Wright Forrest Bushland Area

Wright Forrest Bushland Area sits above the Wattle Creek Valley in Cockatoo, in the Dandenong Ranges roughly 45km east of Melbourne. Tall gums, ferny gullies and a network of tracks make this a popular bushland walk, but the deciding fact for dog owners is simple: leashed dogs are only permitted on the named management vehicle tracks, not on the narrower walking paths that branch off through the reserve.

Leash status

The reserve falls within the Yellingbo / Liwik Barring Landscape Conservation Area managed by Parks Victoria. Dogs on lead are permitted only on the four management vehicle tracks, Hakea, Olearia, Moola and Grass Tree, and are not permitted on the other walking tracks through the bushland. Stick to those four, keep the lead on throughout, and carry every bag of waste back out, since there are no bins on site.

Max: check a map of the four named tracks before you set off. It is easy to drift off Hakea or Olearia onto a connecting walking path without realising, and that puts you outside the dog-permitted zone.

The walk

The full loop runs about 4.2km, rated moderate, and takes 60 to 90 minutes depending on pace. Terrain swings from flat, wide stretches to steep sections despite the canopy shade, and walkers detour to the fairy doors tucked along certain tracks or pause where the trail opens to views of the Puffing Billy Railway trestle bridge.

Water and hazards

There is no drinking water and no toilets on site, so bring enough for both of you, particularly since some sections climb steeply with little shade once you clear the canopy. The tracks hold water and mud after rain.

Getting there and parking

From Emerald, take Belgrave-Gembrook Road (C412) and turn into Wright Road; from Cockatoo, Bailey Road gets you there. Parking is limited to small areas opposite 37 Bailey Road on the east side and near the old Wright Railway Station site on the west side. Public transport does not serve the trailheads, so drive.

More walks nearby

For off-leash time, the Alma Treloar Reserve Dog Off Leash Area in Cockatoo is close by, and the Cockatoo to Gembrook Trail plus the Emerald to Cockatoo Trail extend the walking either way.

More options are on the Victoria dog friendly trails guide and the Cockatoo destination page.