Lyrebrd Creek Gully - Bridge Track reopened - Olinda Forest

These photos were taken on February 22, 2011 in the Olinda Forest, 40 km east of central Melbourne.

They show the scenery on a 3 km hike through the Lyrebird Creek Gully, starting at the Eagles Nest Picnic Ground, then following Eagles Nest Rd and Bridge Track.

Bridge Track has been reopened, and signs erected at the Eagles Nest Rd and Price's Rd intersections.

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Yarra River Trail to Mt Lofty - Warrandyte State Park

These pictures were taken on February 24, 2011, in the Warrandyte State Park, 20 km east of central Melbourne.

They show the scenery along a 4 km (return) hike which followed the Mt Lofty Trail, adjacent to the Yarra River, starting at the Reserve Rd picnic ground.

See the Video and Photos of my visit!

Balnarring Beach Hike

These photos were taken on February 26, 2011, at Balnarring Beach, 80 km south of Melbourne.

They show the coastline on a 4 km return hike, starting at the main car park at the end of Balnarring Beach Rd.

Plenty of boating action!


See the Video and the Slideshow!

Olinda Forest Hike in last week of Summer

 

These photos were taken on February 22, 2011 in the Olinda Forest, 40 km east of central Melbourne.

They show the scenery on a 3 km hike through the Lyrebird Creek Gully, starting at the Eagles Nest Picnic Ground, then following Eagles Nest Rd and Bridge Track.

See the Video and the Slide Show!

Exploring Whipstick Gully,Warrandyte SP

Three Orb Spider

Abseiling at the old Quarry

Old diggings

These photos were taken on February 20, 2011, in the Whipstick Gully Section of the Warrandyte State Park, 20 km east of central Melbourne.

My 3 km circuit hike started behind the Poppet Head at the  Goldmining Heritage Information Area, then up the Bruce Bence Trail to the summit of Fourth Hill, passing the remains of old gold diggings dating back to the 1850s.

One of the photos shows a close-up of a Three Orbed Spider in its web!

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Late summer hike to the summit of Mt Lofty, Warrandyte SP

These pix were taken on Friday February 18, 2011, in the Warrandyte State Park, 30 km east of central Melbourne.

My 3 km return hike started at the gate on Lower Homestead Rd, then a descent to the Mt Lofty Summit along Stephen Track.

The views from the summit are stupendous, 360 degrees, looking across the Yarra Valley toward the Victorian Alps, to the Dandenong Ranges, and over the Park itself.

Mt Lofty is at the eastern extremity of the Park, and overlooks the huge Heritage Golf and Country Club.

This was a hot day around 30 degrees on the Summit!


See the Video and Photos of my trip!

Olinda Creek Circuit Hike - Olinda Forest

These pictures were taken on February 19, 2011 in the Olinda Forest, Dandenong Ranges National Park, 40 km east of central Melbourne.

They show the scenery and environment on a 3 km circuit hike in the Olinda Creek Gully, starting at the junction of Olinda Creek Rd and gated Management Road 13, then on to the Olinda Creek Track.

See the Video and Slideshow Photos!

Bunyip Sate Park - Tonimbuk Trail

These photos were taken on February 16, 2011, in the Bunyip State Park, 80 km east of Melbourne.

They show the scenery and flora on a 4 km (return) hike along the signed Tonimbuk Trail, starting at the Tynong North-Gembrook Rd.

The Trail is shared with walkers, horses, and cyclists and follows the Diamond Creek, which it crosses on small bridges on several occasions.

My hike ended at the Mortimer Picnic Ground - the Trail actually continues further for abut 1 km, which I had explored on a previous trip.

The Trail was once a logging route.

Hot and humid day, huge biting March Flies were a problem.

See all of the Photos and the Video!

Merricks Coastal Hike - Westernport Bay

 

These photos were taken on Fenruary 15, 2011, on a 4 km return hike along the Merricks Coast, Westernport Bay, 70 km SE of Melbourne.

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Olinda - Hamer Forest Arboretum Hike

These pictures were taken on Monday February 14, 2011, in the RJ Hamer Forest Arboretum, Olinda, 40 km east of central Melbourne.

The 126 hectare Arboretum has plantings from the mid-1970s, and is adjacent to the Dandenong Ranges National Park.

My 4 km circuit hike started at the junction of Mathias and Silvan Rds, then along unsigned Poplar Track, on to the "Jungle" track through the Arboretum, reaching Red Dog Hut on Mathias Rd, and back to home base.

Large trees had fallen across the track!

Many of the tracks in the Arboretum are named after the tree species through which they pass.

The RJ Hamer Arboretum land is a small part of the original Dandenong and Woori Yallock State forest, proclaimed over 110 years ago. A succession of fires destroyed the original eucalypt forest and during 1948-1955, and softwood trees were planted on site as part of plans to improve Victoria's timber supplies.

The fires of 1962 destroyed the majority of these post-war plantings and the government then investigated the future use of the area. Plans were developed for the establishment of an exotic forest Arboretum to be used as part of a firebreak for the Olinda township. The RJ Hamer Arboretum is the first known occasion in which a forest style Arboretum was completely established by planting. A basic planting design was completed in 1970 and planting was carried out for the next 15 years.

See all of the Photos of my hike!

Yarra River at Pound Bend, Warrandyte SP

These photos were taken on Sunday February 13, 2011 in the Warrandyte State Park, 20 km east of central Melbourne.

They show the scenery and action along the Yarra River, on a 4 km return hike, which started at the Pound Bend Picnic Ground - turnaround was at the bottom of the large Kangaroo Paddock, adjacent to, and managed by Parks Victoria Warrandyte regional depot.

The Yarra was flowing strongly, due to the effects of recent heavy rain, and many large trees had fallen into the river.

I have included an archival image showing what the Pound Bend Picnic Ground looked like in the year 1909! The people are having a good time on a seesaw - note the small boy in the foreground, partly hiden behind a stump, with an accordeon.

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Possum Track - Olinda Forest

These photos were taken on February 12, 2011, in the Olinda Forest, Dandenong Ranges National park, 40 km east of central Melbourne.

My 4 km return hike followed George's Track, from the gate on Olinda Creek Rd, then ascended to unsigned Possum Track.

Possum Track descends into the Rifle Range Gully Creek, crossing the creek, then ends at Eagle Nest Track.

The scenery was excellent, with the track passing through tall timber and fern gullies.

George's Track is shared by hikers, cyclists, and horses.

See all of the Photos! 

The Video is below!

Warrandyte State Park - Superb Views from Market Garden Track - Feb 9 2011

Hiking in the beautiful Olinda Forest

These photos were taken on Monday February 7, 2011, in the Olinda Forest, Dandenong Ranges NP. 40 km east of central Melbourne.

This was a 3 km circuit hike, starting at the Eagles Nest Picnic Ground, then along Eagle Nest Track, George's Track, and Hermon's Track.

The Lyrebird and Rifle Range Gully Creeks were crossed.

There were many nice bird calls in the canopy!

See all of the Photos of my visit.