Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Exploring Olinda Creek - Dandenong Ranges National Park




The Olinda Forest is part of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, 40 km east of the Melbourne CBD.

It was incorporated into the Park in 1997, and the eastern perimeter is adjacent to the Silvan Reservoir.

The scenic Olinda Creek winds it way through the Forest and alongside pretty fern gullies. There are many fire management tracks, some of which are horrendously steep, which walkers, horseriders and cyclists may enjoy.

The tracks (also known as "roads") are numerically designated "Track 1, 2, 3...." (etc) - Track 24 is the latest to have been created by Park management!

There were disastrous bushfires in the Forest in 1962 and 1968, when most of the timber was destroyed. Much of the existing Forest is regrowth timber. Regular fuel reduction activities are conducted.

Logging was carried out in the Forest from the early 1900s, subsequently phased out by the 1950s, and is no longer permitted.

The Forest is home to a wide variety of birds, animals, and native flora.

I visited this Forest on November 3, 2007, undertaking a 3 km hike along Tracks 13, 14, and the rarely used foot-track to the Olinda Creek fern gully.

My photos of this trip are at Olinda Creek Album

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