Gembrook Park

Just 300 metres south of Gembrook's main street, Gembrook Park is 28 hectares of unlogged mountain ash, redwoods and tree-fern gullies. Dogs walk the bush tracks on lead, deep in the shade the whole way.

Lead rules

Cardinia Shire Council manages the park as a flora and fauna reserve, so dogs must be leashed at all times. Wombats and lyrebirds live here, which makes the short lead worth it.

The walks

The Fern Gully Walk runs about 1.5 kilometres, and the Hillside Walk adds another 1.2 kilometres. Both are natural dirt tracks and moderate rather than rugged.

The canopy is dense and tall, so it stays cool even in summer, and the park is usually quiet.

Max: Check your dog for ticks and leeches after the walk, especially after rain. The damp gullies are where they wait.

Getting started

There is free parking near the main entrance and picnic ground off Redwood Road. Bins are near the entrance only, and there is no dog water on the tracks, so bring your own.

It suits a steady dog that is happy on a lead and calm around wildlife. It is at its best on a warm day, when the fern gullies are the coolest place in town.