North Warrandyte - Yarra River hike

On Tuesday March 30 2010 I went over to the North Warrandyte district, 25 km east of Melbourne town. I explored an interesting 2 km (return) track along the north bank of the Yarra, starting at a small car park off the unsealed Boulevard.

This took me down to the Stony Creek Bushland Reserve, and the track passed the confluence of the creek with the Yarra.

This bank of the Yarra is popular for swimming in the warmer months - I followed the track to its end at the foot of the high cliffs near the end of Weeroona Way.

The Playground is on Weeroona Way.

This track is directly opposite the Pound Bend section of the Warrandyte State Park, but is not shown in Melways or other public maps.

It offered good views of the Yarra, passing through remnant bushland, a habitat for many species of birds and animals.

See all of the Photos!

A hike in the Olinda Forest, site of the 1933 second Silvan Reservoir.

This 3 km hike was in the Olinda Forest, 30 km east of Melbourne town, on Monday afternoon March 29, 2010. My route was along gated Management Rd 13, starting at its junction with the Olinda Creek Rd, then along the Olinda Creek Track.

This was through forest, swinging around at a sharp turn adjacent to the Olinda Creek.

The track then followed the Creek, with the Flower Farm opposite, reaching Track 13. This track crossed the Olinda Creek at the quaint old bridge, then uphill to a newly constructed management track, adjacent to the Flower Farm boundary.

From there, I returned along Track 13, back to the car.

In 1933, the Victorian Government had proposed to flood this section of the Olinda Forest and construct a second Silvan Reservoir, by damming the Lyrebird Creek, causing destruction of this beautiful area, farms and private properties. Fortunately, sanity prevailed, and public protests resulted in the new reservoir being abandoned, allowing continued access into this marvellous forest until the present day.

See all of the Photos of my visit, including a map of the area as it was in 1933!

Exploring Freeland Track, Warrandyte State Park

On Sunday afternoon March 28 2010 IO went over to the Jumping Creek section of the Warrandyte State Park, 25 km east of Melbourne town.

I parked at the barbecue area on the hilltop adjacent to the road into the main picnic area.

This road is actually Freeland Rd, dating back to the early 1900s when the area was first settled by Europeans.

Ths sealed section of this road ends at the picnic ground. It continues for several km as a gated nmanagement track all the way to the old Stane Brae Homestead to the north,

I ventured into the bushland and followed a rutted firetrack through the scrub down to the junction with Freeland Track.

I checked out some old watercourses nearby, now dry, and the remains of gold diggings.

The Nature Trail enters Freeland Track at this point.

I then returned to the main picnic area - a group was fishing off the Yarra - waiting for Redfin and Perch. The resident ducks were watching with interest!

Total distance walked was about 2 km.

See all of the Photos, as well as some historical images!

A hike into history - Yarra Brae Park

On Friday March 26. 2010, I visited the remote Yarra Brae Section of the Warrandyte State Park, 20 km east of the Melbourne CBD. I completed an 8 km return hike along the gated Market Garden and Lucerne Paddock Tracks, both being fire management tracks, starting and finishing at the Clifford Activity Centre, reached from Clifford Drive, off Jumping Creek Rd.

The State government purchased the Stane Brae and Yarra Brae river frontages in 1982 and both parcels of land were incorporated into the park in 1987.

This is one of the best long walks in the Park, following the ridge top, with excellent views easterly over the Yarra Gorge towards the Yarra Ranges, to the Dandsenong Ranges, and the Mt Lofty section of the Park.

Market Garden Track starts at the Clifford Activity Centre. Just north of signed Scout Track is a short side-track leading up to a large cleared summit space on a hilltop - there are good views from here to the Kinglake Ranges and hills around Kangaroo Ground, and across neighbouring farms, grazing properties, and equestrian centres.

Market Garden Track then descends to a large clearing next to the Yarra River, believed to be the site of an early farm. This is a Water Point for fire management purposes. Immediately opposite this point is the small municipality "Bend of Islands", an Environmental Living Zone.

From this spot, a gate marks the start of unsigned Lucerne Paddock Track, which follows the river, until another large cleared area is reached. This is another Water Point for fire protection purposes. It is assumed that this was the original Lucerne Paddock.

