Spring Wildflowers in Olinda Forest

These photos were taken on October 25, 2010, on a 3 km circuit hike through the Olinda Forest, 40 km east of central Melbourne.

My journsy was on the Olinda Creek Track, starting at the Olinda Creek Rd, nd following the Olinda Creek Gully.

Spring wildflowers were in abundance!

See all of the Photos!

Lookout Hill, Arthur's Seat State Park

These pictures were taken on Tuesday afternoon October 26, 2010, at Lookout Hill, Arthur's Seat State Park, 80 km south of Melhourne.

The circuit track is about 2 km and is reached from the Arthur's Seat Rd, then along Eaton's Cutting Rd, then Lookout Rd.

Good views across the Bay, Dromana, and Mt Martha - the signed and marked track winds its ws through regrowth bushland.

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Tulum Beach coastal hike - Westernport Bay

Oct 24 2010 - 4 km coastal hike on Tulum Beach, between Balnarring Beach and Somers Beach, 70 im south of Melbourne.

Plenty of beach action!

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Mt Lofty Photo Hike, Warrandyte State Park

These pictures are from my Photo Hike of the Mt Lofty area, Warrandyte State Park, 30 km east of central Melbourne, on October 22, 2010.

My 3 km circuit started at the access gate on Lower Homestead Rd, then up Steven's Track to the picnic table on the Summit.

From there, it was a steep descent down the fire management track to the small beach at the Yarra.

Then, on to the River Foot-track, past the Tarzan Rope, the Lookout, along the Boardwalk to the main carpark at the Mt Lofty canoe launching ramp at the end of Lower Homestead Rd, then back to my car.

The Mt Lofty section was the last main area to be added to the Park, in 1997. At the time of European settlement in the 1830s it was covered in forest, stripped and cleared, then it became open farmland, grazing and orchards, and subsequently purchased by the Government.

Very few artefacts remain - mainly remains of old posts and pieces of rusting barbed wire fencing.

The views are stupendous, over the river, across the Yarra Valley to the Yarra Ranges and to the Dandenong Ranges, with the vast Country Club Resort and Golf Course adjacent.

There's a river creature in blue shorts and a New Zealand T-shirt who appeared in some of the photos - couldn't get rid of him!

Check out my Warrandyte Pictorial Heritage Ebook for everything you need to know about Warrandyte, at http://warrandyteheritage.yolasite.com

Mullum Mullum Trail, Donvale

These images were taken on October 20, 2010, on the southern section of the Mullum Mullum Trail, Donvale, about 20 km east of central Melbourne.

My journey was about 4 km total, a circuit on the shared trail starting at the main car park at Reynolds Rd.

It followed the Mullum Mullum Creek, with a side trip up to the top of the Hill, where the HV power lines are located.

Part of the Hill is used for equestrian training purposes.

Donvale was one of the first regions east of Melbourne to be settled, and was originally used for orchards from the early 1900s.

See all of the Photos of my journey!

Hermon Track,Olinda Forest, early spring

On Tuesday October 19, 2010, I went out to the Olinda Forest, 40 km east of central Melbourne.

From the Eagle Nest picnic ground, off Silvan Rd, I followed the Hermon Track, then into Eagle Nest Track and back to the car.

This is about 3 km total, and follows the Lyrebird Creek Gully, passing beautiful ferns - colorful spring wildflowers were in full bloom.

At the edge of this forest is the Silvan Reservoir Park.

Extra management facilities have recently been constructed at the Reservoir by Melbourne Water. These include a new boat-landing at the outlet tower, and an extended jetty.

The Reservoir was commissioned in 1931, having been built by damming the Stonyford Creek.

An information board at the main Viewing Area has some fascinating photos of the history and construction of the Reservoir.

Large underground pipes carry water to other storage reservoirs near Melbourne, such as Preston, Surrey Hills, Greenvaler, and Cardinia.

Water is received from the O'Shannassy, Upper Yarra, and Thomson Dams, as Silvan has only a very limited catchment.

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Portsea Coastal Reserve Hike

Portsea, 95 km SE of Melbourne, is considered by many to be the hub of Melbourne's recreational scuba diving activities. No less than four scuba related shops operate from in its otherwise modest main street. Dive boats travel to sites both inside Port Phillip and outside Port Phillip Heads, also known as The Rip.

Portsea Post Office opened on 10 February 1877 and closed in 1987.

OCS Portsea, an army establishment, was located just outside the town. The historic reserve became famous when Prime Minister of Australia Harold Holt disappeared while swimming inside the facility at Cheviot Beach on December 17 1967 and was officially presumed dead two days later, although a formal inquest into his death did not take place until 2005.

