Exploring the Olinda Falls in mid-summer

The Olinda Falls are among the most popular attractions in the Dandenong Ranges National Park, 30 km from the Melbourne CBD.

There are actully three falls - the upper, middle and lower cascades, with viewing areas for each along the 1 km steep track which starts at the picnic ground on Falls Rd.

Visitors have enjoyed the Falls since the 1860s, well before motor cars made their appearance in Melbourne, when they travelled up Mt Dandenong by horse and buggy!

The Falls were originally known as the "Valinda Falls", the name of the district, which then became "Olinda".

Olinda settlement is perched on the rim of the ancient volcano crater, which last erupted 200 million years ago!

Please see my Photo Album of the trip, which shows the walking track, signposts to nearby trails, the falls, the picnic ground, the car park, and the viewing platforms. It includes two archival photographs, showing the Falls Walking Track, and what the Falls looked like around the year 1910.

I visited the Olinda Falls on February 20, 2009.

Olinda Creek Track, Olinda Forest

On September 24, 2008, I hiked 2 km along an interesting unsigned and unmarked track in the Olinda Forest, Dandenong Ranges National Park, 35 km east of the Melbourne CBD.

This circuit started at the junction of Olinda Creek Rd and Road 13, easterly at first, then along gated Road 13 to a junction to the left near the bridge. Then westerly along the unsigned track, adjacent to the Creek and the large "Sylvan Vale" bulb farm.

The track looped back to the starting point on the Olinda Creek Rd.

Colorful spring wildflowers were in bloom along the track, which passes through a magnificient stand of very old eucalypts adjacent to the creek.

The Olinda Creek runs along the southern perimeter of the farm, managed commercially as "Tonkin's Bulbs". This farm, started in 1945, was not absorbed into the NP when the Olinda Section was added in 1997. It is the only remaining farm in this section of the NP, and occupies a very large cleared area, having survived the big bushfires of the 1950s and 1960s. It's surrounded on all sides by the National Park.

See the Photos of the trip.

A Hike near Sylvan Vale, Olinda Forest

On July 25 2008 I hiked 2 km along an interesting unsigned and unmarked track in the Olinda Forest, Dandenong Ranges National Park, 35 km east of the Melbourne CBD.

This circuit started at the junction of Olinda Creek Rd and Road 13, westerly at first, then to the Olinda Creek, easterly alongside the Creek, then along Road 13 back to the start, near the large "Sylvan Vale" bulb farm.

Colorful winter wildflowers were in bloom along the track, which passes through a magnificient stand of very old eucalypts adjacent to the creek.

The Olinda Creek runs along the southern perimeter of the farm, managed commercially as "Tonkin's Bulbs". This farm, started in 1945, was not absorbed into the NP when the Olinda Section was added in 1997. It is the only remaining farm in this section of the NP, and occupies a very large cleared area, having survived the big bushfires of the 1950s and 1960s. It's surrounded on all sides by the National Park.

See the Photos of my trip.

Olinda Creek WalkingTrack, Dandenong Ranges National Park

The Olinda Creek Track is a 2 km walking trail in the Olinda Section of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, 40 km east of the Melbourne CBD.

It links Road 13 and the Olinda Creek Rd, passing through excellent forest and fern gullies, in the Olinda Creek Valley.

I explored this interesting track on Jun 3, 2008.

Many different types of colorful fungi were observed.

See the set of Photos

Dandenong Ranges Tourist Track, Sassafras Sector

The Dandenong Ranges Tourist Track links the towns of Sassafras and Emerald, about 40 km east of Melbourne.

About 17 km in total, it passes through tall forest, fern gullies, over footbridges, along boardwalks, and several picnic grounds.

I hiked the shorter northerly section on April 21, 2008, linking Sassafras with the Crescent, some 2 km return.

See the set of Photos of my trip!

The Ascent of Steele Hill, Warramate Hills, Gruyere

NOTE: This article was updated on November 13 2014, to correct transpositions of  in the original post

he Warramate Hills area is a mini-mountain range, 60 km east of Melbourne, lying between the towns of Woori Yallock and Healesville, on public land, but with access restricted to walkers and management vehicles. There is one main fire access track crossing the hills.

In 1992, much of the land was declared "The Warramate Flora and Fauna Reserve", of some 460 Hectares.

There are two main peaks - Briarty Hill (420 m asl)  and Steele Hill (395 m asl). 

A communications tower is on Briarty Hill - there is a trig point marker on Steele Hill.

Foot access to both summits is along part of the gated fire track, then an energetic scramble up a very steep track.

The superb views from the Steele Hill Lookout are the reward!

To the north are many large vineyards spread out across the Yarra Valley, with the dominant peaks of Mts St Leonard and Tanglefoot beyond.

The reserve is managed by Parks Victoria, and is a challenging destination for local bushwalking clubs.

It is reached from the Warburton Highway, then along Killara Rd, and Yarraloch Way, to a small car park at a signed gate, at the start of the main track. There is a rise in height from 89m to 425m - good training for the Himalayas!

There is little documentation available on the history of the Hills, but it is known that gold mining was attempted in the area in the 1860s.

These photos were taken on April 15, 2008, during a strenuous 8 km (return) hike to the Steele Hill Summit.

See the Photos