THE DANDENONG RANGES

More than 300 million years ago a great volcano welled up as a cauldron in the crust of the earth in the area centered near the present township of Olinda. From this cauldron four series of lava flow were extruded. The first massive flows spread as far north as Coldstream. The second flow spread southwards past Fern Tree Gully which today is the base of the ranges as seen from Melbourne. The third lava flow was thinner and formed a platform between the first two flows. The fourth flow followed ejection of volcanic ash and was a thick lava which reached as far as Emerald. After prolonged weathering these rocks broke down to form the rich soil of the forested ranges. The formations left by the erosion, forming the subsided mountain and valleys were first settled around 1855.

THE FIRST INHABITANTS The first men to arrive in the Dandenong Ranges were the aborigines. There may have been two migrations with the first being the smaller aborigines similar to the Tasmanian aborigines, perhaps 40 – 60,000 years ago, at the time of an ice age when the sea levels where lower than now and a land bridge existed between Asia and Australia. They were probably later replaced by the second taller race who by this time, were unable to cross Bass Strait into Tasmania because of the higher sea levels. When white man arrived in Victoria in the 1830’s, the Dandenong's were part of the tribal territory of the Wurundjeri tribe. They used the Dandenong's as their summer hunting ground and for gatherings with other adjacent tribes. They came to the hills in search of rest, coolness or to recover after ill-health or battle. They gave the hill a name describing the qualities which attracted them to the place-”Corrhanwarrabul” signifying that this was an attractive place where birds sang, kangaroos jumped and lyrebirds performed.

.

At this time the Dandenong's probably had a park like appearance with mighty mountain ashes soaring up to 100 miters into the sky and grassy glades between them. Most of the soils in the Dandenong's are volcanic in nature representing three or more volcanic eruptions. This contributes to the red earth nature of the soils. Coupled with a rainfall up to 1400 mm in parts, this produced one of nature’s wonderlands with permanent streams descending on both the west and the east sides.

.

THE WHITE MAN COMETH: The first white man to claim dominion over part of the Dandenong's, was James Clow whose land stretched from the present city of Dandenong to Olinda and Monbulk. He named his property after the aboriginal name “Corrhanwarrabul”. Other settlers followed and soon the whole of the Dandenong's was included in settler’s runs. In the 1850’s, the Dandenong's attracted the notice of many people with a botanical bent, including the famous Baron von Mueller, Victoria’s Government Botanist.

n the 1870’s, von Mueller set up a semi-permanent camp at the Basin in order to make an intense study of the Dandenong's flora. The worth of the mountain ash was recognized by these early adventurers and some were felled for use as masts in the sailing ships of that time. Hence the name “Mast Gully” creek. 

They were soon followed by the timber getters splitting the logs for palings which were used for sides of houses or fencing material. A timber camp was opened at Olinda in 1855 and another at Kallista in the 1860’s, followed by one at Sassafras in the 1870’s. The timber was taken out by a track via the present Ferntree Gully to Oakleigh where the nearest main road existed. The transport was mainly bullock teams.

During the 1880’s and the 1890’s the Dandenong's forests were decimated mainly as a result of poverty stricken city folk being allocated 10 acre farm lets in the Dandenong's on which to make a living. Imagine being shifted from Melbourne to the forest of the Dandenong's and left to fell timber, build your house with your own hands, create a garden to provide food and try to raise enough provisions to survive. It took sturdy folk to see this through. Supplied by: Peter Uwe Schmidt c/- Cuckoo Restaurant

"The name “Kalorama” was coined about the turn of the century by a guest of Ellis Jeeves. The guest was a Reverend Henschelwood who used a derivation of the Greek word KOLOS to mean “beautiful view”. Ellis applied the name to his home and it remained its name until it was demolished by the Forests Commission in 1970. The name Kalorama was applied to the district between 1926 to 32 when, in order to overcome postal confusion, the name was chosen from a list submitted at a public meeting. In a booklet “The Dandenong volcano and settlement in its great forest” by John Lundy-Clarke the geological story of the origins of the Dandenong Ranges with the story of settlement on them, is told. The booklet was published by the Lilydale Historical Society ISBN. 09594036 4 7.

Kalorama, a residential area in the Mount Dandenong Ranges, is only 36 km east of the City of Melbourne. It can best be reached via the Tourist Road from Montrose which is situated at the end of Canterbury Road.

.

