Living Bush Nature Walk – Dandenong Ranges National Park (Victoria)

Need to Know

When your kid’s not up for the steps, you’re probably better off not doing the steps. With the boy child off to hike them with Scouts, my little Fairy Princess and I decided to opt for this trail instead (especially since I hadn’t walked it for 10 years). Despite a misty day and a light shower during our walk, she loved every minute of it. Even the steepest section on Musk Avenue is nowhere near as steep as the 1000 Steps and it’s always far less busy. We only encountered two other people during the whole circuit.

Start the walk at the footbridge, behind the playground at the top of the Ferntree Gully Picnic Ground carpark. Head left and you’ll find Acacia Track or if you continue on, Musk Track. You can start the circuit in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction, depending on which one you take. From there, the map above will make it easy to find your way.

Along the way, you’ll stroll through dark damp fern gullies, drier Messmate forest and tall Eucalypts. Being a relatively quiet part of the park, this is also a good place for wildlife spotting, particularly lyrebirds.

Related Walks

• The famous 1000 Steps / Kokoda Memorial Trail is another walk that starts from the Ferntree Gully Picnic Ground.
• Circumnavigate One Tree Hill is a walk that begins from One Tree Hill Picnic Ground, which could be used as an extension to the 1000 Steps Walk.
• Ferntree Gully Circuit is a longer walk, which includes the 1000 Steps / Kokoda Memorial Trail.

Have you visited the Living Bush Nature Walk? If you have any stories, updates or corrections, please let us know by commenting below.