Portsea is named after Portsea Island which is an island incorporated by Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom. Portsmouth is where the first settlers to Australia set sail from.

The Portsea Pier is the home to the spectacular leafy sea dragon, as well as many other fish species, including numerous pufferfish. Boating traffic is frequent, and divers should be careful to avoid main boating routes.

I visited Portsea on Monday afternoon October 18, 2010, for an exploration of Shelley Beach and the Coastal Reserve, a hike of about 3 km return.

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Exploring Maroondah Reservoir Park in early Spring

Maroondah Reservoir Park is 60 km east of Melbourne.

The Reservoir was completed in 1927, by damming the original Watt's River. The area below the wall was landscaped in the early English tradition, creating a different character from that of most of Melbourne's reservoir parks which have concentrated on native trees and plants. Later development saw picnic areas developed with the native bush and the two forms are at once harmonious and interesting. The historic valve house and classical temple-like structure of the outlet tower reinforce the old world element.

I visited the Park on Sunday October 17, 2010, completing the 3 km Forest and Lookout Circuit Track, with excellent views of the surrounding mountains, the Reservoir, and the beautiful gardens.

The Park is the home of many Australian White Ibis - take care, as they will steal your lunch!

Enjoy your visit - please come back soon!

See the Photos

Bay Trail - Dromana to Anthony's Nose

I visited Dromana on Saturday afternoon October 16, 2010, about 70 km by road from central Melbourne, on Port Phillip Bay.

It is believed that the name Dromana is of Irish origin and that it came about from the influx of gold prospectors in the late 1830s. In fact there is a Dromana on the tidal section of the Blackwater River, near Cappoquin, County Waterford in Ireland, and this is the most likely origin of the name.

In 1841, Hugh Jamieson purchased 5,120 acres (2,070 ha), or eight square miles, of land from the Crown for ₤1 an acre under the terms of the short-lived Special Survey regulations. The purchase included the northern part of the present suburb of Dromana to the east of Safety Beach. The area is known as Jamieson's Special Survey in cadastral surveys.

The first subdivision of Crown lands in Dromana occurred in 1854. Dromana Post Office opened on 12 April 1858. The completion of its pier took place in 1872, allowing the shipping of produce to the city markets. In 1881, Dromana was well established as a seaside resort.

A travel brochure of the time describes it as follows: "Sheltered from the untempered violence of the elements by the lofty ranges by which it is encircled, Dromana presents an air of homely comfort, singularly foreign to the majority of watering places." Dromana was proclaimed a town in February 1861.

Dromana's commercial centre is concentrated on Point Nepean Road, with Arthurs Seat and surrounding bushland providing a scenic backdrop. Across the road is an attractive foreshore with calm, sandy beaches, including designated camping areas.

Points of interest along the coast include the Dromana Pier, the rocky cutting at Anthonys Nose, and the Mornington Peninsula Visitor Information Centre.

The shared Bay Trail runs along the foreshore from Dromana to Whitecliffs (just past Rye).

I followed this Trail from its eastern starting point to quaintly-named Anthony's Nose, which is where the Arthur's Seat ridge meets the coast - the total distance was about 4 km (return).

There was a howling gale blowing, with very rough seas, and few visitors!

Paddle steamers are believed to have operated from the 1840s as settlement expanded and tourist resorts developed in the Port Phillip Bay area.......and a thriving industry survived until into the second world war. The removal of PS Weeroona for military duties for the US Navy brought an end to paddle steamer operations and although the paddler returned to Australia after the war she never resumed her earlier role and languished in Sydney harbour for five years before being scrapped.

The steamers called in at Dromana Pier, on their way from Port Melbourne to Mornington, Sorrento and Queenscliff.

See all of the Photos, including some historical images of the Bay Steamers  in the early 1900s!

Rosebud to McCrae Coastal Hike

An interesting 3 km (return) coastal walk is between Rosebud and McCrae Beach, 70 km SE of Melbourne, on Port Phillip Bay.

The walk starts/finishes at Tom Salt Park, and follows the beach.

The McCrae Lighthouse is dominant, and an information board at its base gives comprehensive information about its origin and features.

The tallest Lighthouse in Port Phillip Bay, it's 33.5 m high and was built in 1873, and erected at this site in 1884.

It was decommissioned in 1994.

Other boards at the base of the Lighthouse provide details about the history of McCrae, Walking Tracks, Maps, and information about local historical attractions.

In peak-summer, this beach becomes very crowded, and thousands of campers set themselves up along the coastal strip.

My visit was on Thursday afternoon October 14, 2010.

See the Photos!

Historical Sorrento

On Monday October 11, 2010 I visited the coastal town of Sorrento, 70 km SE of Melbourne, on Port Phillip Bay

See the Album for all of the photos of my exploration!

