Located just one hour from Melbourne CBD, the Dandenong Ranges will transport you to a world of towering forests and eclectic villages.
The area is the traditional home of the Wurundjeri and other Kulin Nation peoples, and became a popular part of the timber trade following European settlement. Thankfully, preservation of native flora and fauna is now central to the region, and these days the area is mostly used by Melbournites for natural recreation and unique dining.
Outdoor adventures abound
The Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden boasts 50 hectares of native and exotic plants with views across the Yarra Valley. Start with a walk along the 3.5-kilometre paved garden trail, where you’ll pass ponds and the ornamental lake, before tackling the maze-like network of other paths. The gardens are home to more than 15,000 rhododendrons, 12,000 azaleas and 250 daffodils. Be sure to pack a picnic basket to enjoy on the rolling lawns, and make use of the year-round guided tour on board an open-air people mover, where you will learn all about the garden with 25 minutes of expert commentary.
The precinct is also home to the Chelsea Australian Garden, which was the first Australian entry to win at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show and was later toured by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Harry. The enormous display features a Waratah sculpture, waterfall, billabong, and over 15,000 plants, including 400 different Australian species.
The Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden is located inside the Dandenong Ranges National Park, which is well worth exploring. The southern section of the park includes Ferntree Gully, Sherbrooke Forest, and the famous 1,000 steps. The steps were built as part of the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk, meant to mirror the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea, where Australian soldiers fought in WWII. At the beginning of the steps, you will find a series of signs explaining their significance to Australian veterans.
In the northern section of the national park, you will find the remains of Doongalla Homestead. Once a 32-room mansion built in 1892, the iconic building burned down in 1932 and is now the perfect place for a family picnic. From here, you can take the Zig Zag Track to Burkes Lookout, which offers panoramic views of Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay from 611 metres up.
Mountain bikers should make use of the 13 kilometres of dedicated mountain bike trails, while animal lovers can expect to find many native animals living amongst the brush.
For some of the best views of the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley, make sure to visit the Mount Donna Buang summit. Sitting 1245 metres above ground, the 21-metre lookout tower offers picture-perfect views, and is also a popular picnic spot with gas barbecues, fireplaces, picnic tables and toilets at the base.
Get your adrenaline pumping
Mt Donna Buang hosts a variety of outdoor activities including tobogganing, hiking and abseiling, and is also a great place to see snow in winter. Warburton Adventure Co. offers a thrilling mountain bike tour on Mount Donna, where you’ll start at the summit and take on a 36-kilometre descent through the Mountain Ash forest before rising along the O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail. The team provide all the gear and bikes, as well as round-trip transfers to your meet-up location
To adventure amongst the canopies, Treetops Adventure in Belgrave is the first tree ropes course in the Dandenong Ranges. On a two-and-a-half hour session, you will navigate through ziplines, tightropes and tunnels over eight hectares of land. The course is also home to a 150-year-old Algerian Oak, and offers six different levels to suit your experience.
Perhaps the most popular Dandenong attraction, the Puffing Billy Railway is a preserved steam train built in 1900 to transport timber, livestock, potatoes and people between local Dandenong communities. Today, you can take a ride in the open-sided carriages for a magical ride over the hills, across iconic timber trestle bridges, and down into the forest on the original mountain track between Belgrave and Gembrook. Daily excursion trains take you through the forests as you sit on the carriage sill and dangle your feet in the air. Plus, you can stop by the Lakeside Visitor Centre to dine at the modern cafe, explore walking trails, and see steam artifacts up close.
Drink and dine in the Dandenong Ranges
With so many adventure activities at your fingertips, it’s easy to work up an appetite in the Dandenong Ranges.
Miss Marple’s Tea Room is modelled after a traditional English tearoom, with decor inspired by Agatha Christie’s most famous character. Step back in time as you’re seated in a cosy room with floral curtains, Miss Marple memorabilia and porcelain teapots. The menu includes light and fluffy scones with homemade jam, and other English favourites such as cottage pie and a ploughman’s lunch. There are even desserts named after Christie characters, including Hercule Poirot’s Belgian waffles and Mr Stringer’s sticky toffee pudding.
Located on one of the highest peaks in the Dandenong Ranges, SkyHigh is a famous restaurant and bistro with unbeatable views over the Melbourne skyline. Whether you’re after a morning coffee, a light lunch, or an elegant dinner, you’ll find it all in the first-floor dining space. Tuck into a citrus-cured kingfish or roasted duck breast, and pair your dish with a glass of local wine or beer. Plus, families will love exploring the on-site garden and maze, which contains four hidden squares where kids can collect stamps to win an exciting prize. The gardens also contain a Giant’s Chair, Possum’s House, and heaps of friendly local wildlife.
Since 2017, Olinda Tea House has operated as a contemporary Asian fusion restaurant renowned for its signature high tea experience. The indoor restaurant blends traditional Chinese culinary techniques with fresh Australian ingredients to reflect the owner’s heritage and the unique Dandenong location. Think five-spiced beef, South Australian live lobster with a selection of sauces, and steamed crab dumplings. You can also choose to book a table in the picturesque garden and enjoy a high tea of hot savouries, Asian-influenced petit fours, and Devonshire tea. Choose from a table underneath a gazebo, which overlooks the sprawling garden where aplacas roam, or a private floral house decorated with dried preserved flowers.
For timeless pub dishes in a friendly setting, head to the Pig & Whistle Tavern. Designed to embody a traditional English tavern, this popular venue draws its name from a barrel of Guinness (known as ‘the pig’) and the whistle of brewery labourers while they worked, to let their supervisors know they weren’t drinking on the job. The menu features English classics, including a spice bag, spuds ‘n’ beans, and a steak and ale pot pie. There are also 16 taps and two traditional hand pumps rotated regularly, so there’s always something new to try.
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Travel to the Dandenongs
Rex flies to Melbourne. Book your tickets here and check out the route map below.
