Ferntree Gully

Things to see

Motels

Hotels

Restaurants

Ferntree Gully
Suburb associated with Dandenong Ranges National Park
Ferntree Gully is 35 km east of Melbourne along the Burwood Highway. Essentially a suburb on the fringe of Melbourne, it sits adjacent the southern section of Dandenong Ranges National Park. Consequently there are numerous walking tracks in the area such as the Living Bush Nature Walk which starts near the main entrance of the park on the outskirts of Upper Ferntree Gully township.

Other nature reserves are Ambleside Park at 3 Olivebank Rd, Ferntree Gully Recreation Area on the highway and, at the corner of Dorset Rd and Frances Crescent, Tim Neville Arboretum which features a botanical garden with lakes, an amphitheatre, a secret garden and art installations.

Things to see:  

Tourist Information
The Dandenong Ranges and Knox Tourism Information Centre is located at 1211 Burwood Highway at Upper Ferntree Gully, tel: (03) 9758 7522.

Dandenong Ranges National Park
Dandenong Ranges National Park (3215 ha) is a very attractive and popular attraction which beckons Melburnians who can gaze upon its western slopes on a clear day. It was declared in 1987, although this declaration represented the amalgamation of diverse sections which were already reserved with some additions.

The Wurrundjeri people once passed their winters near the Dandenong Ranges. They passed through the area en route to the Yarra Valley where they spent their summers on the banks of the Yarra River.

The first European known to set foot in the Dandenongs was botanist Daniel Bunce who was drawn from Melbourne by the image of the looming western slopes in 1839. Guided by a party of Aboriginal people he climbed Mt Corhanwarrabul (628 m) and Mt Dandenong (633 m) - the two highest peaks in the ranges. Burkes Lookout (see subsequent entry) is now situated atop the former.

The Park offers opportunities for walking, sightseeing, picnicking, nature observation and car touring. More than 350 plant species have been recorded in the Park, along with 130 bird species, 31 species of mammals (most are nocturnal), 21 reptile species and nine amphibian species.

The Park is divided into five sections. The south-western section, covering 450 ha, is known as Ferntree Gully which was named after an 1860 painting of the local forest. Being so close to Melbourne, the area became a popular attraction in the 1860s and, in recognition, it was set aside for public recreation in 1882. This reserve was expanded in 1927 when it became the state's second National Park. An animal sanctuary was created here in 1931 but it was phased out in the 1950s.

Ferntree Gully is noted for its walking tracks, its views of Melbourne, its ferneries, eucalypt forests, picnic areas, its birdlife (including lyrebirds, crimson rosellas and eastern whipbirds), its mammals (including wallabies, bandicoots, echidnas and possums) and its flora, including 47 species of native orchids, native grasses, eucalypts and shrubs such as bush pea and austral indigo.

To access the Ferntree Gully Picnic Ground turn off the Burwood Highway onto Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd and take the first left. It has parking, toilets with disabled access, drinking water, picnic tables and shelters, electric barbecues, a ranger's office, information boards, a playground and walking tracks. The Living Bush Nature Walk (3 km) is denoted by markers and information sheets describe the plants. The Ferntree Gully Track (5 km return) follows steep, winding paths northwards through ferneries, blackwoods and manna gums and up the Thousand Steps to the top of the range at One Tree Hill Picnic Ground, offering excellent views.

To access One Tree Hill Picnic Ground by car continue north along the Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd and turn left either into Churchill Drive (at Tremont) or, further north again, into One Tree Hill Rd. Both lead to the picnic area which has parking, toilets, water, wood barbecues (no wood is provided), picnic tables, shelters and walking tracks. For example, you can take either the Ferntree Gully Track south to the other picnic ground, or the One Tree Hill Track (3.2 km return). The latter passes through stringybark and peppermint gum forest. Pea shrubs bloom in spring. Notes are available on some of the tracks.

The picnic grounds are open to vehicles from 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. (May to October) and until 6.00 p.m. the rest of the year. There is an entry fee for cars at the Ferntree Picnic Ground on weekends, public holidays and school holidays. You can catch Bus no.698 from Upper Ferntree Gully or walk the one kilometre from the Upper Ferntree Gully Train Station.

For general information and literature contact Parks Victoria on 131 963 or, if you require more detailed information contact the office at Upper Ferntree Gully on (03) 9758 1342. You can also visit the Parks Victoria website on www.parks.vic.gov.au which provides contact details for commercial operators in the park: AAA Plus Surf Tours, AAT Kings Tours (coach and 4WD tours), Allwalks (bushwalking), Art Tracks (bushwalking), Australis Nature Tours, Auswalk (bushwalking and abseiling), Autopia Tours (bushwalking and coach tours), Driving Force (4WD tours), Excellent Tours (coach tours), Footsteps Holidays (bushwalking), Owen Correa Outback Adventures (4WD tours), Ventura Coach Holidays and Young At Heart Tours (coach tours).

Tim Neville Arboretum
At the corner of Dorset Rd and Frances Crescent is Tim Neville Arboretum which features a botanical garden with lakes, an amphitheatre, a secret garden and art installations.

Tours
Owen-Correa Outback Adventures offer half-day tours into the Dandenongs for groups of no less than two people. They depart from Melbourne and enter the Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd via Montrose, taking in Kalorama, the William Ricketts Sanctuary, Olinda, Ferny Creek, Kallista, Belgrave, Selby, Cardinia Reserve and back to Melbourne, tel: (03) 9754 7143.

Vintage Fun offers chauffeur-driven rides in vintage cars. They pick up from anywhere for any occasion, tel: (03) 9754 7670.

More Information
"All the information about Accommodation, Restaurants and the Tourist Information Office for this town is up to date and accurate. There is more information on the history of the town to be added to the site. This will occur in the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, if you need any information on this town and its surrounding area, please contact Bruce Elder at the email address: walkabout@access.fairfax.com.au. The information you require will be provided within 24 hours."

	Motels
	Ferntree Gully Motor Inn 1132 Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 0111 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Fern Gully Hotel 1130 Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 6544
	Royal Hotel Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 2755
	Zagame's Royal Hotel Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 2268
	Restaurants
	Basically Beef Old Time Bush Dance Restaurant 2 Francis Circle Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 6211
	Billabong Family Bistro Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 7446
	Caesar's Italian Cuisine Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 0544
	Captain America's Hamburger Heaven Forest Rd Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 0711
	Farfield Restaruant 1132 Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 1484
	Ferntree Gully Motor Inn 1132 Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 0111
	Jade Pavillion Chinese Restaurant 1057 Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 0504
	Loi-Eng Restaurant 113 Station St Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 1818
	Malibu's Restaurant Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9752 4222
	Mountain Dragon Restaurant Shop 19 The Cruiseway Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 6535
	Mountain Village Chinese Restaurant Shop 53 Mountain Gate Shopping Cntr Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 2822
	Shiraaz Ferntree Gully Innovative Indian Restaurant Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9753 5666
	Swagman Restaurant 1009 Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 4455
	Sylvesteršs 1130 Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 6544
	The Villa Renaissance Total Body & Beauty Old World Luxury Retreat Restaurants Underwood Rd Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 0551
	Tin Wong Palace 716 Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Telephone: (03) 9758 0782