I have included images of several of the interesting information boards along the Foreshore Reserve, and photos from some of the boards.

Some photos show the Steam Tram which operated from 1880 until 1921, on a 2 km 3'6" double-gauge track, linking the Front Beach and Ocean Beach.

This Tram ran along Ocean Beach Rd, and a footbridge at the Pier up to the platform allowed visitors to join the tram after alighting from steamers.

The Tram didnn't operate every day - some days it was replaced by a horsedrawn carriage.

Merricks Beach Clifftop Coastal Trail

Merricks is a small costal settlement on Westernport Bay, 80 km south of Melbourne.

Merricks was part of the Parish of Balnarring and is believed to be named after an early cattle station owner. It was first settled in 1865 by John Caldwell, who built "Koonoona", a wattle cottage. Unlike Balnarring and Hastings, Merricks's early settlers preferred running cattle and sheep to growing orchards. In 1902 a post office opened which was served by Cobb and Co from Crib Point; this closed in 1979.

In 1920, a co-operative cool store was built in nearby Red Hill, and from 1921 until 1953, a railway from Bittern to Red Hill travelled through Merricks, although it received little use after its initial decade of service.

A small primary school was also opened in 1921, closing in 1951 along with several others in the region when Red Hill Consolidated School commenced.

The Victorian Municipal Directory in 1962 stated that Merricks contained "(only) a general store and post and telegraph office".

Merricks Beach is quiet and placid, with a Yacht Club.

A Nature Trail follows the top of the cliffs easterly towards Balnarring Beach, offering nice views of the Bay from a Lookout.

I visited Merricks Beach on Tuesday afternoon October 12, 2010, for a 3 km hike along the cliff top and back along the beach.

See Photos of my visit!

London Bridge and Farnsworth Track, Portsea Coast

London Bridge is a well-known rock formation at the extreme easterly tip of the Mornington Peninsula National Park, about 2 km from the town of Portsea, 90 km south of Melbourne.

The Bridge is reached by following the Portsea Ocean Beach Rd, then continuing to the Bridge car park.

A pathway follows the cliff-top, yielding excellent views of the Bridge formation.

Another track descends to the Beach, and from there it is a 350 m hike along the sand to the Bridge itself.

A pleasant 2 km walking path, known as the Farnsworth Track, passing along the tops of the sand dunes, links the London Bridge carpark and the Portsea Ocean Beach.

There is an excellent Lookout on this Track, not to be missed!

See all of the Photos, taken on Monday afternoon, October 11, 2010 - hiking distance was about 3 km total.

Cape Schanck Hike

The Cape Schanck section of the Mornington Peninsula National Park, 100 km SE of Melbourne, is a popular destination for walkers, photographers, and other visitors, about 90 mins drive from the CBD.

Since July 1, 2010, admission and car-parking fees have been abolished!

Two good walking tracks start at the main car park - these are the Boardwalk, and the Bushranger's Bay Track.

The Boardwalk descends for about 1 km along a wooden staircase, reaching sea level at the southernmost tip of the Cape. View points along the staircase offer marvellous panoramas of the rugged coastal scnery.

There is a change in altitude of 90m.

Pulpit Rock is nearby.

The Bushranger's Bay Walking Track goes easterly, 5.4 km to the Boneo Rd, not far from Flinders township. A side track leads to the beautiful Bushranger's Bay beach.

A third walking track starts just outside of the main car park, leading to the Gunnamatta Surf Beach, about 7 km to the north-west. A side track leads to Fingal Beach. Passing through bushland and along cliff tops, it can also be accessed from the Fingal Picnic Ground, about 1 km north of the Cape Schanck car park.

I visited Cape Schanck on October 10, 2010 - the Photos show the lighthouse, the suberb coastal scenery, and the 2 km (return) boardwalk.

See all of the Photos of Cape Schank Trip - I've included a reproduction there of an engraving made in 1875 of Pulpit Rock.

Rye to White Cliffs Beachwalk

These photos show the scenery, views, and environment on a beach hike from Rye to White Cliffs, 70 km south of Melbourne, on October 9. 2010.

Starting at the main carpark adjacent to the pier, the hike was westerly along the beach, reaching the wooden staircase at White Cliffs, then up to the Lookout.

A trig point marker is next to the Lookout.

From there, it was a descent down to White Cliffs Beach with its boat sheds, then back via the path at the base of the cliffs.

There were excellent views from the Lookout - an old Limeburner's Kiln is nearby.

Distance was about 3 km total, on a warmish day of 19 degrees.

See all of the Rye to White Cliffs Beachwalk Photos