Birrarrung Park in early Spring

Birrarrung Park is a large preserved area of land along the Yarra River, in the outer eastern suburb of Lower Templestowe, 20 km east of Melbourne.

The name Birrarrung Park was derived from an Aboriginal word for Yarra River. Stone chips, flakes and an axe head found in the park remind us that the area was part of an Aboriginal pathway.

Residential and industrial development did not occur in the river valley, mainly because of the threat of flooding. The predominant land use was small scale cattle grazing and horse agistment.

The park has been developed since 1979 and was opened to the public in 1984.

A beautiful lake, with ducks, is the dominant feature of the Park, and shared walking trails pass around the lake and alongside the Yarra.

My pictures were taken on September 25, 2012

Click to see all of the pictures of my visit!

Blackburn Lake Sanctuary

On June 5 2012 I visited the Blackburn Lake Sanctuary, 18 km east of central Melbourne.

Occupying about 30 hectares  it is a bushland haven for wildlife and is managed by the Whitehorse City Council, with strong support from local Volunteer organizations.

The Lake is actually Melbourne Water's Blackburn Retarding Basin and the Sanctuary is popular with hikers, cyclists, field naturalists, birdwatchers, and school groups.

The history of the Lake dates back to 1889 when the Kooyongkoot Creek was dammed. It was a popular destination for visitors in the early 1900s who travelled to nearby Blackburn Railway Station, then walked to the Lake for picnics and boating.

My visit was mainly a 3 km hike around the Lake and along adjacent trails.

Information boards provide details of the history of the Sanctuary, and the trails are well signposted.

Many kookaburras, galahs, and cockatoos live in the trees!

See my Slideshow, with music, of my visit, which has all of the pictures.

The Yarra River Reserve, Chirnside Park

These pix were taken on March 23, 2012, on a 3 km hike through the Yarra River Reserve, Chirnside Park, 30 km east of central Melbourne.

My exploration started at the Lower Homestead Rd canoe launching ramp, then along the track throujgh the Reserve, adjacent to the perimeter of the Heritage Golf and Country Club and the scenic lake.

A pelican resides in the lake!

See the complete set of Photos of my visit, and the YouTube Video!

Silvan Reservoir Park

The Silvan Reservoir Park is adjacent to the Silvan Reservoir, 40 km east of the Melbourne CBD.

The Reservoir supplies water via large underground pipelines to storage facilities nearer to the city.

The Park incorporates a beautiful and carefully maintained picnic ground, as well as several interesting walking tracks.

The Reservoir was built in the period 1928-1931, and some artifacts from the original construction have been preserved, including part of the former concrete aqueduct and the Stilling Basin.

The Stonyford Creek Nature Trail, which starts at the picnic ground, is a short, 1 km circuit walk through protected forest and fern gullies.

I visited the Park on February 24, 2009.

See the full set of Photos of my trip!

Comprehensive information about the history and development of the Reservoir may be found at
http://www.aussieheritage.com.au/listings2/vic/Silvan/SilvanReservoirandPark/18279

Exploring Belgrave Lake Park

The Belgrave Lake Park is 35 km east of Melbourne.

The Olinda Creek flows through it, and the Lake, also known as the Dandenong Reservoir, is the habitat of many species of waterfowl, as well as platypuses and birds.

The reservoir was built in 1893 to supply water to Dandenong.

The Park has two main walking trails, with boardwalks and bridges, offering nice views of the Lake, passing through remnant bushland. The resident ducks are very friendly!

I visited this Park on November 26, 2008, exploring the 2 km circuit trail.

See the full set of Photos