It was a hot day, with plenty of action, along and in the Yarra River, on a 4 km return hike, starting at the Taroona Picnic Ground, and reaching the site of the former Waterwheel, just past the bridge.
See all of the Photos of my visit!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Yarra River action - Warrandyte
It was a hot day, with plenty of action, along and in the Yarra River, on a 4 km return hike, starting at the Taroona Picnic Ground, and reaching the site of the former Waterwheel, just past the bridge.
See all of the Photos of my visit!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Badger Weir hike in summer
Walking tracks lead from the picnic ground to the Weir, passing through superb sub-tropical rain forest and tree ferns.
The Lyrebird Track has been reconstructed and passes along the creek.
The area is a habitat for lyrebirds.
The picnic ground is excellent, with innumerable rosellas and cockatoos!
I visited the Park on January 27, 2011, on a 2 km summer circuit hike along the Lyrebird Track.
See all of the Album Photos, which ncludes one of Parks Vic staff removing dead branches from near the top of a very tall tree in the picnic ground.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Tomahawk Creek Track - Kurth Kiln Park
Starting at the Kurth Kiln Picnic Ground, it passes through lush green fern gullies, tall forest, and along the banks of the Creek.
There are many unusual large rock formations and an interesting Gorge and waterfalls.
The historical Kiln, outbuildings and large dam are nearby
My visit was on January 25, 2011, a hot day!
See all of the Photos
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Exploring the Doongalla Forest
Doongalla forest takes in the steep timbered western slopes of the Ranges, extending from Sassafras to Montrose, and is the centrepiece of Melbourne's view of the Dandenongs on a clear day.
The first European to set foot in the Dandenong Ranges was probably Daniel Bunce, a botanist who arrived in Melbourne in 1839. He was immediately attracted to the hills 40 km away on the horizon.
In that year he set out with a party of Aboriginal people to explore the area known as Corhanwarrabul, meaning the creek of the kangaroo.
The party crossed undulating plains and climbed Mt Corhanwarrabul (628m, now Burkes Lookout), and the highest point in the ranges, Mt Dandenong (633m).
The word Dandenong comes from an Aboriginal word of ancient origin "banyenong" meaning "a burning and the past".
Settlers began moving into the ranges during the 1860s and the vast extent of valuable timber resources quickly became apparent. Although proclaimed State Forest in 1867 the Victorian government bowed to pressure from settlers and opened the Dandenong Ranges for selection in 1878.
Doongalla - a place of peace...
Land in the Doongalla area was first selected in 1885. By 1908 Invermay, a grand home, plus stables and servants quarters, was built by Sir Matthew Davies on the 279 ha property. The house was later bought by Miss Helen Simson who renamed the property Doongalla meaning "place of peace".
Regrettably, a devastating bushfire swept through the forest in 1932 and destroyed all the buildings on the estate except the servants' quarters and stables.
The unburnt forest was logged by later owners until 1950 when the State government purchased the Doongalla estate, the first acquisition in a Buy back the Dandenongs program. The area was managed as Doongalla Forest Reserve prior to it becoming part of the National Park in 1987.
The Doongalla Homestead and Stables Site is an attractive setting for a picnic in spring when the rhododendrons are in bloom, or a cool retreat in summer.
The drier, more exposed slopes of the western face of the ranges support Long-leaved Box and Red Stringybark eucalypts, a community which is very rare in the area. Beneath the tall trees are the cypress-like Cherry Ballart, Dogwood, with its slender leaves and white flowers, and several other shrubs including the yellow and red flowering Rough Bush-pea.
Tall Mountain Ash trees thrive in the gullies along Dandenong Creek near the old homestead site. They tower over the crinkly leaved Hazel Pomaderris, Musk Daisy-bush and tree ferns.
My hike started at the Stables Picnic Ground, then along Stables Track, Bill's Track, Edgar's Track, Golf Course Track, Doongalla Rd, and back to base, following a circuit around the Dandenong Creek.
The day was very hot, well over 30 degrees!
Some of these tracks were originally pony trails.
The Forest is popular for bushwalking and horseriding.
