Major Mitchell cairn monument is one of many commemorative monuments to Major Mitchell scattered across the south-east region of Australia.
The third expedition of Major Thomas Mitchell was undertaken in 1836, the first European person to visit the area now known as Wedderburn.
The cairn is located about 5 kilometres south of Wedderburn on the Calder Highway. Other than the cairn monument to Major Thomas Mitchell and the two brown signs along the highway on approach to it, there isn’t anything there.
There is little room for parking so if you stop you need to take care and consideration for traffic along the highway. As a safer alternative to parking close to the monument, there are side roads at either end and you can walk back to it.
There is a small dirt track, Monument Dr, less than 100m on the same side of the highway so you don’t have to cross the highway to get to the cairn.
Monument Drive is quite narrow but if you are towing you can continue straight ahead and turn left at the end onto Wedderburn-Wedderburn Junction Rd which will take you back to the highway.
Mitchell Lane is wider and a little closer to the cairn but you will need to cross the highway. In spite of it being wider than Monument Drive, if you are towing it may be better to park in Monument Drive as there is no through road so you will have to find somewhere to turn around on the road itself.
To Get There
From the front of the Wedderburn Information Centre, head back to the main street (High St, Calder Hwy) and turn right. The road bends to the left heading towards Bendigo. From the bend, follow Calder Hwy for 3.5km. The Major Mitchell monument is on the left with a brown sign for Major Mitchell 1836 just before it. Monument Dr is less than 100m after the cairn.
If coming from Inglewood, the monument is about 24km on the right after leaving Inglewood, with a brown sign for Major Mitchell 1836 just before it. Monument Dr is on the right shortly before the cairn but if you miss it, Mitchell Lane is about 50m after it on the left, however, not that it is not a through road and may be difficult for towing vehicles to turn around in.
