The best hikes from bus stations in Sassafras Creek Nature Conservation Reserve

Neuman Track passes two meadows that emerge from the bush. The landscape highlights a couple of grand old gums that stand in the field, and a bench rests on the side of the trail so you can enjoy this temporary change in scenery. A short trail detours from the main track to wind through the meadow.

Here there is a viewing platform for Olinda Falls, right above the lower cascade. You get a very nice view of the falls from here and there is a bench where you can sit and take a break if you want to take some time to enjoy the view.

Along the Hillclimb Track, this spot is marked by a low, arching tree forming a natural “gate” over the path. The trail passes directly beneath it, surrounded by dense ferns and damp forest, giving this section a more enclosed feel. It’s an easy landmark to recognise along the route and a quick photo stop as you pass through.

Lyrebird Walk is a picturesque track that weaves through a cool temperate rainforest filled with tall mountain ash and lush tree ferns. It’s a quiet, peaceful route, and you might even catch a glimpse of the beautiful lyrebirds foraging on the forest floor. The path is gently sloped and well-kept, making it an easy and enjoyable walk within the park’s system of interconnected trails.

Grants Picnic Ground is a popular day-use area in the Sherbrooke Forest section of Dandenong Ranges National Park. Surrounded by tall mountain ash and tree ferns, there are multiple picnic tables, shelters, toilets, plenty of parking and access to several walking tracks, including Lyrebird Walk. The area is also known for close encounters with native birdlife, especially cockatoos and rosellas, making it a well-known starting point and lunch spot while exploring the surrounding forest.

The Rock Track (or Golf Course Track) is a moderately challenging, relatively short circuit walk that starts near the old Olinda Golf Course and offers beautiful views across the valley. Along the way, there are prominent rocky outcrops, and in some places, the path can be narrow with exposed roots, making it a bit rugged and slippery in wet conditions. It connects to the wider, gravelled Mathias Track and is a lovely, shady walk through towering forest, making it a great route for birdwatching.

Predator Track Forest Walk is a relatively short walking trail that winds through cool, shaded forest with tall trees, ferns, and other native vegetation typical of the Dandenong Ranges. Its gentle grades and tranquil bush setting make it an enjoyable section of the wider Dandenong Ranges Loop walking route.

Newman Road is a quiet management road that runs through Sherbrooke Forest, commonly used as an access point for walking routes including the Lyrebird, Neuman, and Coles Ridge tracks. The gravel road winds through tall mountain ash forest and fern-filled gullies, reflecting the area’s history as a forestry and fire-management corridor. Today, it functions primarily as a shared trail and trailhead access, linking several loop walks within Dandenong Ranges National Park.