Hanging Rock Reserve

Rumoured to have been the haunt of bushranger 'Mad Dog' Morgan, this small volcano or mamelon was formed by an upheaval of lava millions of years ago. It was made famous by the classic Australian novel and later movie Picnic at Hanging Rock, the mythic tale of the Valentine's Day disappearance of a group of schoolgirls and their teacher while visiting Hanging Rock in 1901. The legend endures, and an air of mystery and intrigue still lingers. The mound of massive granite tors is riddled with caves, tunnels and overhanging boulders, its shapes and acoustic echoes enhancing its already spooky reputation. Ascend the rock to the 105-metre summit for a bird's-eye view over the surrounding flat plain and farmland, and the thickly-forested Macedon and Cobaw ranges. Visit the Hanging Rock Discovery Centre for interpretive displays of the area's history and geology.