John's Hill is on a ridge extending to the south-east from the main Dandenong Ranges massif in the Kallista district, 45 km east of Melbourne.
The lookout on the summit offers magnificent panoramic views to the distant Yarra Ranges National Park, the Kinglake National Park, Mt St. Leonards, the Dandenong Ranges National Park, the Cardinia Reservoir, and nearby farmlands.
The Ridge Road Reserve is a 2 km strip of remnant forest extending from the summit to the Menzies Creek.
On May 8, 2007, I visited the Lookout and did the walking track which runs through the Reserve. This was very steep -the summit is 406m, the bottom is 209m! That's an altitude change of 200m in 2 km, and is quite challenging.
The views from the Track were excellent, as the Track passes between farms and plantations.
The photo album is at
http://worldisround.com/articles/329061/index.html
The lookout on the summit offers magnificent panoramic views to the distant Yarra Ranges National Park, the Kinglake National Park, Mt St. Leonards, the Dandenong Ranges National Park, the Cardinia Reservoir, and nearby farmlands.
The Ridge Road Reserve is a 2 km strip of remnant forest extending from the summit to the Menzies Creek.
On May 8, 2007, I visited the Lookout and did the walking track which runs through the Reserve. This was very steep -the summit is 406m, the bottom is 209m! That's an altitude change of 200m in 2 km, and is quite challenging.
The views from the Track were excellent, as the Track passes between farms and plantations.
The photo album is at
http://worldisround.com/articles/329061/index.html
John's Hill is where my grandfather and his parents settled - James 'Jim' Johns and my grandfather was his son, Reg Johns. They had a farm at the end of Ridge Road that was still sign posted Johns Farm up until a few years ago. My grandfather had many stories to tell, of walking to Menzies Creek to school and carting goods via bullock wagon to the Melbourne markets - they were mainly berry farmers. He even used to ride his bicycle to Oakleigh where he had a radio repair shop!Reg moved when he was married to Bittern/Balnarring and then to Red Hill South where he started the 'pick your own' berry craze. I love standing at the John's Hill Reserve as I feel a very strong connection to the area. Thanks for bringing back memories. Wendy
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