Dandenong Ranges National Park Sherbrooke

Sherbrooke covers the southern area of the National Park from Selby in the south to Sherbrooke in the north. The largest section of Dandenong Ranges National Park, Sherbrooke occupies over 800 hectares of the park’s total 3,215 hectares, with Fern Tree Gully, Doongalla, Olinda and Mt. Evelyn making up the remainder.

Enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Mountain Ash forests whilst driving through the park or spend some time in one of the picnic areas. Your rewards may include the thrilling song and perhaps a glimpse of the Superb Lyrebird.

Days gone by 2. Hardy Gully Nature Walk In 1867 the bulk of the Dandenong forests were 700m, 45 minute loop. Grade: Easy to Moderate. declared a timber reserve. For the next 60 years these This track, only a short distance from Grants Picnic forests supplied the timber needs for the booming city Ground, has been set out as a self-guided nature walk. of Melbourne. By 1907, most of the reserved forest A Park Note describing features along the walk is was considered cut out. As a result the land was available at the kiosk. released by the government for agriculture and settlement. 3. Margaret Lester Forest Walk 300m, 30 minute loop. Grade: Easy. The first Forest Department formed in 1907 and renamed parts of the remaining forest Monbulk State Located at Grants Picnic Ground, this hard-surfaced Forest and Sherbrooke Forest. track has been especially designed for the disabled. The track follows a steady gradient weaving through In 1958 Sherbrooke Forest was declared a park and spectacular Mountain Ash forest. Parks Victoria Ranger since 1987 has been part of the National Park. Gill Anderson 4. Eastern Sherbrooke Forest 7.1 km, 2 hour loop. Grade: Moderate to Difficult. “Victoria has a great parks What to see and do A number of walking tracks, starting from the picnic This is a round trip starting and finishing at Grants system that protects many of grounds, enable you to discover some of the plants Picnic Ground. The route follows Lyrebird Walk, then our State’s natural environments and animals of Sherbrooke. Neumann Road, passing though cleared areas of bush and their plants, animals and created by the successive wildfires of the early 1900’s. landscapes. Enjoy the parks, Some suggested walks: At Paddy Track Junction turn south and cross Hardy Creek before climbing Welch Track and following and please help us care for 1. SherbrookeFalls Coles Ridge Road back to the picnic ground. them... now and forever.” 2.4 km, 1 hour return. Grade: Easy to Moderate. Tracks leading from Sherbrooke and O’Donohue Most of the walk is through Mountain Ash and Picnic Ground provide the easiest walk to the falls Messmate Stringybark forest. There are steep sections For more information through the attractive landscape of tall Mountain Ash on Paddy Road and Welch Track which may be and tree ferns. The falls are most inspiring after rain slippery when wet. call the Parks Victoria when the swollen Sherbrooke Creek rushes over the Information Centre rocks. on 13 1963 or visit our website at http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au Superb Lyrebird Further Animals of Sherbrooke and roads were pushed through unreserved forested areas where quarter acre blocks were developed for information The Mountain Ash forests provide the perfect habitat weekend shacks. During this time, many well known Phone the Parks Victoria for wildlife such as the Superb Lyrebird, Ring-tailed guest houses were built, most of which were destroyed Information Line on and Brush-tailed Possums. 13 1963 in the bushfires of 1923 and 1926. or visit our website at Treecreepers, small birds that cling to the side of trees Visitors to the ranges in the early 1920s often returned www.parkweb.vic.gov.au looking for a meal of grubs and insects can be seen home laden with ferns and flowers for their gardens foraging amongst the tree trunks. The beautiful and and vases, indicating the conservation ethic of the Caring for the elusive Blue-winged Parrot has also been sighted in time. environment Sherbrooke Forest. Help us look after the park by Post World War 2 remembering these guidelines: Monstrous Mountain Ash Since the late 1940s, residential development has Rubbish bins are not provided, A major feature of the national park is the magnificent expanded steadily, altering the character of the ranges please take your rubbish home. Mountain Ash trees of Sherbrooke. Most of these trees and making them almost a suburb of Melbourne. Light fires only in fireplaces grew after the severe forest fires of the 1920’s. During the 1940s and 1950s, public debate was provided. Firewood is not Mountain Ash are the worlds tallest flowering plants intense concerning development in the hills. Some supplied - please bring your growing some 100 metres tall and live up to 500 years. residents, concerned about the rate and nature of land own. No fires may be lit on days subdivision formed the "Save the Dandenongs of Total Fire Ban. History of the Dandenong Ranges League" in 1944. A Buy Back program was initiated, Firearms are prohibited in the "Corhanwarrabul" was the Aboriginal name for the park. creating a corridor linking the Fern Tree gully and Dandenong Ranges. It appears from historical Sherbrooke sections of the Dandenong Ranges Dogs and other pets are not accounts that the Bunurong (Western Port) and the permitted in the park. National Park. The government's purchase of Woiworung (Yarra Yarra) Aboriginal people used the All native plants and wildlife are Doongalla Estate in 1950 was the first example of this protected by law. Please do not Dandenongs as hunting grounds during the summer acquisition program. collect specimens. months. Major bushfires in 1962 and 1968 further accelerated Leave the park as you find it. the acquisition program in order to develop a fire European Settlement protection buffer zone. The first recorded expedition into the Dandenong Ranges was made by botanist Daniel Bunce during the Today 1840s. The Dandenong Ranges National park was proclaimed By the early 1850s, wholesale clearing began as in December 1987. It consists of the amalgamation of settlers foraged further into the forests for agricultural Fern Tree Gully National Park, Sherbrooke Forest and land and timber resources. Timber splitters invaded Doongalla Estate along with the Upwey and Sassafras the forest, felling giant eucalypts to be used for land corridors. In 1997, the Olinda State forest was railways, piers, bridges and sailing ship masts. formally added to the National Park along with the To protect the area from indiscriminate clearing a Montrose Reserve. timber reserve, the Dandenong Woori Yallock State forest, was established in 1867. By the end of the 19th century, only one fifth of the original timber reserve remained in public ownership. The push by settlers for land near Melbourne pressured the government into releasing 4,400 hectares in 1878. A further 4,900 hectares were released in the 1890s. From the later 1860s, Melbourne residents began to visit the area for recreation. At first the retreat of the wealthy, the area became a popular destination for the general population with the advent of the railway in the 1890s and later the motor car. In 1882, land was reserved as a site for public recreation and extended to 227 hectares in 1927. This area was later declared the Fern Tree Gully National Park.

Early 20th Century The area became a focal point for the arts and attracted painters, writers, poets and naturalists including Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton, Anneas Gunn Common Ringtail Possum and C.J. Dennis. Between the early 1900s to the mid 1920s, the beauty of the hills attracted a large number of holiday makers and weekenders. Land was cheap Prepared for Parkweb February 2000 N R NO O

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Water body E Selby Station RAILWAY Gate C404 Recreational Creek Dandenong FacilitiesMonbulk Reservoir Dandenong Ranges National Park HA Barbecue LLA Walking Tracks Map M This colourful map guide details 16 popular Family walk walks, with approx. distances, contours and Mount bushwalking tips. The map is available from Kiosk Evelyn the Parks Victoria Office within the Fern Tree R l O Gully Picnic Ground for a cost of $2.00. Park information A MOUNT To D Mount Belgrave DANDENONGMontrose Picnic shelter l Evelyn South RD Doongalla AD l Picnic table RO Kalorama lSilvan Caring for the environment lMount M Help us look after the park by Toilets CANTERBURYO Dandenong U N remembering these guidelines: Fern T Olinda A Toilet for disabled Tree The IN Olinda Gully l l Rubbish bins are not provided, Basin HWY please take your rubbish home 0 250 500 D DANDENONG R B UR Kallista RANGES Light fires only in fireplaces METRES WO OD provided. Firewood is not supplied Cartography by Spatial Vision 2002 H l NATIONAL W K ã M/6615 Y L U - please bring your own N l B PARK Upper N O Belgrave Sherbrooke No fires may be lit on days of Ferntree Ml Gully Total Fire Ban. Firearms are prohibited Dogs and cats are not permitted MELBOURNE Updated March 2002 in the park lH All native plants and wildlife are protected by law. Please do not collect specimens