The magnificent Dandenong Ranges National Park has to be the area’s top picturesque attraction. This park is 39 kilometers east of Melbourne’s CBD, nestled in the scenic suburbs of the Dandenong Ranges. Here’s all you need to know about visiting and walking Dandenong Ranges National Park.
Visit Dandenong Ranges National Park
This park, which includes the spectacular Mount Dandenong and the Sky High overlook, is one of the most scenic and prominent attractions in the region. Visitors may see the panoramic panorama of the surrounding area, including Melbourne’s eastern areas, from the overlook. Ferntree Gully is located in the Dandenong Ranges National Park’s southwestern district and is home to the famed 1000 stairs route that goes up to One Tree Hill, a spectacular scenic attraction. This trail is incredibly steep and difficult, and it is a well-known tourist attraction as well as a popular weekend activity for fitness aficionados.
The national park also has a lot of picnic areas and scenic viewpoints for tourists to enjoy. There are several scenic walks and hiking paths in Dandenong Ranges. Because there are several access points to the Dandenong Ranges National Park, there is no fixed location, so consult a map before entering to pick which portions of the Park to visit.
Dogs and other pets are not permitted because this is a National Park with native fauna. Because the National Parks surround numerous residential areas, domestic animals have harmed a number of native species. The park’s population of numerous native birds and lyrebird species has increased dramatically with the implementation of a cat curfew.
The top 3 positions at Dandenong Ranges National Park are The northern Dandenong Ranges, The southern Dandenong Ranges, and Doongalla Homestead.
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The Dandenong Ranges National Park in the north and the best things to do
Escape to this delightful cool temperate jungle right outside Melbourne. The northern Dandenong Ranges is home to grand scenery, breathtaking views, lovely gardens, and boisterous, colorful fauna.
Enjoy forest hikes beneath the canopy of the Mountain Ash Tree, the world’s tallest flowering plant. If you sit quietly for a bit, you might see a lyrebird scratching in the soil or a wallaby browsing in the undergrowth.
On a clear day, Burkes Lookout offers one of the greatest views in the Dandenongs, with views of the Kinglake Ranges, Mt Macedon, the You Yangs, Port Phillip, and the Bellarine and Mornington Peninsulas. Another beautiful view is from Kalorama Lookout, which looks across to Silvan Reservoir.
Olinda is well-known for its gardens. The Dandenong Ranges Botanical Garden is extremely popular in the spring when Rhododendrons and cherry trees bloom, and the Mount Dandenong Arboretum is stunning in the autumn.
The Dandenong Ranges is a region where a little rain increases your chances of seeing the area’s natural treasures. After a rain, the lyrebirds come out to feed, Olinda Falls flows more, and a rainbow may appear over the beautiful hills.
How to get there?
Mount Dandenong, the highest point in the Dandenong Ranges National Park, is located to the north. This is a popular walking and picnic spot. The former Doongalla Homestead is located here, among gorgeous gardens, spectacular Olinda Falls, and breathtaking views from Burkes Lookout and Kalorama.
The southern Dandenong Ranges National Park and the best things to do
The southern Dandenong Ranges is a favorite summer escape for Melburnians, as well as a year-round destination for relaxation. Relax here among the verdant sights, earthy smells, and loud sounds of nature.
These misty highlands are home to some of Victoria’s most popular treks. Enjoy the 1000 Steps challenge and learn about its profound connection to Australia’s Second World War heroes and the Kokoda Track Campaign. From Grants Picnic Ground, explore Sherbrooke Forest. The Margaret Lester Forest Trek is an accessible walk ideal for persons with limited mobility in Dandenong Ranges.
Other calmer treks are equally beautiful. The Eastern Sherbrooke Forest Walk is one of Victoria’s top bushwalks for more experienced hikers wishing to escape the crowds. It is in quieter areas like these that you are most likely to see the Dandenongs’ most famous residents.
This cool temperate rainforest has waterfalls as well. Sherbrooke Falls is better when it rains, and if it has, you’re more likely to spot a lyrebird.
Get there
Take the Belgrave train line to Upper Ferntree Gully Station. The Ferntree Gully Picnic Ground is only 800 meters away, while the 1000 Steps are only 1.4 kilometers away.
Belgrave Station on the same line is a 1km walk to the park’s Coles Ridge Track and a 3km walk to Grants Picnic Ground.
You can take a bus up Mt Dandenong Tourist Road to reach farther into the Dandenong Ranges. The 688 bus connects Croydon Train Station to Upper Ferntree Gully Train Station.
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Doongalla Homestead and things you should do
Doongalla is an old estate in the hills above Melbourne. It’s easily accessible from the eastern suburbs and feels a million miles away from the stresses of daily life. The name ‘Doongalla’ is thought to signify ‘Place of Peace.’
Families will appreciate the well-equipped picnic spots, each with its own parking lot, while nature enthusiasts will fall in love with the beautiful gardens and winding trails that swiftly transport you into the serene tranquility of towering rainforest and birdsong.
The Stables Track Loop trek begins at the Doongalla Stables Picnic Area and is reasonably straightforward. Continue on the Stables Track until you get to a T-intersection. Turn right and continue climbing until you reach the Camelia Track. Turn right again and walk until you reach the unsealed Doongalla Forest Road, which leads back to the Stables carpark. If you walk carefully, you can see a lyrebird darting across the path ahead of you.
Another far more difficult walk promises one of the most stunning views of the Dandenongs to fit hikers. From the top of the Doongalla Homestead carpark, take the Channel 10 Track and then the Zig Zag Track uphill to Burkes Lookout. At 611 meters, you may get a birds-eye perspective over Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay. Return down the Zig Zag Track and, for a circular walk, turn right on the Channel 10 Track before turning left at Rankin Track and then left onto Camelia Track.
How to get there
Doongalla Homestead is located near Olinda in the Dandenong Ranges National Park’s northern section. Take the Eastern Fwy (M3) out of Melbourne and exit onto Boronia Rd. Boronia Rd will merge into Forest Rd, turn right into Basin-Olinda Rd, then left into Sheffield Rd, and finally right onto Doongalla Rd. Take the winding Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd from the Burwood Highway at Ferntree Gully for a picturesque ride.
Here’s all you need to know before visiting Dandenong Ranges National Park. Come here immediately to begin your fantastic journey! Please share your thoughts by posting a comment below!
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