Silvan Forest in late winter

Pix of August 26, 2013 in the Silvan Forest.

This was a 2 km circuit hike, starting at the car park on Stonyford Rd, opposite the main entrance to the Silvan Reservoir Park.
 

 

Click here to see all of the Photos of my visit!

Silvan Forest in early winter

These pix were taken on June 9 2012 in the Silvan Forest, 40 km east of central Melbourne.

They show the scenery and fauna on a 3 km circuit hike, along the Olinda Creek Track, Messmate Track, and Boundary Track, starting opposite the main entrance of the Silvan Reservoir Park, on Stonyford Rd.

The winter Fingi have appeared in copious numbers!

See all of the Photos of my visit as a Slideshow!

Summer in the SIlvan Forest

 

Pix taken on January 31, 2012 in the Silvan Forest, 45 km east of central Melbourne.

From the Silvan Reservoir overflow car park on Stonyford Rd, I did a 4 km circuit which took me along the southern section of the Olinda Creek Track, then on to the Grey Gum Track and back to base.

This passed through lush fern gullies and across the Olinda Creek at a rustic bridge, with nice views into the creek gully.

The Silvan Reservoir was constructed in the years 1927 to 1933, built over the Stonyford Creek.

See all of the Photos of my visit, and check out  my YouTube video!

Exploring the Silvan Forest

These pix were taken on December 27, 2011, in the Silvan Forest, 40 km east of central Melbourne, on a 3 km circuit hike.

See all of the Photos of this trip!

Late winter hike in the Silvan Forest

These pix were taken on Sunday August 28, 2011, in the Silvan Forest, 45 km east of central Melbourne.

They show the scenery and fauna on a 3 km circuit hike, starting at the overflow carpark opposite the main entrance to the Silvan Reservoir.

My route took me along the Olinda Creek Walking Track, the Messmate Track, and the Circuit Track.

There has been amazing regeneration and regrowth of ground and tree ferns since the fuel reduction burns of some months ago.

New orange markers have been pinned to trees along the tracks in this nice forest.

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Silvan Forest Circuit Hike

These photos were taken on March 10, 2011, on a 3 km circuit hike in the Silvan Forest, 40 km east of central Melbourne.

This large forest is in land managed by Melbourne Water, and is adjacent to the Silvan Reservoir Park.

There has been recent fuelbreak burnoff activity in the area.

This hike, and others nearby, starts at the overflow carpark, opposite the main entrance gate to the Park.


See the Video and Slide Show

Silvan Forest Hike - Olinda Creek Track

The Silvan Forest is adjacent to the Silvan Reservoir Park, 40 km east of Melbourne.

See all of the Photos taken on October 29, 2010, on a 4 km circuit hike along the Olinda Creek and Greygum Tracks.

Circuit hike in the Silvan Forest

Olinda Creek

Olinda Creek Track

Footbridge over Olinda Creek

On Good Friday, April 2, 2010, I spent some time in the Silvan Forest, 45 km east of Melbourne town.

From the Silvan Reservoir overflow car park on Stonyford Rd, I did a 4 km circuit which took me along the southern section of the Olinda Creek Track, then on to the Grey Gum Track and back to base.

This passed through lush fern gullies and across the Olinda Creek at a rustic bridge, with nice views into the creek gully.

The Silvan Reservoir was constructed in the years 1927 to 1933, built over the Stonyford Creek.

See all of the Photos of my visit!

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

Exploring the Silvan Forest and Stonyford Creek

On Monday afternoon July 27, 2009, I ventured out to the Silvan Forest, adjacent to the Silvan Reservoir Park.

The purpose of my visit was to explore the course of the Stonyford Creek - the Reservoir was built across this creek in the years 1911-1914. The Creek started on high ground near what is now Mt Evelyn, then flowed into the Olinda Creek.

When the Reservoir was built, the Stonyford Creek appeared to have been blocked off near its source. Only a small section of it remains today, winding through preserved forest around the Nature Trail, taking outflow from the Reservoir into the Olinda Creek, at the Stonyford Rd bridge.

The embankments of the old Creek are still visible, but heavily overgrown - it came out near the former Quarry.

My trip was a 4 km forest circuit, starting at the Overflow Car Park on Stonyford Rd, opposite the main gates to the Park, then along the Olinda Creek Track. This joined the Grey Gum Track, then passing the perimeter of Melbourne Water's large purification plant nearby, and back to the car.

Part way along the hike, the rains came down - the tracks turned into quagmires of thick red mud - I was not dressed suitably for this, with only a thin jacket, and my camera and I became drenched! I did my research into the origins of the Creek, despite the rain!

A Kookaburra started laughing at me from his vantage point up a tree next to the Olinda Creek Track.

Silvan Reservoir has only a small catchment of its own, and is mainly a holding/distribution point, fed from the Cardinia and O'Shannassy Reservoirs. Underground pipes carry water from Silvan to storage basins at Preston and Surrey Hills, the latter about 1 km from my backyard!

See the complete set of Photos!

Exploring the Tracks of 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 "Barrow Pit", next to the cleared space adjacent to the large water tanks, opposite the main gates.

My visit was on Wednesday afternoon May 27, 2009, cold and raining, passing through forest and fern gullies, on a circuit hike of about 4 km. Many colorful winter fungi had appeared!

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

See the full set of Photos of my visit.