Parks Victoria is monitoring the natural attraction which was damaged in floods last spring and closed for public safety. Heavy flooding in September caused parts of the rock cliffs to collapse next to the walking track and damaged the foundations of the viewing platform. 

Parks Victoria Western Basalt district manager Tony English said options for reopening The Blowhole site were being considered.

“The scale of the damage and the risk to the public from further rock collapse means the area will remain closed for some time,” he said. 

Parks Victoria staff are monitoring the site to determine its stability and have recorded further rock falls in the last two months.

Mr English said there was a chance further rock falls may continue. 

“The walking track is over the blowhole tunnel and there is a chance further rock falls may occur,” he said.

“Access to, and along, the Goldfields Track has not been affected by this closure.”

Walking tracks leading into The Blowhole site from the carpark are fenced off and closures are clearly signposted. Parks Victoria urges visitors to not enter closed areas for their own safety.

Mr English said further geological technical assessment must be carried out before a plan for the site’s future can be developed.

“It is not certain if further cliff collapse can be prevented, or what work is needed on the site to protect public safety,” he said. 

“The Blowhole is a unique location and Parks Victoria is keen to reopen it to visitors, however we cannot open the site while there is the risk of further rock falls.

“We appreciate that this will disappoint visitors to The Blowhole but public safety is our number one priority. Unfortunately, the scale of the damage means the site can not be reopened quickly.”

The Blowhole is a unique historical remnant of Victoria’s gold rush days and a popular visitor attraction. It was created when miners cut through shale rock cliffs.