Walking in Yarran Dheran
Explore our walks
Wetlands Walk (Easy) - 10 mins Return. new mindfulness audio
Woodlands walk (Moderate) - 30 mins return.
Creek Circuit Walk (Moderate) - 50 mins return.
Wildflower Walk (Moderate) - 45 mins return.
Creekside Walk (Moderate) - 60 mins return.
Antonio Park Walk (Moderate) - 60 mins return.
Burgan Walk (Moderate) - 45 mins return.
Walk 1 - Wetlands Walk
10 mins return (easy)
Start at the Visitors Centre. Follow the Wetlands Walk shown in WHITE on the map. Before leaving the Visitors Centre, look at the gardens surrounding the Centre to see a range of the indigenous plants that may be found in Yarran Dheran. Use the iNaturalist app to help you identify plants, insects and wildlife you see in Yarran Dheran.
The wetlands comprise three ponds which are fed by storm water from surrounding streets and so the level of water in the ponds fluctuates. The ponds provide a peaceful contemplative setting and you may rest here, using the ‘Mushroom’ shelter.
The ponds provide important habitat for waterbirds, including Pacific Black Ducks, Wood Ducks, and Dusky Moorhens, which regularly breed in the top pond. A Little Pied Cormorant is sometimes seen. Eastern Long-necked Turtles are often seen in the third pond, especially in summer. The ponds provide an excellent food source for Eastern Long-necked Turtles, of insects, tadpoles, frogs and yabbies during their life span of up to 50 years.
If you walk here at dusk or in the evening, you may hear one or more of the seven species of frogs that breed in and near the ponds. Consider participating in the Yarran Dheran Advisory Committee’s Quarterly Frog Survey, using the Frog ID or Frog Census apps. Watch out for snakes in this area – frogs are a favourite food of snakes!
While Tiger Snakes and Eastern Lowland Copperheads are found throughout the Reserve, you will rarely see these creatures, which would much prefer to avoid human contact. Stay on the paths and if you see a snake, quietly allow it to pass by.
Stand on the footbridge by the third pond and look down at the waterfall which takes the water down to the creek after heavy rain. From here, you will also get a panoramic view of the Mullum Mullum Creek below and the iconic Mullum Mullum Valley.
Return to the Visitors Centre by walking through the picnic area.
Audio Guided
A gentle, self-guided walk inviting you to slow down, notice the beauty of the Australian bush, and reconnect with nature and yourself. Along the way you’ll discover native plants, birdlife, tranquil ponds, and quiet places for reflection.
Walk 2 - Cascade/ Woodland Walk
30 mins return (moderate)
Start at the Visitors Centre. Follow the walk shown in GREEN on the map. Follow the Wildflower Walk down towards the creek. Look for a profusion of wildflowers in spring, patches of Nodding Greenhood orchids, and the endemic Small Grass Tree.
Further along, look for acacia species. There are at least eight species of Acacias in Yarran Dheran ranging from Golden Wattle, A.pycnantha (Australia’s national emblem), blackwood wattle A. melanoxylon to Spreading Wattle A. genistifolia, a low growing understorey shrub with spiky leaves.
Flowering wattles are a feature of Yarran Dheran especially during late Winter and Spring.
Staying on the gravel path, turn right at the creek to walk along the creek, and discover the cascades and perhaps see some carp in the creek at this point.
Carp are an introduced pest and, as bottom feeders, muddy the water with detrimental impact on native fish species such as Common Galaxia, Galaxias maculatus.
Look for small birds such as Superb Fairy Wrens along the banks, and Pacific Black Ducks and other waterbirds in the creek.
Walk 3 - Creek Circuit Walk
50 mins return (moderate)
Start at the Visitors Centre. Follow the walk shown in BLUE on the map and walk along the Wildflower Walk down towards the creek. Look for a profusion of wildflowers in spring, patches of Nodding Greenhood orchids, and the endemic Small Grass Tree, Xanthorrhoea minor. Look for acacia species.
There are at least eight species of Acacias in Yarran Dheran ranging from Golden Wattle, A.pycnantha (Australia’s national emblem), blackwood wattle A. melanoxylon to Spreading Wattle A. genistifolia, a low growing understorey shrub with spiky leaves.
Flowering wattles are a feature of Yarran Dheran especially during late Winter and Spring.
Cross the creek at Quarry Road, noting the old quarry site just over the creek. Join the Eastlink Trail to walk through Mullum Mullum Park. Follow the Eastlink Trail and look for towering Manna Gums, Eucalyptus viminalis which line the creek, while a mix of other locally indigenous Eucalypt species such as Messmate E. obliqua, Long Leafed Box E. goniocalyx, Yellow Box E. Melliodora and Red Box E. polyanthemos dominate the woodland areas. At the bridge, turn right onto the gravel Schwerkolt Track to return to Yarran Dheran.
On the way, take a short diversion to your right to take the Creek Walk down to the creek leading to an area locals call ‘The Beach’ where you may see ducks on the water and small birds such as Brown Thornbills and Eastern Spinebills in the surrounding vegetation. Back on the Schwerkolt Track, look for Black She-oak Allocasuarina littoralis and a range of smaller trees and shrubs which make up the middle vegetation story and provide important habitat for birds and other wildlife.
Other species such as Victorian Christmas Bush Prostanthera lasianthos and Woolly Tea Tree Leptospermum lanigerum can be found along the creek whilst Common Cassinia Cassinia aculeata, Hop Goodenia Goodenia ovata and Prickly Tea Tree Leptospermum continentale are scattered through the woodland areas.
