Winter hike at Sweeney's Flats, Eltham South

Sweeneys Flats is a relatively large preserved woodland park, on the north bank of the Yarra River, Eltham, about 30 km NE of Melbourne.

It is reached from Mt Pleasant Rd (Eltham), then into Sweeney's Lane. A car park and access gate are at the end of this road.

Members of the Wurundjeri tribe of Aboriginals originally inhabited the area. The area remains significant to descendants of the Wurundjeri. During the 1840s, the land around Sweeneys Flats was purchased by Thomas Sweeney, a former convict who established an extensive property built by hard work and initiative. The Hawthorn hedge that remains is still a small part of what was once a system of many hedgerows separating the paddocks of the property from one another.

Directly opposite, on the south bank of the river, is the Tikalara Park, Candlebark Park, and Main Yarra Trail.

See all of the Photos of my visit,  taken on Wednesday afternoon July 7, 2010, showing the views, river scenes, dry lagoon, former hedges, the 1800s Homestead, and ducks, along the interesting 4 km (return) walking trail, which ends at the Griffith Bushland Park.