RJ Hamer Arboretum@Olinda (my rating A)

RJ Hamer Arboretum is surrounded by Dandenong Ranges National Park, a wonderful place to visit.  It's just about 1 hr drive from Melbourne city.

We loved the magnificent view, the vast green and massive beautiful trees.  The kids loved to run up and down the hills.  There are 2 BBQ stoves, sheds and toilet facilities.  The toilets are reasonably clean.

Please note there's not bin at the park.  You'll need to 'Take your Rubbish Home'.  We did take our rubbish HOME, and into our own Rubbish Bin. :-)

We did a bush-walk after picnic lunch.  It took us some moments to confirm that the first part of the track is to cross the grassy plain.  See the map below, the walk we did is traced over in blue, it took us 2 hrs return.  Some part of the track is quite steep, and because it was wet, the path was quite slippery.  There is no bench along the path, but we managed to find a few tree logs / stumps for Mum to rest.

 

(Map downloaded from Park Victoria website)

The only problem I found was to find the path and direction.  I hope Park Victoria can make the signs clearer and better.  To me, there wasn't enough track signs.

And because of this, I would highly suggest you to have your map ready (I had a softcopy map i.e. PDF file stored on my Smart Phone, downloaded from Park Victoria Website), the track guide map at the Information Display Board is barely informative.  And you'll find wearing hiking boots help a lot.

 

(How would you like it to have picnic lunch facing such magnificent view?)

 

(This is where we started our walk)

 

(After 50-100m, the path is more visible)

 

(At the edge of of the grassy plain, there's a sign on the left). 

(The stony road is Mathias Road)

 

(Follow Mathias Road, past "Red Dog Hut" on the left, you'll see this sign)

(We turned left onto Sequoia Track)

 

(Follow Sequoia Track to the end, you'll see the T section, and the Sign)

 

 

(This kookaburra accompanied us till Red Dog Hut)

(It was low-flying ahead of us, then stopped and waited, and flew again)

Ford Park@Bellfield (My Rating B)

Ford Park in Bellfield, a suburb in North-East Melbourne, 13km from CBD (about 30mins drive).  It's in Banyule City Council, offleash park.  (according to Banyule website, all parks in Banyule City are offleash, how good is that!)

2 big ovals, a small but nice playground, a basketball hoop and toilet facilities, plus trees and shades, and carpark, all make this park on my B list.

 

(Playground)

 

(Basketball Hoop)

 

(Oval on playground side)

 

(Oval on Basketball Hoop side)

 

(toilet)

Coate Park@Alphington (My Rating C)

Coate Park in Alphington (near Melbourne CBD) is an open space for you and your little fury one to enjoy! It's located in a quiet residential area next to Yarra River.  I guess this park is more for the local residents as there's no toilet facilities.

 

(The picnic table & stools face Yarra River)

 

(Open Space)

Princes Gardens@Prahan (My rating D)

To be blunt , I was disappointed with this park, partially because I had such high expectation to this park, partially because this park doesn't really fit my wish list.

On the council website, this is a park with lots of facilities: playground, basketball court, skate park,  and offleash.

I don't mind a park that is surrounded by high rises, though it's not ideal.

The first thing that made me frown was the car parking.  I couldn't find anywhere to park.  The streets are narrow and busy.  We went around the park for a few time until I found the entry to 'offical' car park.

The 2nd thing that made me frown (again) was the sign "no cycling / skateboarding" (on the path).  I guess it applies to scooters too.

The 3rd thing that made me shake my head was when I see see basketball court............. THAT BUSY!!!!  It's almost impossible for the kids to throw a ball.

Then we came to the skate park area where is near the basketball court, the graffiti and the set up of the skate park especially the traffic going from different directions towards the middle made the kids say 'no no no'.......

The biggest dismay was when I had to use the toilet.  Yes, only 1 toilet room (unisex), so called hi-tech 'ex-loo', button controlled, but yuck!  I always try to stay away from 'ex-loo', because I've seen way to many failed 'design', but this one made its way to the top list of 'dirties ex-loo'................

The only good thing is the playground, nice one.

Sunbury Recreation Reserve@Sunbury (My Rating A)

 It's not easy for me to find a Skate Park that ticks off all my requirements, which says:
offleash, playground, grassy, children friendly (or beginner friendly, I should say), and toilets.

This one, Sunbury Recreation Reserve, I picked purely by judging the facts provided on Hume City Council website, is the ONE that ticks off all the requirements.

Sunbury is a suburb in Melbourne, near Melbourne Airport.  We went to this park after the walk at Woodlands Historic Park (just 15mins drive from Greenvale)

Big offleash grassy park with ample space for dogs to run.  2 nice playgrounds, one on each side of the bridge, toilets are near the playground near Aqua Centre.

The Skate Park which is suitable for all levels (looks like to me, coz my kids love it, and I see some big kids doing amazing tricks on their BMX bikes),  The BMX dirt track is just next to the Skate Park, featuring different ramps.  A patchy grassy area (under trees) near the Skate Park where I set up my picnic rug and made myself comfortable.

I knew this park to be on my A list when I heard the kids say "Mum, can we come to this park again?"

 

(My baby exploring)

 

(The playground that close to the Skate Park, the other one is even better)

 

(a Skate Ring)

 

(Ramp to the BMX dirt track)

 

(BMX dirt track)

 

(Skate Park)

 

(Skate Park)

See the blog entry of Woodlands Historic Park.

Woodlands Historic Park@Greenvale (My rating B)

Greenvale is near Melbourne Airport, Woodlands Historic Park is a big natural park at Greenvale managed by Park Vic, boasts a homestead, several walking tracks and landscape.

Dogs are allowed on-leash in this park.