There is a special viewing position at the Five Ways Corner with a panoramic view over the Sylvan Reservoir and the Olinda State Forest to the Warburton Ranges. Much of Kalorama is parkland and forest reserve, which adds to the spacious residential environment. Some of the houses date from pre-war times when Kalorama was a weekend resort. Several resort and guest-house places continue to offer accommodation to visitors. This includes a large number of very romantic, luxury Bed and Breakfast places such as Holly Lodge. Along the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road there are Kalorama Park, Kalorama Memorial Reserve with sports facilities, an Australian plant garden, a shop, café and post office opposite the reserve and a café and art gallery at the Five Way Corner. The eastern part of Kalorama is un-subdivided land, mainly a water catchments reserve and part of the Dandenong Ranges National Park. The census population of Kalorama was 164 in (1933), 307 in (1947), 1519 in (1981) and 1300 in (1994)

Kalorama Park: For many years the Jeeves family ran a coach service, and after the Tourist Road was built in the 1920’s this was motorized. There was a garage and petrol station on what is now the look-out car park. The 1939 bush fires caused havoc in the area, the garage was destroyed and the family began to move on. Parts of the land had been sold to build the Tourist Road, other parts obtained by the water board as reserve land for Silvan Dam (built about 1930), and yet more had been sold off as building blocks. In the 1950’s large sections of the hillside remained unused, much of it still the property of the Jeeves family.

.

As early as 1953 Professor John Turner (for a long time President of the Save the Dandenong League) made efforts, in conjunction with Melbourne's Lord Mayor, to acquire the first section of Kalorama Park, and an initial agreement was negotiated; but the sale fell through on the day the contract was to be signed. Things lay dormant for some years until the Lilydale Shire Plan was published, showing the top section of the proposed Park subdivided into fifteen foot allotments for shops. This threat provided the impetus for the purchase of a twenty acre section in 1963. The league raised 5,000 pounds through an appeal in the Herald (quite a large sum in those days); a further twenty acres was bought by the Government, and the Park was opened by Professor Turner in April 1973. Within the Park is a memorial plaque to Miss May Moon, who until right up to the time of her death, Secretary of the League, and was very active in the foundation of the Park. Miss Moon lived in Jeeves Avenue, in a house she built herself, and there is a nature reserve dedicated to her memory beside the Kalorama Cricket Oval and Tennis Courts. She also owned a property in Montrose that now accommodates the Tullamore Retirement Village. This article is a contribution by the Five Ways Galleries in Kalorama (Mel way Map 52 J9) Tel: (03) 9728 5975

Places To Visit

Kalorama Scenic Lookout is only a short walk from Holly Lodge. Wander through the numerous gardens and nurseries, spend time at the Galleries, Antique and Craft shops, or at a romantic cafe.

Feed the kookaburras, Parrots and Lorikeets and watch the city lights by night. Experience the country atmosphere, the forests of the Dandenong Ranges with all it's bird life ad tranquility or play golf at the Olinda Golf course........

.

The Dandenong Ranges are an attractive mountain area to the east of Melbourne. Small towns and villages characterize the area with attractive houses nestled into the surrounding forests and beautiful gardens.

With tree-fern gullies and tall forests. Visit the tea houses, restaurants, coffee shops, craft shops, antique shops and Mt Dandenong Observatory for great views. Try walking, cycling or horse riding. Enjoy a picnic at the many Picnic Grounds. Catch the historic Puffing Billy train. Spending time at romantic Bed & Breakfasts or Country Houses. Walk through the National Park Rain Forest and Gardens. See Historic Homes, the Tulip Farm or fish for Rainbow Trout. Visit the Country Markets, Sherbrooke Forest, the Yarra Valley Wineries and Healsville Sanctuary. This is an ideal spot for a Weekend Getaway.

.

WALKS ON THE WILD SIDE in the DANDENONG RANGES: Most walks start from Picnic Grounds. Some popular walks include the 1000 steps and Living Bush Nature Trail from the Fern Tree Gully Picnic Ground, Sherbrooke Falls from the Sherbrooke Picnic Ground and Grants Picnic Ground at Kallista. But how about walking on an even wilder side. If you are visiting the Kalorama/Mt. Dandenong area or staying in one of the local charming B and B’s consider exploring the mostly deserted walking tracks of the Mt. Evelyn, Olinda or Doongalla sections of the National Forest. You can enjoy gentle or more challenging walks through dry and wet fern-gully forested areas of the Mt. Evelyn section.

.

