Visitors to Gembrook and the Yarra Ranges have even more reason to explore the outdoors, with Parks Victoria wrapping up a series of upgrades and programs at much-loved parks across the region.
From the towering “Big Tree” in Cambarville to the family-friendly tracks of Bunyip State Park, local rangers have been busy fixing storm damage, resurfacing tracks, renewing boardwalks, removing illegally dumped rubbish and improving visitor safety.
These upgrades are helping prepare these landscapes for the increased activity and natural wear that come with peak visitation over summer.
On Mount Donna Buang, the toboggan run has been reshaped and stabilised, making it safer for families and snow lovers ahead of the 2026 season.
This repair follows wear and tear over multiple years, causing a large drop off at this steep location.
Repairs along the popular Lady Talboot Drive include the boardwalk along Beeches Rainforest Walk, as well as tracks and benches at the Taggerty Cascades.
Upgrades to wayfinding signage along the route, and resurfacing of the Phantom Falls Car Park, are complete.
The Cambarville Circuit Walk has seen newly repaired sections of track, boardwalks, handrails and benches which now reconnects visitors to Victoria’s tallest living tree, the 400-year-old Mountain Ash affectionately known as Big Tree, and the popular Cora Lynn Falls.
Meanwhile, in the Bunyip State Park, upgrades to two timber boardwalks measuring a collective 18 metres along the Mortimer Nature Walk provide improved access to the creeks and native birdlife that make this walk a local favourite.
Parks Victoria rangers recently held a working bee with volunteers from the Just Mates 4×4 Club in October in the Yannathan Bushland Reserve.
Together, they removed 30 cubic metres of rubbish, 50 tyres, three abandoned cars, and even one mini truck.
Several illegally made tracks were rehabilitated following the clean-up, giving the park a much needed refresh ahead of summer.
