Woodland Walk - Dandenong Pollce Paddocks Reserve

An early-winter circuit walk on June 5, ,2018. This started at the gate on Brady Rd, then along Greenbanks Ave,  Belair Ave, the pretty Woodland Walk, and the Picnic Ground.

The author's comprehensive, free, on-line project about the history and evolution of the area docks may be viewed at this link.

Dandenong Police Paddocks and Churchill National Park

Dandenong Police Paddocks - Woodland Walk and Lagoon

A 2 km exploration on July 24, 2017, starting at the junction of Brady Rd and Greenbank Avenue.

In 1976, when the Brady  Rd Picnic Area was opened,  a Walking Track was constructed, known as the Woodland Walk. This started at the northern edge of the Picnic Ground, and continued as a circuit for 700 metres through the Lagoon Bushland area. The Walk is quite popular - it originally lncluded two boardwalks, which were dismantled in 2015 due to safety issues.

Several illustrated Information Boards are located along the Track, which describe the fauna and flora of the area, whnich is home to many kangaroos!

The Lagoon itself is now dry - overlow entered into a Creek, which passed through bushland to an undercrossing at Baden Powell Drive, close to the Brady Rd intersection. It then continues into the large cleared area known as Challenge Valley, used for activities of the 7th National Australian Scout Jamboree in 1964-65.

 

Woodland Track - Dandenong Police Paddocks Reserve

A 2 km circuit hike on Jan 3 2016. Kangaroos live in this Woodland but were on holidays on this occasion! 

Aboriginal people knew the location of Dandenong Police Paddocks as Nerre Nerre Warren.
The Port Phillip Aboriginal Protectorate Station was established to 'protect' Aboriginal people from the frontier violence by encouraging them to move to government stations. 

From October 1840 to December 1844, the 'official' headquarters for the Melbourne or Western Port District was Nerre Nerre Warren. At this location, school classes and religious services were held for Aboriginal people and rations provided in exchange for manual labour.
The Native Police Corps was stationed here from 1842 to the early 1850s. The Corps, consisting of Aboriginal men under the leadership of Captain Dana, were involved in dealing with disputes between Aboriginal and European people across Victoria.

The Native Police were also the first police stationed on the goldfields and they acted as guards at Pentridge Prison at Coburg.

Aboriginal people worked as trackers with the Victorian Police between 1879 and 1963. Until 1931, many of the trackers were based with the Victorian Police Horse Stud Depot at the Dandenong Police Paddocks Reserve.

The Boardwalk on the north section of the track has been dismantled due to deterioration. In previous years, there was an extensive lagoon there but it has been dry for a long time.

The track is reached from the gate at the end of Brady Rd, then through the Nerre Nerre Warren Picnic Ground, which is now accessable only by bike or on foot.