Five Way Scenic Look Out is an ideal location to launch walks along Ridge Rd. to the Observatory at Mt. Dandenong, Burke’s Lookout, the Kyeema Memorial Cairn or the Doongalla Estate. A short drive or walk to the nearby Olinda Falls Picnic Ground will give you access to the bubbling rock waterfalls along the Olinda Creek.

.

If you decide to walk on the wild side be sure to take a map (perhaps a mobile phone), a hat and sunscreen, and observe National Park guidelines such as fire restrictions, respecting local flora and fauna, leaving cats or dogs at home, not littering, and riding mountain bikes only on designated trails. All that’s left is to choose your spot and start walking on the wild side!

.

Things to see in the Dandenong' s:
Dandenong Ranges National Park (3215 ha) is an attractive and popular area with its western slopes visible from the City of melbourne. It offers opportunities for walking, sightseeing, picnicking, cycling and car touring. More than 350 plant species have been recorded, along with 130 bird species, 31 species of mammals (most are nocturnal), 21 reptile species.

.

The National Park has many walking tracks with views of Melbourne and distant Mountain Ranges. It is home to many ferneries, eucalypt forests, picnic areas, bird-life such as the lyrebirds, crimson Rosella and eastern whip-birds, mammals such as wallabies, bandicoots, echidnas and possums and its flora, including 47 species of native orchids, native grasses, eucalypts and shrubs.

.

The best northerly access to the Dandenong Ranges is via Canterbury Road and Montrose onto the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road to Kalorama and Olinda or the southern access via Burwood Highway and Ferntree Gully onto Mt Dandenong Tourist Road to Sassafras.

The many Living Bush Nature Walks are denoted by markers and information sheets which describe the plants along the walks. Most 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 to some Picnic Ground on weekends, public holidays and school holidays. You can catch Bus to the Croydon Train Station from the northern region of the Range or to Upper Ferntree Gully Train Station in the southern region of the Range.

For general information and literature contact Parks Victoria on 131 963 or, if you require more detailed information contact the Dandenong Ranges Tourism Office at Upper Ferntree Gully on (03) 9758 7522.

NATIONAL PARK: It is not hard to be distracted by all the lovely restaurants, tea-rooms, galleries and charming B&B’s found nestled in the villages of the Dandenong Ranges. The superb setting of the National Rhododendron Gardens, Tesselaars Tulip Farm, the Silvan Reservoir Picnic Grounds and William Ricketts Sanctuary regularly attract Australian and overseas visitors. It is therefore easy to forget that the Dandenong Ranges is home to over 130 native bird species, 31 species of native animals, 21 reptiles and 9 amphibians, all contained within the borders of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, created in 1987 by combining five large existing forest reserves. There are also over 300 km of walking tracks scattered throughout the total park area of 3215 hectares. Walks vary from short strolls to more challenging expeditions. National Parks Victoria (Ph. 131963) or Dandenong Ranges Tourist Information Center (Ph. 9758 7522), Ferntree Gully, can provide information and detailed maps on each of the five Park areas: Doongalla, Fern Tree Gully, Sherbrooke, Olinda and Mt. Evelyn.

WALKS ON THE WILD SIDE in the DANDENONG RANGES: Most walks start from Picnic Grounds. Some popular walks include the 1000 steps and Living Bush Nature Trail from the Fern Tree Gully Picnic Ground, Sherbrooke Falls from the Sherbrooke Picnic Ground and Grants Picnic Ground at Kallista. But how about walking on an even wilder side. If you are visiting the Kalorama/Mt. Dandenong area or staying in one of the local charming B and B’s consider exploring the mostly deserted walking tracks of the Mt. Evelyn, Olinda or Doongalla sections of the National Forest. You can enjoy gentle or more challenging walks through dry and wet fern-gully forested areas of the Mt. Evelyn section. A good place to start is from the water tank on Inverness Rd. opposite Gumbirra B and B. Holly Lodge B and B is an ideal location to launch walks along Ridge Rd. to the Observatory at Mt. Dandenong, Burke’s Lookout, the Kyeema Memorial Cairn or the Doongalla Estate. A short drive or walk to the nearby Olinda Falls Picnic Ground will give you access to the bubbling rock waterfalls along the Olinda Creek.

If you decide to walk on the wild side be sure to take a map (perhaps a mobile phone), a hat and sunscreen, and observe National Park guidelines such as fire restrictions, respecting local flora and fauna, leaving cats or dogs at home, not littering, and riding mountain bikes only on designated trails. All that’s left is to choose your spot and start walking on the wild side

References: Park Notes, Parks Victoria