Mount Cole State Forest Guide
25 km from Beaufort, about an hour west of Ballarat — the Beeripmo Walk, and a free camp at Chinamans.
Unofficial operator’s manual
Independent, unofficial, not DEECA, not Parks Victoria · Content reviewed 24 Sep 2026
Can you camp, can the dog come, which named site, what to check before you leave the Western Highway. DEECA / Explore Outdoors owns live conditions. Always confirm on the Chinamans page and VicEmergency. This site doesn’t show live road status. Roads and fire rules change — check the morning you go.
- Beeripmo Walk · 21 km
- Chinamans · shelter and horse pen
- Free · first-come · no fees
- Dogs on a lead in the forest
- Beeripmo camp is walk-in
- Not the Grampians
Plan, camp, maps, town bed
Not the national park
This is a State forest, not the Grampians
Mount Cole State Forest is a Victorian working forest managed by DEECA (Explore Outdoors) — not Parks Victoria, and not the Grampians. It is 25 km from Beaufort, about an hour west of Ballarat, off the Western Highway, on the way to the Pyrenees and the Grampians. This page is the forest. Camping is free and first-come. Beeripmo Walk is the long walk. Chinamans is the drive-in camp with a shelter and a horse pen. Mount Buangor State Park and Langi Ghiran State Park are next door, and dogs are not allowed there. This site is an unofficial operator’s manual in the State Forest Guide Australia network. Check Explore Outdoors and VicEmergency before you drive.
What kind of forest day?
Beeripmo Walk
21 km return · Grade 3 · 2 days
Richards is a common start. Day 1 about 7.2 km, day 2 about 13 km. The halfway camp is walk-in only. Carry water. Leave the dog and the van behind.
Chinamans Campground
Toilets · shelter · horse pen
Large open site on the north-west side. Dogs allowed. No booking. No fees. Room for a small caravan. Drinking water is not listed.
The other named camps
Ditchfield · Mugwamp · Richards · Smiths Bridge
Drive-in grass at Ditchfield and Smiths Bridge. Mugwamp is a small walk-in tent site. Richards may still be day use only — read that page before you sleep there.
I meant the Grampians
Different place
This page is the State Forest. Mount Buangor and Langi Ghiran are Parks Victoria, and dogs are not allowed there. The Grampians has its own guide.
Best for
A two-day Grade 3 walk, or a free drive-in camp with a dog, a horse pen and a shelter, with a town bed ready if the grass is already taken.
Skip if
You need a reserved pad or tap water tonight. You wanted the Grampians. You are towing a van to Beeripmo. You need to take the dog into Mount Buangor State Park.
Featured
Chinamans Campground
The drive-in camp. Official: dogs allowed, no booking, no fees, toilets, 2WD, wheelchair access, room for small caravans. Shelter and a horse pen. Drinking water is not listed.
How long
Distances from Explore Outdoors. Hours below are ours.
Half day
Picnic at Chinamans, Ditchfield or Smiths Bridge. Check Richards before you count on camping there.
Full day
A day on the forest roads and a shorter walk from a drive-in camp. Grevillea, Paradise and Fiery Loop are named walks. No kilometre is published for them.
Two days
Beeripmo Walk: 21 km return, Grade 3. Night at the walk-in camp. If you need a bed you can hold: Beaufort, Raglan, Ararat or Ballarat.
Named walk
Beeripmo Walk
Mount Cole State Forest Guide
Mount Cole State Forest Guide downloads
Printable planner and itineraries. Packing, what to do if Chinamans is full, half day, full day and overnight. Explore Outdoors, CFA and VicEmergency links on every file.
- Planner — packing, last towns, dogs, fires, Friday Plan B
- Itineraries — half day, full day, overnight. Times below are ours
- Forest mark + www.mountcolestateforest.com.au on every sheet
Free direct download — no email required. Maps · Itineraries · Privacy.
Part of the State Forest Guide Australia network
This unofficial Mount Cole State Forest guide is in that network. Not government. Not Parks Victoria. Not a national-park directory.
Browse state forests → stateforestguide.com.au
Sister state forests
Only live guides are links. The rest are coming later.
FAQ
Is Mount Cole State Forest the Grampians?
No. It is a Victorian working forest managed by DEECA (Explore Outdoors), 25 km from Beaufort. The Grampians and Mount Buangor State Park are different places, with different rules.
Is camping free? Can I reserve Chinamans?
Explore Outdoors lists the forest camps with no fees and no booking required. You cannot reserve a site. Beeripmo Campground is walk-in only. A town bed is the Plan B when Chinamans is full.
Can I bring a dog?
Yes in the State Forest. Explore Outdoors says dogs are allowed at Chinamans, and that dogs are permitted in the forest. Keep them on a lead. They are not allowed in Mount Buangor State Park or Langi Ghiran State Park, so the full Beeripmo Walk is not a dog walk.
How long do I need?
Distances come from Explore Outdoors. The hours are ours. Half day: a picnic at Chinamans or Ditchfield. Full day: a shorter walk from Richards if the track you choose is open. Two days: Beeripmo Walk, 21 km return, Grade 3, with the night at the walk-in camp.
Is this site official?
No. Independent unofficial operator’s manual in the State Forest Guide Australia network. Not DEECA. Not Parks Victoria.
Camp names and the Beeripmo Walk figures come from Explore Outdoors (Chinamans, Beeripmo, Ditchfield, Mugwamp, Richards, Smiths Bridge). Dogs in the adjoining parks: Parks Victoria. Fires and warnings: CFA and VicEmergency. This page is the State Forest.
Not independently walked. Conditions, roads and fire rules change. Verify with Explore Outdoors and VicEmergency. This page is not live road status.