7 Best Short Walks in Dandenong Ranges National Park

Replace tall buildings with towering trees by visiting the mighty Dandenong Ranges. Explorer Jess shares her favourite walks conveniently located less than an hour from Melbourne CBD!

We Are Explorers acknowledges that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Wurundjeri, Bunurong, and Boon Wurrung people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

If you grew up in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, more than a few of your weekends were likely spent tramping around walking tracks in the Dandenong Ranges National Park. From feeding rosellas at Valley Picnic Ground to doing your darnedest to figure out if there are 1,000 steps at the 1,000 Steps – I have fond core memories from this region.

If you haven’t been, you’re in for a treat. Dandenong Ranges walks are for everyone (except for your four-legged buddies because it’s a national park!). From short 15-minute rambles to more rugged walks, your hardest decision will be which one to enjoy first.

Best Dandenong Ranges Walks

1. Kokoda Track Memorial Walk/1,000 Steps

Location: Dandenong Ranges National Park
Distance: 3km return
Duration: 2 hours return
Time from Melbourne: 1 hour
Difficulty: Intermediate 

More commonly known as the ‘1,000 Steps’, the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk is an immensely popular training ground for fitness lovers and people preparing for thru-hikes. Beginning at Ferntree Gully Picnic Ground, this is the busiest walk on the list. You can go both up and down the steps or you can make a loop out of it and head back down via the Lyrebird Track, which is steep gravel with optional steps.

The Lyrebird Track can be done to avoid the crowds on the 1,000 Steps, or as part of a loop combining both walks

The Kokoda Memorial Walk is rumoured to not have 1,000 steps anymore – give it a go and see if you can count. Every time I’ve tried I end up losing count about halfway up.

The car park is relatively small compared to the number of visitors, so to avoid stalking walkers heading back to their cars, aim to arrive at 6am when the walk opens on weekends or visit on weekdays for the best chance to find a spot. If the car park is full, don’t park on the side of the road along the highway. This is a great way to find a fine on your windscreen, which turns a relaxing weekend walk into a very expensive outing.

As an alternative, you can park your car at the top of the 1,000 Steps in the One Tree Hill car park instead. It’s almost always got a few spots free and it’s less than 100m from the track. While you effectively complete the walk in reverse, you still get to complete the full track without the parking chaos.

It can be accessed easily from the Upper Ferntree Gully Train Station. The distance between the train station and the base of the steps is 1.2km. 

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Be prepared for a decent uphill walk from the car park before you reach the base of the steps

2. Olinda Falls

Location: Dandenong Ranges National Park
Distance: 1km return (if you visit every viewing platform)
Duration: 20-40 minutes return
Time from Melbourne: 1 hour 10 minutes 
Difficulty: Intermediate

Please note! The toilet and lower viewing platform are currently closed, pending replacement in 2024. Visit Parks Victoria for more updated information.

Olinda Falls is a short 300m walk from the Olinda Falls Picnic Ground. You’ll reach a track junction with turn offs to the upper or lower waterfall viewing platforms. There’s 86m of elevation to cover and the track gets quite steep and rocky in places, although there are mostly handrails available in these sections. If you’re tired, there are two seats along the way – neither with great views but they’re a good spot to catch your breath.

Like all waterfalls, these look best after some decent rain, but unfortunately, this makes the track extra muddy and slippery. If heading there in wet conditions, I recommend hiking boots with decent grip, or your runners will come back a different colour!

Olinda Falls Campground has a wheelchair-accessible toilet, but the walk isn’t flat.

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Don’t forget to look up, the views are just as good in this direction

3. Margaret Lester Forest Walk

Location: Dandenong Ranges National Park
Distance: 500m loop
Duration: 20 minutes
Time from Melbourne: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

The Margaret Lester Forest Walk was the first walking track in a Victorian national park constructed with the intent to be accessible for people with limited mobility. Built in 1981, the track is 1.2m wide and has a concrete surface for the first 300m and a gravel surface for the remaining 200m.

I’d say it used to be a lot smoother than it is now, but it’s still ok for people who use a wheelchair or are in a pram as there are no significant gradients to overcome. Anyone who struggles with gravel can turn around at the end of the concrete section and still enjoy a nice 600m experience, or return via the car park instead, which runs parallel to the walking path.

The walking path is wide, with minimal incline and informative signs along the way

The walk starts just beside the communal pergola and BBQ area at Grants Picnic Ground. There are always plenty of birds around to enjoy, but once you’re on the hard-surfaced track you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for Lyrebirds. Even if you don’t spot any, you’ll be blown away by the natural beauty of the area.

The interpretive signs along the way provide information about the surrounding forest. It’s an easy interpretive walk that’s often overlooked as people are distracted by the friendly cockatoos, kookaburras, and rosellas in the picnic area – but it’s well worth the wander!

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The start is easy to find, directly to the right of the Grants on Sherbrooke Cafe

4. Lyrebird Circuit Walk

Location: Dandenong Ranges National Park
Distance: 5.5km loop
Duration: 2 hours return
Distance from Melbourne: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Lyrebird Circuit Walk starts and ends at good old Grants Picnic Ground as well! To find this one, you’ll want to park the car, then, with your back to the main road, look about 50m to the left of the Grants on Sherbrooke Cafe.

Hot tip! The yo-yo biscuits are to die for!

The walking path is flat, wide, and mostly consistent underfoot. For the most part, it’s pram-friendly but when it gets overgrown you’ll want to bust out the cover to protect against any overenthusiastic ferns. It also gets pretty muddy after rain – we’re talking about a rainforest here! It connects multiple walks in Sherbrooke Forest to make the loop. If you’re unsure, make sure to check a map before you head out.

