Yarra Bend Park

s Visitor Guide

At Yarra Bend Park, the largest area of natural vegetation near the city of Melbourne, the

e landscape varies from steep, wild river escarpments to open woodlands, formal parkland, playing fields and golf courses. It has over 16km of river frontage, and superb views of the city t and the Dandenongs from the higher areas.

Location & access The nine hole Studley Park Par 3 Golf Course is situated in Kew and is ideal for the beginner, o Yarra Bend Park is located in inner Melbourne senior or relaxing game of golf. beside the suburbs of Kew and Fairfield. The Park can be accessed via car from the Yarra The Boulevard Restaurant and Function Centre Boulevard, Kew or Yarra Bend Road, Fairfield. offers a contemporary setting in a country n Buses provide access via Studley Park Road, surround only minutes from the CBD. Kew and Heidelberg Road, Fairfield. Bellbird Picnic Area (off Yarra Boulevard) offers a peaceful alternative to the busy Studley Park k Things to see & do Picnic Area. This setting provides a shelter, Yarra Bend is popular for walking, boating, electric barbecue, toilet facilities and canoe canoeing, team sports, golf, picnicking, dining out, launching ramp. Open space and sporting fields r bird watching and just enjoying the bush. are used for organised and informal sports There are many walking tracks to suit all fitness including cricket, football, soccer and bocce. levels. A shared walking and bicycle path follows Picnic areas a the Yarra River. Studley Park Boathouse, Kew, built in 1863 and Yarra Bend Park has a number of sites popular for recently restored, offers kiosk, café and restaurant picnics. Several have facilities such as barbecues, dining as well as canoe and rowboat hire. rotundas or shelters and toilets, while others are p located beside the Yarra River. The map overleaf shows the location of the popular picnic areas.

Taking a walk

There are walking tracks at Yarra Bend Park to suit all levels of fitness. Secluded riverside trails follow the Yarra through peaceful bush surrounds.

The popular Main Yarra Trail passes through the Park and extends from Templestowe to Southbank. Varying length circuit trails take you to

popular sites including Dights Falls and Deep Studley Park Picnic Area (adjacent to Studley Rock. A ‘Walking Trails’ park note provides further Park Boathouse) offers picnic shelters, electric information. barbecues and toilet facilities. Walking your dog Kane’s Bridge heads across the river to picnic areas, sports grounds and the Yarra Bend Golf Yarra Bend Park is a multi-zone park. Dogs are Course. permitted in most areas of the park, but must be kept on a leash in certain areas, and kept out of The Yarra Bend Golf Course, only 4km from the dog exclusion areas. When dogs are in off-lead CBD, is well known as one of Melbourne’s premier zones, a leash must be carried to bring your dog public courses and features high quality greens under immediate control if necessary. A ‘Dog and sculptured fairways, all in a bushland setting. Friendly’ park note provides further information and a map of the various zones.

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200 MOLESWORTH STREET MOLESWORTH Call Emergency Marker quote C B A 000 3 2 1 and REDMOND STREET www.esta.vic.gov.au For further information see symbol. are indentified on the map with an the emergency marker code. Markers In an emergency, call 000 and quote marker and park eg: KNP001. emergency. Codes are unique to every exact location in the case of an located in this park to help pinpoint your Green Emergency Marker signs are

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For further information Golf courses Flora & fauna Parks Victoria Golf is a popular pastime at Yarra Bend Park. The Yarra Bend Park contains some of the last stands Information Centre 18 hole Yarra Bend Golf Course is renowned for of original bushland in inner Melbourne. A total of Call 13 1963 being one of the finest and most picturesque approximately 320 indigenous plants have been or visit the recorded in the park of which more than 100 Parks Victoria website public courses in Australia. Bookings can be species are considered to be of local, regional or www.parkweb.vic.gov.au made directly to the 18 hole Golf Course by calling 9481 3729 and the Studley Park 9 hole state significance. Animals found in the park Golf Course on 9852 8144. Drop into the Golf Pro- include the platypus, water rat and a number of Caring for the Shop on Yarra Bend Road for all your golfing bat and reptile species. environment needs, lessons and hot and cold food. The bird life of the park is quite diverse, including Help us look after your park waterbirds, birds that utilise remnant vegetation by following these guidelines: Other park facilities and those that occur in more modified habitats. Please take rubbish away with The international fly-casting pool is frequently you for recycling & disposal used by the Red Tag Fly Fishers Club. For further All native plants & animals information on joining the Red Tag Club, or to are protected by law. enquire about booking the pool for your club, Please do not disturb them contact the Parks Victoria Information Centre. in any way Dogs are permitted in the park, Fun Runs and Cross Country Courses can be but must be kept on a leash booked for your sporting group. within on-lead zones. Call the The Victorian Indigenous Nurseries Co-operative office for information on dog zones (VINC) is a not-for-profit plant nursery. VINC produces local indigenous flora for the north and All dogs must be kept on a east of Melbourne for supply to local government, Grey-headed Flying-foxes leash within five metres of all sealed pathways, playgrounds community groups, schools and members of the Grey-headed Flying-foxes are an important part of and picnic areas public. VINC is located on Yarra Bend Road, Melbourne’s wildlife. In 2003, the colony was Fairfield. Portable solid fuel barbeques successfully relocated from the Royal Botanic or ovens are not permitted in Gardens to Yarra Bend Park. The Flying-fox the park History colony is best viewed from the Yarra Boulevard or Portable gas barbeques Yarra Bend Park and neighbouring Studley Park Bellbird Picnic Area. At Bellbird Picnic Area, a are allowed Picnic Area were reserved since the earliest days viewing platform, walking trail and interpretive No fires, including of European settlement. Since that time the park signage allows visitors to learn about and view the barbeques, may be lit on a day has seen many changes creating a colourful and Flying-foxes in their natural environment. of Total Fire Ban interesting history. Geology A number of institutions were established throughout the nineteenth century, the most The oldest rocks exposed in Yarra Bend Park are significant being the Yarra Bend Lunatic Asylum marine sandstones and mudstones from 400 established in 1848 and closed in 1925. Urban million years ago. An excellent display of these development transpired, historic structures such sediments are at the cliff face at Dights Falls, as the Studley Park Boathouse were erected, and showing faults and folds, layering and ripple beds some stunning natural landscapes were of exposed ancient seabeds. preserved. Lava flow from volcanic activity 2.2 million years A ‘History’ park note provides further information. ago and again about 800,000 years ago, introduced basalt soils to the Park allowing for a wider range of vegetation. A ‘Geology’ park note provides more information.

Updated February 2010 Printed on Australian-made 100% recycled paper