Dom Dom Creek Loop is an easy walk along forest management roads circling Mt Dom Dom in Marysville State Forest. A short but exciting drive from Melbourne up the winding Black Spur makes getting there as fun as the walk itself. The trail to the summit is very overgrown and poses a risk of getting lost on your way back down.
Starting Off
Park opposite the Black Spur Inn and walk south down the dirt road, you'll soon enter the forest. After a short walk you'll pass Dom Dom Farm and reach the intersection of Dom Dom Rd and Dom Dom Creek Rd. Here you can choose to go left or right, there's not much difference either way, going right (anti-clockwise) rewards you with earlier views of Mt Dom Dom, while heading left (clockwise) lets you tackle the longer, unbroken stretch first and have a few stops on the way back, like the summit if you choose, or Dom Dom Saddle Picnic Ground for a lunch break.
Fork in the Road
Going left, it's a gentle climb as the road meanders through a beautiful forest of tall gums reaching toward the sky. There's not much varation though, and before you know it you'll have passed the hairpin and be heading west.
Summit Path
Another kilometer on from the hairpin, you'll see the path to the summit on your left. The first 50 metres looks like an exploded mine field, with deep holes alternating each side of the path. Navigating the loose dirt between the holes is tricky and you'll want to find a sturdy branch for a walking stick if you didn't bring poles. Once you're past the mine field, the path to the summit becomes overgrown and hard to follow. If you choose to push through it you'll wish you had a long pants and long sleeves to protect yourself from the cutty grass and blackberry thorns that will tear at you. Three quarters of the way up I was literally pushing through bushes before the track opened up again. Looking back I couldn't see where I'd come from at all, and a false trail led off in a different direction. At this point I decided to turn back, as even with the GPS I don't think I would have found the path again. Next time I'd consider bringing some coloured tape or cloth to mark the trail back.
Dom Dom Saddle Picnic Ground
After the (mis)adventure to the summit, the forestry roads are a welcome, easy walk again. Not much further on you'll pass a clearing undergoing revegetation, where you'll get a proper view of Mt Dom Dom, capped in tall gums like soldiers. Continuing on you'll eventually reach a turnoff to Dom Dom Saddle Picnic Ground, it's worth the short diversion to take a rest here.
The Return
Returning to the trail, the final stage is relatively uneventful, but if you're after a quiet stroll in the forest to contemplate life, this is a good spot for it. You'll eventually pass Dom Dom Farm again and meet up with Dom Dom Rd, which will lead you back to the car park.