A former Greens senate candidate has been attacked by a man with a homemade weapon while running in a western Victorian state forest.
Sissy Austin, 29, was running through the Lal Lal state forest on Saturday afternoon when the attacker knocked her unconscious with a rock tied to a stick.
Police say the attacker was believed to be a Caucasian male wearing black jeans, a cap and no shoes or shirt.
After Ms Austin regained consciousness, she ran four kilometres back to her car and called the police. Ambulance services then took her to Ballarat hospital for a CT scan.
She suffered non-life-threatening facial injuries, police said.
Ms Austin, a Djab Wurrung woman and Indigenous rights' campaigner, was a senate candidate for the Greens in last year's federal election.
She has been recovering since returning home from hospital on Sunday.
"I will come back strong and won't be sitting in any sadness or fear," Ms Austin wrote on her Facebook page.
"For now just cuddling my dogs."
Police urged witnesses or people with dashcam footage in the area from Saturday evening to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log onto www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