Here there are the remains of an old building, now only concrete foundations and a crumbling concrete tank and roof tiles.

From there, it was a 3.5 km trudge back to the start, mindful that there is an increase in altitude fromn 50 m to 130 m!

HISTORICAL NOTES

This area was originally known as the Yarra Brae Farm, a huge pastoral holding of about 400 Hectares, which is dated to the early 1920s. Most of this was bushland/forest, with about 8 km frontage to the Yarra River.

Large sections of this land were cleared in the 1920s and 1930s for timber, and the area was then opened up for agricultural purposes, mainly orchards and grazing.

In 1940, the property was auctioned, which by that time comprised about 250 Ha of grassland, and 150 Ha of timber.

Now, the Yarra Brae Riding Centre occupies about 100 Ha of the former Farmsite. The perimeter of the Centre adjoins Market Garden Track and Lucerne Paddock Track, now within the State Park.

During the years of World War 2, part of the area was used for military training excercise.

Lord Clifford became the owner of the farm in 1942. In 1948 he offered the use of approximately 150 Ha to Scouts Australia for the 3rd Pan Pacific Jamboree. Referred to as "Yarra Brae Jamboree", it was the first post-war international scout gathering and attracted 11,000 scouts and scouters from around the world.

Again in 1955, Lord Clifford offered the property to Scouts Australia for the 5th Pan Pacific Jamboree. Known this time as the "Clifford Park Jamboree" and remembered as the "Mudboree", the event attracted 16,000 participants from 25 countries.

In 1962, it was the location for the 7th World Rover Moot the first world scouting event ever to be held in Australia. The World Rover Moot was attended by more than 1000 Rover Scouts from across the globe.

Following the death of the owner Lord Clifford, Yarra Brae Farm was sold at auction in 1967. The new owners continued to allow scouts the continuing use of the area surrounding the old parade ground along the river.

After purchase by Scouts Australia in 1983, the site was used mainly at weekends as a scout camping and activity venue. In 1995, in an effort to be more proactive in the community the Committee of Management decided to sponsor a new organisation, The Friends of Clifford Park, and open the property not just to scouts, but to the wider public as the "Clifford Park Activity Centre".

The first subdivision of the farm was approved in 1983 and Scouts Australia, Victorian Branch was able to purchase freehold the present 20 Ha acre site which became known as "Clifford Park".

At around the same time, the Victorian Government resumed the whole Yarra River frontage to become part of the Warrandyte State Park,

With the support of Manningham City Council, both Federal and State governments and TAFE institutes at Box Hill, Swinburne and Holmesglen, the Friends have helped transform the park into a place of adventure, excitement and passive recreation -- a centre that can accommodate the needs of both scouting and non-scouting communities and one of which the whole community can justly be proud.

With full catering being available, Clifford Park also offers seminar facilities for government, local government, education and corporate entities who wish to conduct programs or staff development activities.

All developments to this stage have been carried out according to a master plan approved by the City of Manningham, which emphasizes the values of environment, activities for youth and scouting heritage.

There is comprehensive information about Clfford Park at the following Website, to which acknowledgement is given for some of the historical background in this article.

http://www.vicscouts.asn.au/CliffordPark/index.html

Members of the public may explore it by foot at any time. There is access through it to the Yarra River precinct at the northern boundary.

See all of the Photos of my visit, which include some historical images of Yarra Brae and Clifford Park, dating back to the 1930s.

Olinda Creek Circuit Hike

A relatively unknown 2 km circuit walking trail is the Olinda Creek Track, in the Olinda Forest, Dandenong Ranges National Park, about 30 km from Melbourne town. This signed track starts about 100 metres down from the junction of gated Management Road 13 and the Olinda Creek Rd, and descends to the Olinda Creek through tree ferns. A water flow measurement meter and gauge, the property of Melbourne Water, are located at the Creek The Track is then followed uphill in a circuit, eventually reaching the Olinda Creek Rd, then a short walk alongside the road to the car. This area was heavily logged from the 1880s until timbercutting ceased in the early 1950s. The remains of logging activity (stumps and logs) are visible along the Track. My exploration was on Wednesday afternoon March 24, 2010.

See all of the Photos!