See all of the Photos!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Shoreham, Coastal Hike
See all of the Photos.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Exploring the Shiprock Falls, Kurth Kiln Park
The McCrae Creek flows through the Reserve, and the falls cascade down from rock cliffs and past huge granite boulders.
I visited the Reserve on January 19, 2011, exploring 1 km of walking tracks, with good views of the falls.
See all of the Photos of the Falls!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Sherbrooke Falls in mid-Summer
Loczted in the Dandenong Ranges National Park, the main 4 km (return) walking track from the Falls Picnic Ground passes through magnificent tall timber and ferns, following the Sherbrooks Creek Gully.
I went over to the Falls on Tuesday afternnoon January 18, 2011, with plenty of water tumbling down the rocks under the viewing platform.
Back at the Picnic Ground, the local parrots were out in full force, waiting for seeds, even though Parks Victoria has placed notices asking that visitors not feed the birds.
Despite this, some visitors blatantly ignore the regulations and bring large bags of seed.
See all of the Photos of my visit
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Tulum Beach - coastal hike Balnarring Beach to Somers Beach
Tulum Beach extends from Balnarring Beach in the west to Somers Beach in the east. It's a popular destination for beachwalking, swimming, paddling, snorkling, yachting, kayaking, kite-surfing, hound-walking, canoeing, fishing, boating, photography, rockpooling and suntanning.
Cricket matches were in progress on the beach!
The Merricks Creek Estuary flows into the Bay at Somers, and can be easily crossed at flow tide.
The Coolart Woodlands are adjacent to the beach, on the opposite side of the Creek, reached by footbridges.
Lots of action on a hot summer's day!
See all of the Photos!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
A Hike in the Olinda Creek Gully
They show the Creek, scenery and environment an a 4 km (return) hike on Management Road 18, starting at the gate off the Olinda Creek Rd.
Note the interesting gold and black Yabbies, which I had thought were some sort of scorpion at first, which I encountered on the track - about 7 cm long - out for their afternoon walk!
There were many birds making commotions in the forest canopy.
See all of the Photos of my hike!
Sunday, January 09, 2011
The Beautiful Lyrebird Creek Gully - Olinda Forest
My 4 km return hike started at the Eagle Nest Picnic Ground, then along Hermon Track, George's Track, and back along Eagle Nest Track.
This loop followed the Lyrebird Creek Gully, which was crossed during the hike.
The day was terribly hot, 39 degrees!
Many birds live in the canopy, screeching and chirping and disturbed at my encroachment on what they believe is their territory!
See all of the Photos of my hike!
This hike is one of the best in this section of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, passing magnificent ferns through former logging forest.
Thew Eagle Nest Picnic Ground is the site of a former farm, which existed up to the 1940s, but no trace remains.
Saturday, January 08, 2011
Friday, January 07, 2011
Warrandyte River Reserve in mid-summer
They show the Yarra River and many activities - people having a good time on a very hor day of 37 degrees!
My visit started at the Taroona Reserve car-park, then followed the River Walk and Artists' Trail to the bridge, and return, about 4 km total.
See all of the Photos!
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Maroondah Reservoir Park in summer
My visit consisted of a hike from the Henderson Picnic Ground, crossing the Watts River, then up to the Maroondah Lookout along the Forest Walk.
Then down to and along the Dam Wall, and descending the steps to the gardens at the base of the dam wall and the large sundial.
From there, back to the car, past the Rotunda, lily pond, and viewing area for the spillway and the magnificent waterfalls.
The panoramas of the Victorian Alps were magnificent, looking towards Mr Riddell, Mt Juliet and beyond.
See all of my Photos of the trip!
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Olinda Forest Hike
They show the scenery and environment along George's Track, a gated fire management road linking the Olinda Creek Rd and Hermon's Track.
This 4 km (return) hike is one of the very best in the Forest, with beautiful ferns, the Lyrebird Creek, many ant burrows, and cockatoos screeching in the canopy overhead!
See all of the Photos, which includes an historical engraving dated at 1873, showing a bullock train carting logs in the forest.
The Olinda section of Dandenong Ranges National Park, covering 790 hectares between Olinda, Kalorama and the catchment of Silvan Reservoir, once formed part of the Dandenong State Forest Reserve.
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