Ferndale, Gardiners Creek and Anniversary Trails Loop

This loop stitches the Ferndale Trail, the Gardiners Creek path and the Anniversary Trail into a 7.7 km circuit through Ashburton and Glen Iris. It is flat suburban walking on sealed and gravel path, and every metre of it is on lead.

The walk

AllTrails logs 7.7 km at a moderate grade, around an hour and forty minutes, with the grade coming from distance rather than hills. The route runs through Ferndale Park, follows Gardiners Creek, and picks up the Anniversary Trail along the old Outer Circle Railway alignment. Surfaces are mostly sealed with gravel sections, and it is a loop, so you finish where you started.

Leash status

The City of Boroondara's default is that dogs must be walked on a lead when they are not inside a designated off-lead area, and no part of this route is one. Ferndale Park is on lead, the Gardiners Creek shared path is on lead, and the Anniversary Trail is on lead. Dogs are not allowed inside playgrounds and must be on a lead within 10 metres of the perimeter, and they are not allowed on sporting ovals during organised sport, including training. Council puts the rest plainly: taking your dog off its lead before you are inside a designated off-lead park is an offence.

Off lead nearby

If the point of the outing is a run rather than a walk, Boroondara's off-lead areas at the Markham Reserve and Ashburton Park dog off-leash areas sit close to the loop, and Nettleton Park at Glen Iris is another along the way.

Max: Shared paths this popular run on a commuter timetable. Keep the lead short and the dog on your left, because the fastest bike always comes from the side you are not watching.

Hazards and getting there

This is a commuter cycling route as much as a dog walk, and the busiest hours for people are the busiest hours for bikes. Lower sections get boggy after heavy rain, and Gardiners Creek runs high and fast after storms, so keep the lead short near the water. Street parking fronts the reserves the loop passes, and tram routes along High Street and Burwood Highway come close to the route.

When to go

Mid-morning or early afternoon on a weekday. Avoid 8am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm, when commuters and recreational cyclists share the path. Weekends are steadily busy rather than peaked. Good for big runners who need distance without a drive.

Make a day of it

The Solway to Burnley via Gardiners Creek Trail extends the same creek corridor if you want more distance. Mr Sister Cafe covers the coffee stop in Malvern East. The Victorian trails guide and Ashburton destination page list what else is close.