Circuit hike in the Silvan Forest

Several interesting walking trails may be enjoyed in the Silvan Forest, part of the Melbourne Water Reserve, adjacent to the Silvan Reservoir Park, 45 km east of the Melbourne CBD.

They start opposite the main entrance to the Park, in Stonyford Rd, and include the Olinda Creek, Messmate, Greygum, and Circuit Tracks.

The reservoir was opened in 1932, supplying water to Melbourne. A 7 km aerial cableway transported materials to the construction site from a siding at Mt Evelyn railway station.

Rusting remains of this cableway and other pieces of old machinery and outbuildings may be seen on the site of the former "Borrow Pit", next to the cleared space adjacent to the large water tanks, opposite the main gates.

My visit was on Tuesday afternoon March 23, 2010, warmish but overcast, passing through forest and fern gullies, on a circuit hike of about 4 km.

See all of the Photos!

Comprehensive information about the construction and development of the Reservoir may be found at

http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=102609

Circuit hike around Mt Lofty, Warrandyte State Park

Mt Lofty is the highest point in the eastern section of the Warrandyte State Park, 25 km east of the Melbourne CBD.

On March 22, 2010, I visited the area, doing a 4 km circuit walk to the Mt Lofty Summit, starting at the Witton's Reserve at the end of Reserve Rd, off Jumping Creek Rd.

This walk took me up Wayne Rd steeply to the summit, then along the ridge, then down a jeep fire-management track to the Yarra, and back to the Reserve. Some Eastern Grey kangaroos were wanting to fight me, but I left them alone...

Nearby is the tarzan rope next to the canoe launching ramp.

The views from the summit are outstanding, easterly across the Upper Yarra Valley to the Yarra Ranges, and south to the Dandenong Ranges.

It can get quite hot up there, and sports/summerwear is recommended for anyone contemplating this circuit outside of winter. Good footwear is also mandatory! Be careful about UV radiation, even on cloudy days.

See all of the Photos of my visit, which include a group of young people having a good time before their canoeing expedition and a zoom shot of a single engine Spy Aircraft flying over the summit!

See a map of the Warrandyte Region at

http://bonzle.com/c/a?a=sm&v=6GHCJP69CIT4

Warrandyte Festival 2010 - action and fun!

The annual Warrandyte Festival was held on the weekend of March 19-21, 2010.

Warrandyte is an outer eastern village/suburb of Melbourne, about 25 km from the CBD, surrounded by hills, the Yarra River, and the Warrandyte State Park. Gold was first discovered in Victoria here in 1851.

This year's theme was "Warrandyte Dreaming", and it was run by the Warrandyte Festival Committee, and sponsored by the Manningham City Council and Nillumbik Shire Council.

Several thousand visitors came to join in the fun and action, with most of the activities and displays located on Stiggant's Riverbank.

Festival Feasting - food to suit every taste was available, as well as wine tasting from local wineries.

Radio Eastern 98.1 FM broadcast live happenings about the Festival from a studio on the Stiggant's Riverbank. The station was handing out free shopping bags, mugs, pens, and baseball caps!

Everyone enjoyed the music from various bands and groups, from the Riverbank and Main Stages!

See all of my Candid Camera Photos, which portray the sights and actions of the Festival on the Saturday.

Westerfold's Park, Templestowe

Westerfolds Park is a large (130 hectares) area in the outer eastern suburb of Templestowe, only 15 km from the Melbourne CBD.

Prior to European settlement, the area was originally part of the Wurundjeri tribe territory. The area which is now Westerfolds Park was purchased from the Crown in 1846 and had an unremarkable history until the Turner family bought the property in the early 1930s and built the Manor in 1936.

By the 1950s the growing population had pushed most of the large-scale farmers and orchardists out of the surrounding area, but residential and industrial development did not occur in the river valley, mainly because of the threat of flooding. Westerfolds was salvaged from suburban development and added to the Yarra Valley Parklands in 1977.

In 1978, due to growing community interest in the environment and a demand for areas of open space to pursue passive recreation, Melbourne Parks and Waterways (later Parks Victoria) began to manage and develop the land into Westerfolds Park.

