The Dandenong Ranges are one of those rare places where the city falls away completely within minutes of arriving. Ancient fern gullies, towering mountain ash, and moss-covered creek beds line trails that range from flat and family-friendly to longer ridge-top routes that reward the effort with deep, leafy stillness. Whether you're visiting Belgrave for the first time or returning for the hundredth, the walking tracks here offer something that doesn't get old.
Kokoda Track Memorial Walk, Belgrave
Starting near the Belgrave township, the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk is one of the most meaningful trails in the Dandenong Ranges. The 1,000 Steps section is the most famous stretch, a steep climb up a series of timber steps through shaded fern gully. It was dedicated to the soldiers who fought along the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea during World War II, and the combination of physical challenge and historical reflection gives the walk a weight that stays with you. Early mornings on weekdays are the most peaceful time to go, before the trail fills with Melburnians doing their cardio.
The surrounding Kokoda Track Memorial Walk extends well beyond the 1,000 Steps into a broader network of connected trails through Ferntree Gully National Park. Bring a full water bottle, wear grip-soled shoes, and allow at least two hours for a proper out-and-back.
Sherbrooke Forest and the Lyrebird Circuit
Sherbrooke Forest, just a short drive from Belgrave, is the best place in the Ranges to encounter a superb lyrebird in the wild. These extraordinary birds are known for mimicking every sound in their environment, including other birds, camera shutters, and chainsaw engines. The Lyrebird Circuit is a gentle 3.5-kilometre loop through dense temperate rainforest, passing tree ferns that dwarf most humans and creek crossings thick with native mosses.
This is an ideal trail for slow walkers, families with older children, and anyone who simply wants to move quietly through a beautiful forest. Lyrebirds are most active in the morning, particularly in winter and early spring. Walk softly and you're likely to see one scratching through the leaf litter within metres of the path. For visitors who want to combine their walk with a broader experience of the region, the weekend itinerary for the Dandenong Ranges pairs Sherbrooke Forest beautifully with a visit to nearby Sassafras village.
Menzies Creek and Mount Evelyn trails
The trail network connecting Menzies Creek to Mount Evelyn is quieter than the Ferntree Gully options and rewards those who seek it out. The terrain is more varied here, passing through sections of open eucalypt forest as well as the denser, damper gullies the Ranges are famous for. Several routes in this area connect with the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk trail network, making it possible to construct longer full-day walks for more experienced hikers.
Menzies Creek township itself is charming and small, with a handful of characterful spots to stop. The area also sits along the Puffing Billy railway line, which means you can take the heritage steam train one direction and walk back along the trail corridor for a genuinely satisfying one-way journey.
Doongalla Reserve and Mount Dandenong
For those who want elevation, Doongalla Reserve on the approach to Mount Dandenong offers open ridge tracks with filtered views across the forest canopy. The walking here is less about dramatic vistas and more about the quality of the air, the depth of the quiet, and the chance to observe the forest from above the gully floor. Several trails cross-connect through the reserve, so it's worth picking up a Parks Victoria trail map before heading out.
Mount Dandenong summit is accessible by road as well as on foot, and the SkyHigh observatory garden at the top makes a pleasant finishing point if you've arranged a car pickup. On clear days, the views sweep across the Melbourne CBD to Port Phillip Bay and beyond.
What to pack and how to go
The Dandenong Ranges have a noticeably cooler and wetter climate than Melbourne, so even on a warm day the gully floors stay cool and the trails can be slippery after rain. Layering is the practical approach: a light waterproof shell over a mid-layer handles most conditions. Solid closed-toe shoes with grip are essential for the steps-heavy trails.
Most of the key trailheads around Belgrave and Ferntree Gully are accessible by train on the Belgrave line from Melbourne's CBD, making these walks genuinely car-free options. This is part of what draws conscious travellers to the Dandenong Ranges year after year: real wilderness, real wildlife, and no need for a road trip to reach it.
A word on leaving trails better than you find them
The fern gullies and old-growth forest of the Dandenong Ranges are genuinely irreplaceable ecosystems. Staying on marked paths protects the root systems of tree ferns that can take decades to recover from compaction. Pack out everything you bring in. If you're walking with a dog, check trail rules in advance as several sections of Ferntree Gully National Park restrict dogs entirely. The trails here have been walked for a very long time, and the best thing visitors can do is make sure they stay that way.