Cardinia Aqueduct Trail

The Cardinia Aqueduct Trail follows a channel cut in 1914 through the bush at Pakenham's edge, 10.6 km out and back if you walk the lot, and it is the best long on-lead walk in this corner of Melbourne's south east.

The walk. Wide, mostly flat gravel the whole way, with a few gentle rises and real mud after rain. The aqueduct threads through peppermint and messmate forest with farmland opening up at the edges, and the full return takes a bit under three hours, though the trail breaks naturally into 2 to 4 km segments if you want a shorter outing. Kangaroos and wallabies are close to guaranteed at dusk, with blue wrens and honeyeaters working the understorey all day.

The rules. Melbourne Water and Cardinia Shire Council look after the corridor, and dogs stay on lead at all times, partly for the wildlife and partly because horse riders share the trail. Step off to the side when horses pass. Dog waste bags and bins are provided at the two main carparks, and motorbikes are banned outright.

Parking. Free gravel carparks sit at both main entrances, 264 Thewlis Road on the Pakenham side and the Officer Road end, so you can do an out and back from either, or walk it end to end with a car shuffle.

Make a day of it. The High Horse is the handy coffee stop on the Officer Road side. Back in Pakenham, Toomuc Creek Linear Reserve gives the dog an off-lead leg stretch, and Don Jackson Reserve Fenced Dog Park is the secure option for dogs still working on their recall.

When to go. Dusk is the wildlife show and the trail never closes, but after a wet week the surface turns boggy in stretches, so favour a dry spell. Summer afternoons are exposed where the forest thins, so carry water for the dog whatever the season.

Sources

• Cardinia Aqueduct Trail, Cardinia Shire Council · outdoors.cardinia.vic.gov.au
• Cardinia Aqueduct Trail, AllTrails · alltrails.com

Compiled from public sources and verified listings. Always confirm current rules with the venue or council before you travel.