Mullum Mullum Park

Mullum Mullum Park is a vital wildlife corridor in Melbourne’s east and home to Rufous Night Herons, Powerful Owls, Wedge Tailed Eagles and Peregrine Falcons.

The park was named Mullum Mullum after a public naming competition in 2007. Many believe the name to mean ‘place of many eagles’ or a variation of the Wurundjeri word ‘Ballum Ballum’ meaning ‘place of many butterflies’.

The park features some remarkable remnant vegetation. For cyclists and walkers there are approximately 2 km of trails, including the Mullum Mullum Creek Shared User Pathway.

Officially declared in June 2009, Mullum Mullum Park is the result of wide spread community interest and involvement, particularly from the Friends of Mullum Mullum Valley.

Adjacent is Schwerkolt Cottage, an original pioneer's stone cottage in a garden setting surrounded by 2.25 hectares of bushland. August Schwerkolt began building the cottage in 1884 and the three rooms of the cottage are furnished in the style of the period. Other buildings on the property include a slab barn, smithy, a stone smokehouse and a wine cellar.

A museum built of local stone and timber was designed to complement the cottage. Opened in 1977 the emphasis of the museum is on local and social history. Special collections include an excellent textile collection from the 1800s to the 1950s and a wide range of locally made clay products made by the many brick and tile works established in the area in the early 1900s. A collection of farm implements and household items is housed in the outdoor display area at the rear of the museum.

The EastLink Trail runs through the Park. It's a three-metre wide concrete path, suitable for cyclists and pedestrians. Winding its way through the Mullum Mullum Valley, it heads south to connect with the Dandenong Creek Trail before crossing Greens Road in Melbourne's south-east.

This is a link to a Media Release about the official opening of the Park:

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/minister-for-environment-climate-change/mullum-mullum-park-to-protect-remarkable-bushland.htm

I visited the Park on Friday afternoon September 17, 2010, for a 4 km hike along many of the tracks and trails, which included Yarran Gheran, the Hillcrest Forestway, and the Schwerkolt Cottage Complex.

See all of the Photos of my visit