Serpentine

Serpentine is a small town in a central Loddon Shire region where the rolling hills of the southern reaches of the council area give way to the broad, flat plains occupied by dryland farmers.

It is a region that also embraces part of the celebrated Golden Triangle bound by Wedderburn, Inglewood and Dunoly which produced up to 80 per cent of the world's gold nuggets.

Serpentine lies to the east of the triangle on the Loddon Valley Highway and, along with nearby towns, retains many of the buildings that date back to early settlement.

Serpentine is also within comfortable driving distance of the Whipstick and Kamarooka state parks which lie about 50km to the south-east. The parks conserve some of north-central Victoria's outstanding natural features, although they also reflect intensive exploitation over the last 150 years by gold-miners, fringe farmers, loggers and eucalyptus oil producers.

The parks are at their colourful best between August and November when the wild flowers that skirt the walking trails are in bloom.