A Hike along Neumann Track, Sherbrooke Forest

On October 7 2008 I visited the Sherbrooke Forest, in the Dandenong Ranges National park, 25 km east of the Melbourne CBD.

I did a 4 km (return) hike, starting at Grant's Picnic Ground, following Lyrebird Track and Neumann Track.

I explored Wallaby Paddock, the site of a farm of the 1940s - all that remains are the furrows in the cleared field.
One Kookaburra was watching me in the Paddock!

Back at Grant's, a cast of thousands had assembled - namely cockatoos, galahs, and parrots, a popular spot for their afternoon tea!

See the full set of Photos of my trip!

Lyrebird Walk in Winter, Sherbrooke Forest

On July 7 2008, a cold, wet, winter's day, I went up to the Sherbrooke Forest, 40 km east of the Melbourne CBD, in the Dandenong Ranges National Park, and explored the 4 km (return) beautiful Lyrebird Walk.

This links Grant's Picnic Ground with Cook's Corner, and passes through splendid tall Mountain Ash forest and fern gullies. Interpretative signs along the Walk describe many interesting features of the Forest, its inhabitants and evolution.

Sadly, I did not see any lyrebirds, but at Grant's Picnic Ground, the cockatoos and parrots were having a great time, feeding from bags of seeds purchased from the Kiosk!

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Winter in the Sherbrooke Forest - Dandenong Ranges National Park

Grant's Picnic Ground, Kallista, 40 km from the Melbourne CBD, is in the Sherbrooke Forest, part of the Dandenong Ranges National Park.

Several interesting walking tracks start here, passing through superb forest and tree ferns.

The Picnic Ground is a very popular destination for visitors from all over the world. The Sherbrooke Kiosk sells bags of special screened seeds to give to the hordes of cockatoos, galahs, parrots anbd other birds which live in the forest!

Those birds really know what's good for them - some will perch on your head, hand, arm or shoulder!

In the early 1900s, a timber mill was located near the site of the present Picnic Ground.

I visited the Picnic Ground on June 22, 2008, a cold and overcast day, exploring the 3 km Lyrebird and Treefern Walks.

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