You may see the waterfall as a raging torrent if you visit after heavy rain.
On your left is the old tipface, which despite its unattractiveness, is surprisingly a great place to see small birds in the early morning as it receives the early morning sun. Look for Superb Fairy Wrens, Grey Fantails, and Red-browed Finches.
Consider participating in the Yarran Dheran Advisory Committee’s monthly bird surveys to see some of the 84 species of birds seen in Yarran Dheran, some of which are not found elsewhere in Whitehorse. Look for waterbirds on the creek. Walk through the picnic area to return to the Visitors.
Walk 4 - Spring Wildflower Walk
45 mins return (moderate)
Start at the Visitors Centre. Follow the walk shown in MAUVE on the map. Follow the Wildflower Walk down towards the creek. Look for a profusion of wildflowers in spring, patches of Nodding Greenhood orchids, and the endemic Small Grass Tree, Xanthorrhoea minor, as well as patches of colourful spring wildflowers including Chocolate Lilies Arthropodium strictum, Milkmaids Burchardia umbellata, Blue Pincushions Brunonia australis, Love Creeper Comesperma volubile , Curling Everlasting Coronidium scorpioides and various native orchids.
Further along, look for acacia species. There are at least eight species of Acacias in Yarran Dheran ranging from Golden Wattle, A.pycnantha (Australia’s national emblem), blackwood wattle A. melanoxylon to Spreading Wattle A. genistifolia, a low growing understorey shrub with spiky leaves.
Flowering wattles are a feature of Yarran Dheran especially during late Winter and Spring.
Turn right at Yellow Box Track and walk around the ponds to return to the Visitors Centre.
Walk 5 - Schwerkolt – Creekside Walk
60 mins return (moderate)
Start at the Visitors Centre. Follow the track shown in RED/YELLOW on the map. Walk through the picnic area and pass the ponds, to follow Yellow Box Track and then the Schwerkolt Track until you reach Schwerkolt Cottage, open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, see https://www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/things-do/arts-culture/schwerkolt-cottage.
On the way, note the canopy trees and mid and lower storey woodland vegetation along the Yellow Box Track as described for Walk 3.
Walking next to the creek gives you a great opportunity to see Pacific Black Ducks and Wood Ducks, and, in the Spring, families of ducklings. You will also see visible remains of sites used by Augustus Schwerkolt where he quarried for stone to build the Cottage, as well as old fruit trees on your right which h serves as the Schwerkolt family’s orchard area.
Along the track, also note the very lovely poles showing Indigenous art which serve as distance markers used for the Mullum Mullum Park Run (Mitcham) a 5 km run/walk/cycle event held every Saturday morning from Schwerkolt Cottage and through Yarran Dheran.
For more detail see: https://www.parkrun.com.au/mullummullum/course/
Walk 6 - Antonio Park Walk
60 mins return (moderate)
Start at the Visitors Centre. Follow the track shown as RED/YELLOW on the map, as described in Walk 5.
Pass through the Schwerkolt Cottage area and cross Edgerton Road to enter Antonio Park. The track will take you to the open picnic area where there are tables and toilets. Antonio Park largely comprises remnant vegetation and is noted for its profusion of wildflowers and orchids in the Spring.
Continue along the circuit walk to reach an area called Antonio Park Newlands, where you can walk along the creek until crossing Wattle Valley Road to enter 21 Wattle Valley Road, now created by City of Whitehorse to form the Wattle Valley Park to create a link between Antonio Park and Yarran Dheran. Return along Schwerkolt Track.
Walk 7 - Burgan Walk
45 mins return (moderate)
Start at the Visitors Centre. Follow the track shown in BLACK to take you to entry and exit points at Ashburton Drive, Wattle Valley or Nara Roads, following sections of Yarran Dheran and Schwerkolt Tracks and passing by the ponds as described in other walks.
On Cherry Ballart track leading to the ponds from Ashburton Drive, you will see swathes of Chocolate Lilies Arthropodium strictum and Milkmaids Burchardia umbellata in the Spring.
The vegetation on the Burgan Walk is reflective of dry sclerophyll bushland as it is distant from the creek and you are likely to see Grey Butcherbirds, Eastern Rosellas, Common Bronzewings and other seed eating birds, while in the canopy trees, you may see Tawny Frogmouths.
In this area, you may also see some of the artificial tree hollows and sugar glider boxes that have been installed throughout Yarran Dheran by Whitehorse City Council as a means of increasing hollows for nesting birds and wildlife.
Longer walks and bike rides
Take a variety of shared user paths from Yarran Dheran to enjoy longer walks, runs or bike rides and enjoy the bush on the way. Note that the following notes are general in nature and aim to provide an introduction only. You will need to plan your trip using more detailed maps.
Eastlink Trail, take the Mullum Mullum Trail just over Quarry Road going north. This allows you join the Main Yarra Trail at Templestowe. Continue along the Main Yarra Trail, passing Petty’s Orchard and travel through Westerfolds Park, Banyule Flats, Heidelberg and beyond. Or cross the Yarra River using the Mullum Mullum Trail to continue on to Eltham, Diamond Creek and Hurstbridge.
Using the Eastlink Trail and travelling north, join the Koonung Trail and travel to Yara Bend Park and beyond.
Travelling south along Eastlink Trail continue past Schwerkolt Cottage, continue on the Mullum Mullum Trail, which will take you past Eastland to Croydon where you will reach the stormwater drain that forms the beginning of the Mullum Mullum Creek. Alternatively, follow the Eastlink Trail to join the Diamond Creek Trail in Vermont and travel on to Dandenong or Carrum Downs.