Best walks Melbourne: You Yangs, Werribee Gorge day trips

From bush walks to hikes and easy strolls, Melbourne’s west has trails to suit every fitness level. Here are the region’s best.

Melburnians are blessed with a number of hiking trails within easy reach of the CBD, many of which are in the west. Picture: Glen Tempest

There’s nothing quite like reaching the top of a mountain and enjoying the scenery below.

Hiking and bush walks are a favourite summer pastime, and with COVID-19 still floating about the great outdoors is probably the safest place to be.

Whether you’re looking to stretch your legs or aiming for more physical exertion to burn off those Covid kilograms you stacked on in lockdown, Melbourne’s west has a bevy of choices when it comes to walking trails.

Here’s a selection of some of the best.

LONG FOREST

Located near Melton, about 50km west of Melbourne’s CBD, the trails at Long Forest are relatively easy.

There’s quite a few trails, but one of the most popular is the Happy Valley Track.

Starting from Happy Valley Carpark on Long Forest Rd, the trail is about 4km return.

It links up with the Coimadai track, (5km, medium fitness level), if you feel like staying out a while longer.

Both tracks together should take about three hours return.

If you’re looking for something shorter, the 1.5km Moonah Track, accessed from Moonah Drive to the northeast of Long Forest Rd, is a nice stroll.

There’s also the Djerriwarrh Walk, which is 3km return and kicks off from a gate on the east side of Long Forest Rd.

Long Forest Conservation Reserve is home to hundreds of native plant species and birds, but watch out for the European wasps.

As with most conservation reserves, dogs are not allowed at the park. Assistance dogs are the exception to the rule.

Getting there is easy, just follow Long Forest Rd, which runs between Melton and Bacchus Marsh and park at one of the reserve’s four access points.

WERRIBEE GORGE

From walking trails to rock climbing and splashing around in one of the gorge’s many inland lakes, creeks and dams, there’s a lot to do at Werribee Gorge.

Werribee Gorge is about 8km from Bacchus Marsh and just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne’s CBD.

The Werribee Gorge Circuit Walk is a long one, and it has some tricky parts that require use of a cable handrail, but the views along the gorge rim are breathtaking.

Beware, there are no shortcuts so leave plenty of time and daylight to complete this 10km, four and a half-hour circuit.

The 5km Short Circuit walk, on the other hand, will only take two hours and has an opt out point half way at Meikles Picnic Area.

The river running through the gorge is prone to flooding in heavy rains, so watch out for high water levels if choosing to hike in the wetter months or after a summer downpour.

Falcons Lookout is a great spot for rock climbing if you’ve got the gear. It is the only area in the park where rock climbing is permitted.

A moderate fitness level is required for these walks.

YOU YANGS

The You Yangs, about 55km southwest of Melbourne, is another popular spot for bushwalkers.

And with good reason — its soaring granite rock peaks tower over the flat plains below providing stunning views of the surrounding bush and countryside.

You also get a great aerial view of the regional city of Geelong from Flinders Peak, the You Yangs’ highest lookout.

There’s a few carparks to choose from on arrival, but we suggest pulling into the Turntable carpark, which is much closer to the starting point for the main trails.

From here you can begin the 12.3km You Yangs Northern Range Circuit, which will take about four hours to complete.

The 4.8km Flinders Peak loop via the west and east tracks is easy and offers rewarding views.

Best of all, dogs are allowed on this trail if you want to bring your furry best mate, but they must be kept on a leash.

The Flinders Peak loop will take about one and a half hours, but if you just want to do the Flinders Peak Walk on its own you can shave 15 minutes of the round trip.

KOROROIT CREEK

The Kororoit Creek Trail stretches from Altona to Burnside in Melbourne’s west.

The trail is a credit to locals, including the Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek, who worked to revegetate the land, which was formerly an industrial area.

The trail itself includes sealed and unsealed sections, but Sunshine is a good place to start as the trail passes near Sunshine train station, meaning you can leave the car at home.

The trail in this part of the walk is sealed and shared by cyclists and pedestrians.

Sculptures by Melbourne artist Geoffrey Ricardo also dot a section of the trail known as Toyota Way.

Toyota paid for the works after it ceased its Altona manufacturing operations, with Ricardo’s eight works, titled Spirits of Time and Place, selected following submissions from artists across the country.

Hobsons Bay Council, Melbourne Water and the state government also paid for the art project.

Start and stop the walk wherever you like, as the 21.7km point-to-point track follows alongside Kororoit Creek, and there’s certainly no obligation to do it all.

MARIBYRNONG RIVER TRAIL

Start this trail at Brimbank Park to enjoy gorgeous views of the river and the city skyline.

The 23km walk is another point-to-point track following alongside the river and it suits all fitness levels.

Dogs are welcome on the path, but again must be kept on a leash.

Cyclists also share the track with pedestrians.

Another good starting point for this walk is Southbank, in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD.

From here the trail follows the Yarra River past the Polly Woodside sailing ship, before passing Docklands and running beside Footscray Rd to the Maribyrnong River and Flemington Racecourse.

This 28km walk requires a moderate fitness level and will take about three hours to complete.

Pipemakers Park, on the western bank of the river near Highpoint Shopping Centre, is a great spot to explore.

The park occupies the site of a former meat preserving company and pipe works and is still home to historic buildings that now act as a museum.

Pipemakers Park can be accessed from Van Ness Ave in Maribyrnong.