Cardinia Reservoir Park Walk - June 2019

Walking across the dam wall this morning....conditions where somewhat variable today.

With work issues and personal commitments I seem to be pretty well been anchored to home at the moment, I’m really struggling to find enough time to jump into the ute and head for some of the more romantic walking destinations. To be honest though I get fair bit of enjoyment from some of these smaller adventures, while I’d really love to be walking through Tasmania’s mountains or trekking in Patagonia, I still enjoy exploring these local parks. All that is just as well I suppose as my personal circumstances certainly wouldn’t allow me to just spend my life walking and travelling in the most instagram-able, stunning and well known spots. Anyway that’s really just a long and boring preamble as to why I found myself heading off for a few hours walking this morning at a wet and cold Cardinia Reservoir.

Setting off this morning I had a long exposed section across the Cardinia Reservoir retaining wall.

As I’d left work this morning I’d mentioned to my mate James that I was heading out for a walk. When he found out where I was heading his next question was why? (although at the time the rain was coming down sideways and the temperature was hovering around 5˚). Parking the ute in the almost deserting dam wall car park things were indeed looking pretty grim, the Dandenong Ranges largely hidden beneath a cloak of low, threatening cloud and the still waters of Cardinia Reservoir the same gunmetal grey colour as the brooding clouds. Not to be deterred I pulled on my boots and set off on the first section of this mornings stroll across the vast dam wall.

The view from the dam wall out towards Narre Warren East this morning.

Cardinia Reservoir

The good thing this morning was that while the over head conditions were very dodgy, they were also fairly variable. This meant that I was getting breaks of sunlight, times when the clouds threatened armageddon and other times where it would bucket down for 5 minutes or so, yep there was plenty of variety. After numerous stops to take what I was sure would be stunning photos (I’m a glass half full kinda guy!) I eventually arrived at the southern end of the dam wall. Doubling back I now dropped down the paved track that heads down towards the Kangaroo Viewing area. I was meant to only follow this track for a short distance before crossing the park access road and striking out west along an un-signposed track.

I doubled back under the dam wall along this rather damp sealed walking track.

There are big mobs of Eastern Grey Kangaroos living in this park.

Cardinia Reservoir Park.

Being a typical bloke though I’m not real good at multi tasking so with my mind occupied taking photos of the wet and bedraggled kangaroos I managed to completely miss the spot where I was meant to leave the path. Arriving at the sealed road I realised my mistake though and paid for it by having to climb back up the steep access road to find my intended route. After a five minute road bash I was back at my intended spot and back on track. I was now following an old fire track west, the manicured bush around the dam wall now giving way to the more typical Australian scrub, the scrub looking all the better for the decent amount of rain that we’d been getting lately.

It was when I met this road that I realised I'd dropped down too far....

... a short road bash later and I re-jioned my planned route.

Meeting another un-signposted track I slowly swung around and started walking north along the edge of the park following a fence line (a fair chunk of this walk is on or near the perimeter of the park). The sun was now making itself felt a little more which was giving me a few more excuses to linger as I dropped steeply down towards Cardinia Creek. Of course it almost goes without saying that just as I thought that the sun was out to stay it bucketed down on me, although by the time I’d dropped my pack, grabbed my jacket and umbrella and organised myself the shower had largely blown through (Murphy’s Law). Cardinia Creek was flowing a banka this morning, I’m thinking that mid winter after rain is a good time to visit if you want to see a good flow here though.

The sun was now starting to get a bit more insistent.

Messmate and native grasses at Cardinia Reservoir Park.

Cardinia Creek was flowing a banka this morning.

It's not all native flora at Cardinia Reservoir Park.

Crossing Cardinia Creek above the dam outflow I shuffled my way across some open green gassy paddocks to soon arrive at the western end of Crystal Brook Picnic Ground. By-passing the deserted picnic ground I picked up Messmate Walk and started up the steepest climb of the walk, the track climbing a couple of switchbacks to arrive on the crest of a ridge. The sun was again looking like it was here to stay for awhile and the ridge top walk along with Duffy’s Lookout Picnic Area (permanently closed to vehicles from the look of it) finally made taking photos for the blog a bit easier. There are some really interesting Eucalyptus trees in the old picnic ground up here, I’m thinking that they are Angophora Costata that I've seen a bit up around Sydney(although that’s another Feral Fact), the bark on these trees reminds me of my own ageing skin!

Crystal Brook Park

Messmate Track climbed solidly onto a ridge.

Once on the ridge Messmate Track is pretty easy going.

There are some very interesting trees at Duffy's Picnic Ground. I'm guessing that they might be Angophora Costata...although that's a Feral guess!

Duffy's Picnic Ground.

Leaving Duffy’s Picnic Ground I continued on Messmate Walk, still keeping fairly close to the fence line that marks the western extremity of the park. The walking from Duffy’s Picnic Ground over to the end of the walk is on dedicated walking tracks and is very pleasant, the steaming trees being warmed by the weak winters sun making for a magical atmosphere. After crossing the park exit road I picked up Tea Tree Trail and headed off along the last section of this mornings walk. Tea Tree Trail contours around the head of a fairly shallow gully, crossing a reasonable length of boardwalk on the way. Once off the boardwalk the track climbed fairly easily to start to pass beneath some Radiata Pines which signalled my imminent arrival back onto the access road for the park. Arriving back at the ute I was pretty happy to still be mostly dry after my pleasant mornings stroll.

It had turned into a pretty nice, if not fairly chilly morning.

Leaving Duffy's Picnic Ground the track is signposted.

It was almost like the trees were breathing a sigh of relief now the sun was out.

The Dirt.
According to my GPS I walked 7.3 kilometres and climbed 165 metres on this easy stroll (don’t forget I added a bit to the stats with my un-planned extension near the start of the walk). There are a lot of kangaroos in this park so if spotting wildlife is your thing then maybe consider visiting Cardinia Reservoir. The Kangaroo Flat and Crystal Brook Picnic Areas are both good spots not only for a picnic but also there is enough open grassy areas for the kids to run free for awhile. Parks Vic have some free stuff online which should probably get you through this stroll, if anyone wants more extensive notes then July Mundy and Debra Heyes have written up the walk in their book Melbourne’s Best River, Bay, & Lakeside Walks.

Relevant Posts.
Lysterfield Lake, 2016.
Australian Gardens & Reserve, Cranbourne, 2019.
Langwarrin Fauna & Fauna Reserve, 2015.

There's a longish boardwalk section as Tea Tree Trail crosses the head of a shallow gully.

Tea Tree Trail.

Arriving back at the almost deserted car park after another nice stroll.

The weather over the Dandenong Ranges was still looking pretty ordinary.