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National Rhododendron Gardens - a classic
iandsmith Says: My next goal was the perennial favourite, the National Rhododendron Gardens, set tucked away on a hillside at the back of Olinda. I deliberately used the word “perennial” because many people mistakenly think that the only time to visit is in spring when a stunning array of...
iandsmith Says: If you’re into walking then I’ve also done the Sherbrooke Falls walk although at less than 45 minutes this is more of a short stroll than a full on bushwalk. A good track for beginners or those who want to experience the forest without much effort. Nonetheless, at the...
iandsmith Says: However, that magnificent garden is but the tip of the iceberg. Next time up I went to William Ricketts Sanctuary, an iconic attraction whose creator originally named it the Potters Sanctuary, to revisit the wooden and stone sculptures of aborigines, a race that William had...
iandsmith Says: The Germans used to have the formula for aspirin but it was "misplaced". Alfred rediscovered it and made a fortune. A fair percentage of that fortune went into a most wonderful garden in the Dandenongs that was ultimately bequeathed to the state. These days the National...
craic Says: My Upwey PageThis village, where I live, is on the lower slopes of the Dandenong Ranges, and is a pleasant place to live but it is not exactly tourist orientated.No pub, just an RSL, no accomodation. But because the Burwood Highway by passes the town the main drag is...
craic Says: My Gembrook PageThis charming little town with its lovely pub is actually in Gippsland but the Puffing Billy ends its run from Belgrave here - so I'll include it as a Dandenong Ranges Town To See.It's got everything you need for a stop over, maybe have lunch, browse the...
See the carved tree at SkyHigh
tiabunna Says: We were very impressed by the large carved tree at SkyHigh. This was carved from the trunk of a large tree growing in situ, not brought here for erection. The second photo shows the placard giving the background and details of the artist responsible. I suspect that he’s...
Pie in the SKy: Traditional Aussie Tucker!
tiabunna Says: Tucked away in a sidestreet at Olinda, you’ll find Pie in the Sky. If Vienna has its hot dogs, the USA hamburgers, then the iconic Australian “instant food” is a meat pie. Here we have a restaurant dedicated to them, in a variety of styles – as seems the norm these days...
Sky High Cafe: Top of the Mountain!
ATXtraveler Says: If you are headed to the top of Mount Dandenong and are going to stop in at Sky High Mt. Dandenong, you most likely will want to take advantage of their parking scheme. It is 4 dollars to park here, but that is fully re-imbursed if you stay and eat at the cafe in the...
Helpfulness
A car really is the best way to reach the Dandenong Ranges. You can get close by taking a train to Ferntree Gully (near Lifestyle Apartments, see Accommodation) or, even closer, to Belgrave. The train trip will take about an hour from the central city. But beyond that…! Cycling into the hills would be a little fraught, as the roads are fairly narrow, winding, and without cycle lanes.
Written Sep 20, 2007
ATXtraveler Says: If you are headed up to Mount Dandenong, one of the "features" listed in the Sky High Mt. Dandenong brochure is the Plane Crash site from Australian Airways in 1937. After a 1.5km hike through some fairly rocky pathways, we came upon the memorial site, and really all it was...
ATXtraveler Says: During our hike up the Kokoda Trail in the Dandenong Ranges, we ran into several knocked down branches, but then we came across this entire tree which had fallen. If you look on the right side, you will actually see the walking trail barrier that was smashed!As the infamous...
Helpfulness
Luggage and bags: Mount Dandenong is really a day trip, possibly an overnighter at most. Pack lightly, save room for your other stops!
Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: If you are headed up in July, make sure you bring a heavy coat. It is around 51 degrees Fahrenheit. I would also recommend hiking shoes, because although it was cold, the trails were still worth the trip.
Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Readily available here.
Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: I would recommend a good B+B in July, check back for summer recommendations later.
Written Jul 23, 2005
Website: http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=49
iandsmith Says: Another stip is R J Hamer Arboretum, 120 hectares of varied forest overlooking expansive views across Silvan Dam and the Yarra Valley. Frequented mainly by locals, the trails start between the toilet block and the barbecue area and lead to some truly big trees. There are few...
Mechanics Track to Olinda Falls
iandsmith Says: The track can be slightly boggy in the wet and downright slilppery at times so hiking shoes are advised but the walk through dense thickets of tree ferns beside the gurgling stream is a delight; otherwise though the falls themselves are fairly minor, though attractive. You...
iandsmith Says: I drove up to the nearby Mount Dandenong Arboretum. Here there is a carpark, a picnic table and little else save the trees, of which there are 16 hectares of deciduous and conifer varieties. Should you walk among them and head downhill you may reach a dirt road below and...
iandsmith Says: The whole of the Dandenongs is a gastronomic delight and I was overjoyed when I dined at the Ivy in Olinda to be served genuine Italian pizza with that wonderful thin and crispy crust and garnished lightly with all the flavours you’d expect of Italian food. There are award...
tiabunna Says: Oh, the difficulty of deciding whether to place this tip in “General” or under “Shopping” or even “Tourist Traps”! Sassafras is the first little village you encounter as you enter the Dandenong Ranges from the Burwood Highway. It isn’t large and you won’t find a newsagent or...
tiabunna Says: Time for a quick botany lesson! What’s the difference between trees and ferns? It’s not necessarily size: the “Soft Tree Ferns” (Dicksonia antarctica) in this photo taken in the Dandenong National Park are as large as many trees. The difference is that trees produce seeds,...
tiabunna Says: Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus Regnans) have been recorded growing to a height of almost 100 metres – they are the world’s tallest hardwoods (flowering trees). You will find them, plus other gums, in the quite surprisingly dense moist temperate forests of the mountain ranges near...
From the city area of Melbourne, the hills to the east are not particularly obvious: as with most Australian mountain ranges, they tend to be lowish and rounded. Since public transport (think trains)...
Another Chilly trip out of Melbourne!
Sarah and I took a day out to head up to Mount Dandenong, which is located in Dandenong Ranges National Park, 35 km east of Melbourne. Just like our weekend excursion the week before to Phillip...
A feeling as much as a destination
There’s something magic about the Dandenong Ranges. When you encounter your first copse of mountain ash there’s a sense of pervading calm that comes over you, exacerbated by the tree ferns that soon...
See the region's finest sassafras and mountain ash, some of them up to 200 years old.
This is going to be my Dandenong Ranges page
Now I am living in the foothills of the beautiful Dandenong Ranges I want to take full advantage of the attractions. As I visit Olinda and Emerald and Sassafras I will put up a few pics on those pages...
Build your own Mount Dandenong page
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