Exploring John's Hill Reserve - Kallista

These pictures were taken on Thursday March 31, 2011 on my annual visit to the John's Hill Reserve, Kallista..

It's located on a ridge extending to the south-east from the main Dandenong Ranges massif in the Kallista district, 45 km east of Melbourne.

It is reached from Grantulla Rd, then along Ridge Rd to the car park.

The lookout on the summit offers magnificent panoramic views to the distant Yarra Ranges National Park, the Kinglake National Park, Mt St. Leonard, the Dandenong Ranges National Park, the Cardinia Reservoir, the Silvan Reservoir, nearby farmlands, Port Phillip Bay and Westernport Bay.

A Trig Point is located at the summit, 419 m, and an information board provides useful information about the history of the region.

The walk around the Reserve is about 1 km.

See all of the panoramic Photos!

Kallista Hike in search of Lyrebirds!

There are several interesting walking tracks in the Kallista area, in the eastern section of the Dandenong Ranges NP.

Access is from small car parks along the Kallista to Emerald Rd, such as at Cook's Corner and Grant's Picnic Ground, some 30 km from the Melbourne CBD.

On Saturday afternoon May 16 2009 I explored some of these tracks, on a 5 km hike which took me along Hall's Track and Neumann's Track, to the junction of Paddy Track.

I started from the carpark at Cook's Corner.

Neumann's Track passes large open cleared spaces which were once potato farms in the 1940s, prior to their being acquired by the Government, for integration into the National Park.

Lybeirds live in the bushland adjacent to this Track, and are occasionally seen.

A mob of Eastern Grey Kangaroos inhabits the area near Brendon's Corner, but they are seen mainly at dusk and early morning.

Bordering Brendon's Corner is Wallaby Paddock, the site of an early farm.

Neumann's Track links with Lyrebird Track, which ends at Grant's picnic ground.

See the complete set of Photos of my trip!

Hardy Gully Nature Trail - Kallista

On March 14 2009 I visited Grant's Picnic Ground, Kallista, in the Dandenong Ranges National Park, about 35 km from the Melbourne CBD.

From there I walked some 3 km along the Lyrebird, Hardy's Gully, and Neumann Tracks, reaching my turnaround point at Wallaby Paddock.

This paddock was once a potato farm in the 1940s - no traces of any buildings remain, but parallel lines of furrows are still visible.

This was a cool and rainy day, bit this not deter the many parrots, galahs and white cockatoos who know where to go to get their seeds!

See the complete set of Photos of my trip!