The park has become a haven for wildlife. Parrots, cockatoos, kookaburras, water birds and small bush birds can be seen, along with bats, platypus, wombats, koalas, possums, and even Eastern Grey Kangaroos.

Since the days of European settlers and timber cutters, thousands of native trees have been planted, native grassland and bush conserved and wetlands reinstated. Today, a blend of Eucalypts, Acacias, grasses and shrubs provide a natural environment - over 400 species native to the area have been recorded.

The pictures were taken on March 21, 2010, during a 5 km exploratory hike, and show various scenes and tracks in the Park.

The Main Yarra Trail passes through the Park.

See all of the Photos!

Mullum Mullum Creek Reserve, Donvale

Mullum Mullum Creek Reserve is in the districts of Donvale and Doncaster East, 15 km east of Melbourne.

It extends from the Heidelberg-Warrandyte Rd in the north, to Tindals Rd in the south, about 2 km.

Shared walking tracks in the Reserve follow the Creek on either side, passing through remnant bushland, old orchards, and over bridges and boardwalks.

Ducks reside in the Creek, which was in flood, due to recent heavy rains!

I explored the southern section of this interesting Reserve on September 28, 2009 on a 4 km circuit hike starting at the Reynolds Rd junction.

See all of the Photos!

Four Brothers Rocks - Bunyip State Park

The Four Brothers Rocks are in the Bunyip State Park, 65 km east of Melbourne.

The Rocks and viewpoint are deep in the Park, and are at the highest point in the Black Snake Range, about 420 metres above sea level.

Vehicular access (4WD or AWD recommended) is via steep, winding, scenic and rough roads through the forest, then a 2 km return walk.

I visited the Rocks on Thursday afternoon March 18, 2010 - my last visit was in September 2005.

My route was from the south, along Monash Freeway, Tynong North Rd, Gembrook-Tonimbuk Rd, Link Rd, Burgess Rd, to the signed parking area where there is a gate. From this point, it is a 1 km walk along Burgess Rd to the Rocks.

An alternative route is from the north, from Black Snake Creek Rd and then on to Link Rd.

The views from the Rocks are spectacular, looking north across the Park to the Blue Range.

Much of the forest adjacent to the Rocks was burnt out in the 2009 fires, but there has been significant regrowth.

Adventurous souls might wish to walk to the Rocks all the way from the Mortimer Picnic Ground, up Triangle Track, which leads in to Link Rd. Since the fires, gates have been installed across Triangle Track, to prevent private vehicular access into Link Rd.

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Nature Trail, Warrandyte State Park

The Nature Trail is about 3 km circuit, starting at the Jumping Creek picnic ground, Warrandyte State Park, 30 km east of Melbourne town.

It is best followed from the sign at the car park, along the Yarra, with some good views of the river. A junction is reached, where the Blue Tongue Bend track continues to the left, and the Nature Trail to the right.

The Trail is followed through bushland. Some sections are indistinct, but there are numbered markers for guidance. The trail goes uphill and passes the boundary of private property at its highest point, and there are interesting views across the Yarra gorge.
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The trail reaches the fire management road and this is followed back to the car park.

Be very, very afraid on this Trail, as there are wild lions nearby!

See all of the Photos of my visit, which includes a lion!

Richard's Tramway, Big Pats Creek

On March 16, 2010, I explored the Richard's Tramway Trail.

The Trail, (5 km return), starts past the small settlement of Big Pat's Creek, 100 km east of Melbourne, deep in the Yarra State Forest.

The Tramway was opened in 1916 - it closed down in 1951, and serviced several mills in the region.

Little remains of the tramway infrastructure. A 3 metre section of the tramway has been restored, to show what it was once like.

Sadly, the wooden Log Landing/crossing at the restored section which once had the original winch cable coming down from the hill has deteriorated and is now buried in vegetation.

See all of the Photos of my visit, which includes a photo I took on my previous visit in September 2005, showing the winch cable and the sloping wooden Log Landing.

There's also a picture taken in 1916 at the same site!

It served several mills in the forest, with logs carted by horses or locos on steel and/or wooden rails to the railhead at Warburton.,

Sections of the Tramway Trail were restored in 2003 by DSE and local residents of Big Pat's Creek.

