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Friday, July 25, 2008

The ascent of the Olinda Ridge


On July 23, 2008, I climbed up one of the steepest tracks in the Olinda Forest, Dandenong Ranges National Park, 35 km east of the Melbourne CBD.

This was up Barges Rd, primarily used for fire protection, but walkers are permitted on it.
It was once an access road for removal of logs, up until the 1960s.

My 4 km walk started at the junction of Olinda Creek Rd and gated Georges Rd, then the very steep ascent up Barges Rd to the turnaround point at Bartlett Rd. The return journey was easier, linking up with the lower section of Bartlett Rd, then along the foot track adjacent to Olinda Creek Rd.

There was a change in altitude from 263 m to 436 m!

This route climbs up the eastern edge of the Olinda Ridge, which lies on the side of an extinct volcano, which last erupted some 20 million years ago! The Olinda Forest is actually situated in the old crater.

There are limited views from the ridge top.

A succession of fires destroyed the original eucalypt forest in the 1940s and 1950s, and again in 1962.

My journey passed through regrowth tall timber. Some stumps and logs survived the fires, and remain where the early timber cutters left them.

See the set of
Photos of my journey

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