
The guide will have 1:25,000 ratio maps of the whole of the 210km track between Mt Buninyong and Bendigo, which passes through the towns of Ballarat, Creswick, Daylesford and Castlemaine on the way. It is the longest shared use track (for walkers & mountain bikers) in the country. I'm writing and producing the guide, and have now walked or ridden its whole length as part of the 'ground truthing' process. GDTA surveyor Bill Casey has GPSed the whole track. DSE's Customised Mapping Unit in Ballarat are producing standard VicMap style contour maps.
The map spreads with track notes and large numbers of photos will be sandwiched between essays by local experts on landscape features from geology to plants and animals, as well as essays on the goldfields' rich cultural heritage and some of the area's historical characters.
The wire bound, paperback size guide will be available from central Victorian tourist information centres and via the book's major sponsor the Great Dividing Trail Association. The retail price for the 160 page guide will be between $25-30.