whenever they need to return to Daylesford. BOOKING: Preferably by Friday 5th March. Click on Get Tickets to register. The ChillOut weekend consists of a number of Nomads events. If you are not a Nomads member but plan to attend more than one Nomads ChillOut Weekend activity, we suggest you take out a Temporary 1-month membership (cost $8) prior to booking for the events you wish to attend, to avoid paying multiple visitor fees. Once you have taken out your membership, to confirm your bookings select Get Tickets on each event that you wish to attend.  NOMADS COVIDSAFE CHECKLIST: Checklist 210306 Bushwalk with optional Swim, Chillout Sat afternoon. FURTHER INFORMATION: This walk, along with the Nomads Chillout Saturday Morning Community Bushwalk on Saturday 6th March and the Bushwalking around Hepburn Springs on Monday 8th March, forms part of the Labour Day Long Weekend – ChillOut Camping, where you can camp at the Jubilee Lake Holiday Park and participate in some of the ChillOut Festival activities.  MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 2.15pm at Bolton's Takeaway, 31A East St, Daylesford. There is plenty of parking on the vacant grassy block on the SE corner of East St and Mink St. This shop is 1.2 km east of Vincent St (Daylesford's main street). If you would like a lift from Daylesford, send a message to 0417 311 710, or post a comment on Meetup and we will try to arrange a ride for you.  MAP REFERENCE: Melway map X909 grid C9 | Google map goo.gl/maps/ETcZnnjGD1R2.  DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: 114 km | 1 hour 25 minutes. COST: Free for Nomads members, $5 for non-members. However, if you are a non-member and have paid your $10 for the Morning Chillout walk, you can come along for free. Click on Get Tickets to register to attend. FOOD: You may wish to bring about 600ml of water. However, as the walk is relatively short you may just wish to have a drink before we depart, and have another when we return to the cars for a snack and a drink. Food is not required but you can take a snack if you like. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Face mask, hand sanitiser, sunscreen, hat, dark glasses, repellent (maybe). Wear comfortable walking shoes/boots. Shorts etc. for the start and end of the walk. A small towel to dry off after the swim. LEADER: Jason T. | Email the Leader if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS