P a Rk N O Te S

Dandenong Ranges National Park

s Visitor Guide

The Dandenong Ranges National Park is conveniently located on the doorstep of Melbourne

e and covers an area of approximately 3500 hectares. Over one million visitors are attracted to the park each year, enjoying a variety of recreational opportunities, flora and fauna. Bushwalk t through a forest that contains the tallest flowering plants in the world, the Mountain Ash. Picnic with the melodious songs of the Superb Lyrebird in the background, discover rare orchids and marvel at the tree ferns with their link to ancient Gondwanaland. o

Location & access Interpretive walks

The National Park is located about 35km east of These walks lead from Grants Picnic Ground n Melbourne and there is easy access to the (Melway 75 K4) and contain interpretive signs to southern areas via Belgrave and Upper Ferntree introduce you to the surrounding forest: Gully Railway stations. Bus services stop at both • Hardy Gully Nature Walk (700m, easy) k railway stations. This walk takes you back in time to ancient origins; remnant Cool Temperate rainforest which US Bus lines operate services from Belgrave to

r is threatened throughout the world. Emerald and Olinda on Monday to Saturday. Mount Dandenong Passenger Services buses • Margaret Lester Forest Walk (300m, easy) leave from Croydon and meet the US Bus Lines The Margaret Lester Forest Walk has been services at Mount Dandenong and provide a

a especially designed to offer those with limited connection to Belgrave and Upper Ferntree Gully mobility the opportunity to experience the beautiful Monday to Saturday. Phone 13 1638 for a forest. timetable.

p Things to see & do

The national park is a great place for a variety of outdoor activities including bushwalking, picnicking, photography, nature study and car touring. Certain tracks are approved for cycling and horse riding – separate information is available on these activities.

Picnics

See the inside map for the locations of numerous picnic areas within the park. All are accessible by Self guided walks car. All contain free electric or gas barbecues These walks have numbered posts providing except Valley and Eagles Nest Picnic Ground at details on the surrounding forest (separate park Olinda and the Stables and Homestead Picnic notes are available on www.parkweb.vic.gov.au): Grounds at Doongalla. • Stonyford Creek Nature Trail (800m, easy) Picnic tables are included at all sites except This lovely loop walk is in Silvan Reservoir Park Eagles Nest Picnic Ground, with shelters situated (Melway 120 H11). at Ferntree Gully, One Tree Hill and Grants Picnic Grounds. • Living Bush Nature Walk (3km, moderate to steep) Toilets are located at all sites with disabled access available, except at Eagles Nest Picnic Ground. This challenging loop walk leads from the Ferntree Gully Picnic Ground (Melway 74 H5).

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For further information Short walks History Parks Victoria Walks that start and finish from the Sherbrooke The Dandenong Ranges were created around 300 Information Centre Picnic Ground (Melway 75 G2): Call 13 1963 million years ago from volcanic eruption. The or visit the • Sherbrooke Falls (2.4km, easy to moderate) Wurundjeri Aboriginal people lived in the area and had an intimate knowledge of the native plants Parks Victoria website • Sherbrooke Loop (4.8km, easy to www.parkweb.vic.gov.au and animals, enabling them to obtain vegetable moderate) Caring for the products, including roots, leaves, stalks, fruits, environment gums and resins. Walks that start and finish from the Doongalla Help us look after your park Settlers moved into the foothills in the early Homestead and Stables Picnic Grounds (Melway by following these guidelines: 1850s, clearing the forests. In the 1860s the area 66 D5): Please take rubbish away with became the retreat of the wealthy, and then the you for recycling & disposal • Stables Track Loop (1.9km, moderate) general population with the introduction of the All native plants & animals • Channel 10 Track/Camellia Loop (3.6km, motor car. In 1882 land was reserved as a site for are protected by law. moderate to steep) public recreation and in 1927 the area was Please do not disturb them declared the Ferntree Gully National Park. in any way On 13 December 1987 the Dandenong Ranges Light fires only in fireplaces Walk that starts and finishes at the Ferntree Gully National Park was proclaimed, amalgamating provided. Firewood is not Picnic Ground (Melway 74 H5): supplied – please bring your Ferntree Gully National Park, Sherbrooke Forest own • 1000 steps/Kokoda Track Memorial Walk and Doongalla Estate. Then in 1997 Olinda State Portable solid fuel barbecues (3km loop, moderate to steep) Forest, Mt. Evelyn and Montrose Reserve were formally added to the national park. and the use of heat beads are not permitted Walk that starts and finishes from Olinda Falls Flora & fauna No fires may be lit on days of Picnic Ground (Melway 66 K2): Total Fire Bans and no A resilient eucalypt species and a major feature of barbecues are permitted on • Olinda Falls (300 metres, steep) the Dandenong Ranges are the majestic Mountain days of Total Fire Bans To vary the route you can return via Mechanics Ash trees (Eucalyptus regnans). These are the Firearms are prohibited Track to make a loop walk. tallest flowering plants in the world! They can be Wildlife feeding and handling is found growing throughout the Sherbrooke Forest. not permitted . Some of the trees, situated in major creek gullies, Dogs and other pets are not are up to 250 years old. permitted in the park

Observe parking signs and park gate closing times

Long walks Walk that starts and finishes at Grants Picnic More than 350 species of native plants have been Ground (Melway 75 J4): recorded in the park. There are also over 130 native bird species, 31 species of native • Eastern Sherbrooke Forest Walk (7.1km mammals, 21 reptiles and 9 amphibians that loop, moderate to difficult) inhabit the park. Most of the mammals are nocturnal (active at night). Walk that can be undertaken from the Ferntree Being a volunteer Gully Picnic Ground (Melway 74 H5) or the Mt. Dandenong Observatory (Melway 52 E12): There are plenty of opportunities to help ‘Care for the Environment’ within Parks Victoria. If you are • Western Trail (13.2km, moderate to steep) interested and can offer a few hours please contact the Parks Victoria Information Centre on Walks that start and finish at Valley Picnic Ground 13 1963 and they will assist you in locating your Olinda (Melway 122 C5): nearest Friends Group.

• Valley to Eagle Nest Loop (3km, moderate) Update May 2010 Printed on 100% Australian-made recycled paper • Valley Walk (6.5km, steep)