Tree Fern Walking Track - Bunyip State Park

One of the best shorter walks in the western section of the Bunyip State Park would be Fern Tree Track.

This is deep in the Park, in the Black Snake Range, and runs between Nichol Hut Tk and gated Link Rd.

It follows a creek gully, with beautiful green tree ferns, some of which overhang the trail.

The Nicol Hut Walking Track starts at Triangle Rd, just north of the Gembrook-Tonimbuk Rd, and the turnoff for Fern Track is about 1 km further on.

There is space for car parking at Triangle Rd.

Nichol Hut Track was originally a fireline park management track, which continues to Burgess Tk, near the Four Brothers Rock formation.

The area is thick regrowth bushland, heavily logged until the late 1980s. The walking distance was about 4 km. The tracks are well signposted and are shown on Rooftops Gembrook map, and in the Parks Victoria map of the Bunyip State Park.

Tree Fern Track may also be reached from the Mortimer Picnic Ground car park, following gated Triangle Track.

This is one walk which should not be missed!

See all of the Photos of this trip!

Ruffey Creek Linear Park, Templestowe

The Ruffey Creek Linear Park is located in Lower Templestowe, about 30 km NE of Melbourne town. It includes the 14 hectare Finn's Reserve, with about 1.2 km of Yarra River frontage, surrounding Wombat Bend.

Facilities include a Scout Hall, playground, fitness equipment, barbeques, shelter, public toilets and landscaping.

It is reached from Union St, off Foote St. The Ruffey Creek confluence with the Yarra divides the Reserve.

A suspension footbridge crosses the Yarra, linking with the Main Yarra Trail.

I visited this nice park on Saturday afternoon March 13, 2010, crossing the suspension bridge, then continuing east to Westerfold's Park, and return, about 4 km total.

Platypuses are in the Yarra at Finn's Reserve, but were not seen!

A long Trail goes through the Ruffey Creek Valley to Ruffey Lake Park.

Many ducks live in the river, which on this occasion was very turgid and brown, due to recent storms upstream.

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Kangaroo Paddock ,Pound Bend, Warrandyte SP

Kangaroo Paddock is a large open cleared space owned by Parks Victoria, in the eastern section of the Pound Bend area of the Warrandyte State Park, 25 km east of Melbourne town.

Walkers are pemitted in the Paddock, which is adjacent to the Yarra River.

A large mob of Eastern Grey Kangaroos inhabits the Paddock!

The Paddock is reached from the Pound Bend Reserve car-park, then along the main Pound Bend walking track next to the river (alternatively from Pound Bend Rd or gated Tank Track)

I caught up with the Kangas on Friday afternoon March 12, 2010, on a 4 km return hike!

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Exploring Mt. Cannibal, West Gippsland

Mt. Cannibal Nature Reserve is 90 km east of Melbourne, in the district of Garfield North, north of the Princes Highway, and not far from the commercially-run Gumbiyah Park.

The summit is at 241 m, an increase in altitude from 138 m. A 3 km circuit track (steep and rocky in parts) from the picnic ground goes through forest and links two lookouts - Northern Lookout, and Southern Lookout.

Southern Lookout offers superb views to Wsternport Bay, French Island, Phillip Island, the Mornington Peninsula and the Westernport Biosphere Reserve.

The Northern Looking commands spectacular views to the Black Snake Range and the Bunyip State Park.

The Reserve is managed by the Cardinia Shire, with support from the Friends of Mt. Cannibal organization. The Summit is popular with Meteor Observation Groups, and Amateur Radio activities, being relatively free from electrical and visual pollution.

I did the circuit walk on March 11, 2010, and was impressed at the work which has been done in creating the new Southern Lookout and directional marker (sponsored by Rotary). There has been a major reconstruction and realignment of sections of the Track, with wooden steps installed and gravel surfacing. Brightly colored markers along the Track refer to points of interest - a well produced set of Trail Notes is available from a metal box at the start of the Track. A comprehensive Information Board in the picnic area provides details about the Reserve, its fauna, flora, and geography.

The Forest is home to the second higest population of forest owls in Victoria.

The large granite rocky outcrops in the Reserve are over 350 million years old, and represent one of the largest displays in southern Victoria.

See all of the Photos of my visit!