Cockatoo to Gembrook Trail

The Cockatoo to Gembrook Trail runs 13km return, 6.5km each way, from McBride Street in Cockatoo to Puffing Billy's Gembrook Station as part of the Eastern Dandenong Ranges Trail. AllTrails grades it moderate and allows 3.5 to 4 hours for the return. The deciding fact for dog owners is that the path runs alongside the live Puffing Billy railway line, so leads stay on the whole way.

Leash status

DEECA and Parks Victoria manage the Wright Forest bushland reserve the trail passes through, and dogs must be on lead at all times. That matters more here than on most trails because of the active rail corridor beside the path. Carry bags and pick up, with bins at both trailheads, and expect native wildlife through the bushland sections.

Max: short lead near the rail corridor, especially when a train is due. Dogs can bolt at the whistle, and there is no margin for error that close to the tracks.

The walk

Surfaces mix gravel and stony path with some roadside walking, and there are a few hilly sections. You pass forest, open paddocks and rural farmland, with alpacas and Shetland ponies in some of the fields. If your timing lines up with the Puffing Billy timetable, the steam train rolling past is the highlight of the day for everyone.

Water and hazards

Taps are sparse, so carry water for both of you. Snakes are about in the warmer months, and it is worth checking your dog for ticks once you are home. Much of the route is exposed, so plan sun protection in summer and expect mud after rain. Some sections run beside a road, which is another reason the lead stays short.

Getting there and when to go

From Melbourne take the M1 towards Pakenham and Berwick, then follow signs to Cockatoo via the Belgrave-Gembrook Road, parking near the McBride Street trailhead. Autumn and spring suit this walk best, with the train running on weekends and school holidays, so check the Puffing Billy timetable before you set out.

For more distance, the Emerald to Cockatoo Trail continues the corridor west, and the Wright Forrest Bushland Area walks start from the same town. The Alma Treloar Reserve dog off-leash area in Cockatoo is where the lead can come off afterwards. More routes are on the Victoria trails guide and the Cockatoo destination page.