As you enter Paddy’s Ranges State Park you will discover the Settling Ponds Track Picnic Area. The picnic area provides a quiet place to rest and recuperate before exploring deeper into the park. The flora in this part of Paddys Ranges is best viewed in late winter when the area is ablaze with golden wattle, followed by the dazzling array of spring wildflowers. Accessed from the Ballarat-Maryborough road turnoff, this quiet picnic area is surrounded by 1850s diggings and majestic Box-Ironbark forests.

The picnic area has tables, firepit-wood fire BBQ's, water tank with tap, and a drop toilet. The Paddy’s Ranges Walking Tk is a 4km walk starting from the North Eastern side of the picnic area. The walk meanders through the Box Iron Bark forest and finishes at the Paddy's Ranges Campground.
The picnic area offers an all access shorter 800m walk through the nearby diggings, showcasing a water race and puddler.

Bushfire safety is a personal responsibility. For up to date information on bushfires in Victoria call the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226, download the VicEmergency app, visit www.emergency.vic.gov.au or tune into a local radio station. Check the forecast fire danger before leaving home. Consider not visiting forest or bushland on stormy days or days of high bushfire risk.

Watch out for snakes which are more active in spring, summer and autumn. If you see a snake, stand still and don’t panic. Snakes nearly always move away when they feel footstep vibrations.
Prospecting and or fossicking is permitted only in designated areas as shown on the Paddys Ranges prospecting map. Prospectors must hold a current Miner's Right.

This area is a heavily mined landscape. Walkers should remain on marked paths to avoid ongoing hazards, including uneven ground, dams, unstable slopes and mineshafts. Mine tailings may contain the toxic residue of arsenic, mercury, and cyanide but pose minimal risk if not disturbed. Please comply with local signage and do not climb cliffs, over or around barriers and fencing, or enter old mine workings. If you wish to safely explore mining relics away from the formed tracks, we recommend hiring an experienced guide.