Lyrebird breeding season runs from June to August, and the best time to see them is in the early morning. They’re quite timid birds, so you’ll need to be quiet to maximise your chances of seeing one. One bird you’ll definitely see a few of is the kookaburra. Keep an eye out! 

The birdlife here is used to people and very confident so they’re often willing models for a photograph! 

If you’re still full of beans when you get back, consider a quick jaunt on the Hardy Gully Nature Walk (700m return) or the Margaret Lester Forest Walk (500m return).

The communal tables at Grants Picnic Ground are very popular with flocks of cockatoos and rosellas, so I recommend eating in the cafe unless you want your food stolen. 

Note: Don’t confuse the Lyrebird Circuit Walk with the Lyrebird Track that runs parallel to the 1,000 Steps and heads up to One Tree Hill Picnic Ground!

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While these guys will give you all their attention in the hopes of some food, please remember that feeding them has been banned

5. Coles Ridge Track

Location: Dandenong Ranges National Park
Distance: 2.2km one-way
Duration: 2 to 3 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Distance from Melbourne: 1 hour

The Coles Ridge Track connects Grants Picnic Ground with Belgrave, near Puffing Billy Railway Station, and can be started from either end. Stretching through cool temperate rainforest, the walking track is in an incredibly peaceful setting and is wide enough for prams. The parking area at the Belgrave end is basically non-existent and you’ll have to drive up a pretty gnarly hill to get there.

My preference is to park at the picnic ground, enjoy a return walk along the track, and then tuck into some lunch at Grants on Sherbrooke Cafe. Make sure you look up occasionally as you walk – the trees are phenomenally tall and it’s a popular spot for photos for a reason.

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The Belgrave end of the the comfortable 2.2km walk

6. Sherbrooke Falls Track

Location: Dandenong Ranges National Park
Distance: 2.4km return
Duration: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Distance from Melbourne: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Easy to intermediate

This is a cute little walk that starts off flat but results in a steady gradient weaving downwards through giant Mountain Ash and thriving tree ferns. Starting from O’Donoghue Picnic Ground, the walk ends in a loop around Sherbrooke Falls, so don’t stress when you come to an unsigned intersection.

The forest here is lush and well maintained

The falls are 2m high and 1m wide – so more of a trickle than a fall. They look best after rain when the morning sun filters through the trees. If you’re chasing epic waterfalls, I wouldn’t add this to your list. This walk is more about enjoying the journey to get there. You’ll encounter some massive fallen trees and natural beauty.

Conveniently this is located extremely close to the George Tindale Memorial Gardens and the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens. Both are stunning and worth a visit. Combine all three and you’ve got yourself a great day in the Dandenongs!

Note: For a slightly longer walk you can also start this walk from Sherbrooke Picnic Ground or complete the Eastern Sherbrooke Forest Walk (7.1km loop) instead.

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The waterfall is in there, look carefully!

7. Eastern Sherbrooke Forest Loop

Location: Dandenong Ranges National Park
Distance: 7.1km return
Duration: 2 hours
Distance from Melbourne: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate

Enjoy a wonderful escape through spectacular Mountain Ash forest on this moderate walk that joins multiple short walking paths together to make a longer loop through the Dandenong Ranges. Beginning on Lyrebird Walk (mentioned above!), you’ll turn right onto Neumann Track, right again at the Paddy Track junction, and cross Hardy Creek. After climbing Welch Track you’ll finally join the Coles Ridge Track to return to your starting point at Grants Picnic Ground.

This one involves a pretty arduous 200m steep section and is unsuitable for prams. It’s generally pretty quiet and popular with local wildlife though – wombats and wallabies love it around dawn and dusk.

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This is just before Coles Ridge Track ends back at Grants Picnic Ground

FAQS Dandenong Ranges Walks

What’s the easiest walk in the Dandenong Ranges?

If you don’t include wandering around any one of the gardens in the Dandenong Ranges, the Margaret Lester Walk, which features interpretive signs, is one of the easiest walks in the area.

Can I feed the birds at Grants Picnic Ground?

No, you cannot feed the birds here. Feeding the birds at this picnic area was banned in 2020. Unfortunately, the birds have a great memory and even if you’ve got no food they’re likely to land on your head in the hope that you’ll give them something anyway. If you’re like me and this prospect is terrifying, I highly recommend avoiding the picnic grounds!

Can you take dogs to national parks?

No, dogs aren’t allowed in national parks to preserve the native fauna and flora. You can read more about it in this article comparing national parks to state forests.

What’s the best time to visit the 1,000 Steps?

Access to the 1,000 Steps and Lyrebird Track is limited to the hours between 6am and 9pm, with an automatic gate in operation at the car park. It’s also closed in adverse weather and on total fire ban days. The best time to visit is on weekdays or in the evenings, but it’s getting busier all the time so just go when it’s convenient for you and hope for the best.

What walks start from Grants Picnic Ground?

You’ll find multiple walking tracks start from here. They include the Hardy Gully Track (700m return), the Margaret Lester Forest Walk (500m return), Tregellas Loop Forest Walk (2.5km return), the Eastern Sherbrooke Forest Walk (7.1km return), and the Coles Ridge Track to Belgrave (2km one-way).

How many Dandenong Ranges walks are there?

There are over 200 Dandendong Ranges hikes, walks, rambles, and trails to enjoy. They vary from long walks like the Dandenong Ranges Tourist Track to short walks like the Hardy Gully Track. If you make your way through those, jump over to the Yarra Valley where there are even more walking trails to tackle.