Obviously this park is popular.  We entered the park from Somerton Road on a cloudy Sunday, there, more than 10 cars had parked.  Don't worry, there're plenty of parking spots.  We parked near the Shed and Toilet Facilities.

The walk we did was 'Woodlands Hill Lookout', it is a easy 45mins return walk, suitable for toddlers and young children.  There are some rocks near the lookout, it won't surprise me to see children climbing them.

 

To start with, follow the sign "Gellibrand Hill", cross the bridge, walk for another 800m or so, you'll then see the sign "Woodlands Hill Lookout".

 

If you're lucky, you might be able to see some lizards sun bathing on the rocks.

At lookout, you can overlook the Melbourne Airport.

The walk 'Gellibrand Hill' takes about 4hrs return (according to informal info), I shall find another time to do it.


See pictures below, this is how easy the walk is:

We went to Sunbury for lunch and then Sunbury Recreation Reserve for the afternoon. This recreation park is on my A list.

Western Reserve@Castlemaine (My rating C)

Castlemaine is about 1.5hrs drive from Melbourne City.

The Western Reserve at Castlemaine features a skate park.  The reserve itself is an offleash park.

We went to this skate park after visiting Maldon, on the way back to Melbourne.

The skate park is suitable for my kids, meaning, not too advanced, and doesn't scare my kids off.

 

(skatepark)

 

(skatepark)

 

(This is what my baby was doing while the kids were on the scooter)

We visited the Mt Tarrangower, Anzac Hill, Playground at Maldon while we were at Maldon.

Playground@Maldon Visitor Centre (My rating C)

Maldon is a town near Castlemaine, about 2hrs drive from Melbourne City.  If you visit the town for a day, the playground at Maldon Visitor Centre (behind the visitor centre) is a good spot for the kids to have a chance to run and burn some enegy.  The picnic tables and benches are available, as well as the toilet facilities.

We were there on a Sunday afternoon, though the kids enjoyed the play there, I found the food 'leftovers' especially bread and donuts on the grassy ground, not sure if people deliberately left the food there for the birds, or just didn't bother to bin it.

I had to keep a close eye on Jessica my baby cavalier, as she loves food, and she takes every opportunity to vacuum the food from the ground.

 

(the playground behind the visitor centre@Maldon)

We went to Mt Tarrangower and Anzac Hill @Maldon.

On the way back to Melbourne, we stopped by at Western Reserve@Castlemaine, there's a skate park there, and the kids had fun on their scooters in the skate park.

Mount Tarrangower@Maldon (My rating C)

Maldon is a town in Mount Alexander  Shire Council, near Castlemaine.  It's about 2hr drive from Melbourne City.

Mt Tarrangower is within Maldon Historic Area Reserve, managed by Park Victoria.

I was hoping to hike from Maldon Town to Anzac Hill to Mount Tarrangower Lookout, but it was 1pm by the time we arrived at the Visitor Centre@Maldon, and got map of  Maldon Historic Area Reserve.

After a light lunch, it was too late to hike.  So, activated plan B, which was to drive to Mount Tarrangower Lookout, and drive to Anzac Hill (it's 4WD track between Mout Tarrangower Lookout and Anzac Hill).

Driving along the High Street, you'll see the Brown Tourist Sign "Mount Tarrangower" on your left.  Turn Left and keep going straight, you'll come to Mount Tarrangower Lookout, the road is all sealed, by the way.

 

(Lookout Tower at Mt Tarrangower, you can climb)

 

(View from Lookout Tower)

 

(View from Lookout Tower) 

We followed the "Fountain Track" to go to the Anzac Hill.  The track shown on the map above is "Adair Track", another 4x4 track.  To go to Fountain Track, keep driving straight from the way you come from (you'll have Adair Track on your left, and the Lookout Tower on your right), you'll then see the track (it's well labled)

 

(Anzac Hill)

 

(Map downloaded from Park Victoria)

The view was nice, but didn't make me say "wah!!!!!!!".  And I was glad I didn't do the hiking, as by judging the track, it would be a bit boring on foot.  Driving to Anzac Hill was good though.


When we were there (on the Father's Day), Maldon was quiet and peaceful.  the staff at Visitor Centre were very helpful and friendly.

We went to the playground behind the Visitor Centre after Anzac Hill.  The kids enjoyed the play there.

On the way back to Melbourne, we stopped by at the Western Reserve@Castlemaine, there's a skate park there, and the reserve is offleash.

 The visitor centre: 93 High Street Maldon

Penders Park@Thornbury (My rating A)

I don't often rate a Playground / Park A, but Penders Park at Thornbury, oh, I've fallen in love with this park since the minute we arrived. 

The park is in Thornbury, inner Melbourne.  With ample carpark, you won't be a struggling to find a spot to park your car even in the most beautiful day.

The park offers you large grassy area, big trees (wonderful for a shade in a sunny day), a fenced playground for young children, an open playground for older children, a basketball court (yes, with 2 hoops), BBQ, rotunda, quite a number of benches and picnic tables, paved path for young children to ride bikes.  The park also provide the toilet facilities.

And Most of all, the entire park is offleash!!!!!!!!!!!!

The park doesn't have any sport ground / oval, thus there's no team sports / games expected.

The park is just toooooo good, we spent about 3 hours in the park, everyone got to do what 'perfect' Saturday afternoon means to them.

I was relaxing on the picnic rug, enjoying the sun, and the fresh smell of the grass, while the kids were busy between the balls and the playground. 

Because the park is situated on the local streets, there's no noise from heavy vehicles and trams / trains.

 

(Basketball Court)

 

(Open Playground)

 

(Fenced Playground)

 

(Rotunda)

 

(Paved Path)