Battery Dam Historic Area

Good to know

Dogs allowed

No booking required

No fees payable

Historical interest

Suitable for 2WD vehicles

There are no toilets at this site.

Facilities available

About this picnic area

Battery Dam is set among box and ironbark trees in the Craigie State Forest and offers a mix of cultural and natural history. Enjoy a picnic here and discover remnants from pre-European times, the gold rush of the 1850s and the more recent forest-based industries.

The Traditional Owners of this area are the Dja Dja Wurrung people. Evidence of how the Dja Dja Wurrung people survived in these dry forests can be found at Bull Gully Rock Wells

Water, quartz and oil

The wells provided a valuable source of drinking water by collecting rain in trenches dug from outcropping sandstone. They are the best-known example of their type in Victoria and can be viewed via a short loop walk that starts from the Battery Dam picnic area.

During the gold rush this area was used to crush and process quartz from local mines. In later years it became the site of a eucalyptus distillery.

Explore the area and then enjoy a scenic stop. Picnic tables and BBQs are provided for day visitor use. Several information boards provide interpretation of the various features at the site.