Main Yarra Trail: Candlebark Park to Tikalara Park

This section of the Main Yarra Trail runs 6.4 kilometres between Candlebark Park and Tikalara Park in Templestowe, flat riverside walking with kangaroos in the paddocks beside it. The rule that matters here is narrow: dogs are permitted on the designated trail pathway and nowhere else in this section.

The walk. Six point four kilometres, graded easy, roughly an hour to an hour and a half. The trail is wide and well marked, concrete in parts and compacted gravel in others, with no real climbing. It passes Petty's Orchard and ends at Tikalara, where Mullum Mullum Creek meets the Yarra.

The rules. This is the important part. Parks Victoria manages this stretch as part of the Yarra Valley Parklands, and in this section dogs are permitted only on the designated Main Yarra Trail pathway. That is not a note about muddy verges: the surrounding parkland is not open to dogs, so stepping off the path to let your dog explore the riverbank or the grassland is not allowed. Dogs must be on lead at all times in both Candlebark and Tikalara Parks. Manningham Council reserves in the area close on days of Total Fire Ban.

Water and facilities. Free parking sits at both ends, and there are barbecues and picnic tables at Candlebark Park and at Westerfolds Park further along. The public toilets are at Westerfolds rather than at either trailhead, which is worth knowing before you start.

Hazards. Cyclists. This is a genuine commuter and recreation route and riders move quickly through the corners, so keep the lead short. The other is heat, since the trail is open in long stretches with the shade coming and going.

Getting there. Drive to Candlebark Park off Fitzsimons Lane, or to Tikalara at the end of The Parkway. Public transport is awkward: buses 280, 281, 282 and 285 stop on Reynolds Road, leaving a fifteen to twenty minute walk to either entrance.

Nearby with the dogs. Petty's Orchard is right on the trail and takes dogs outside, with Two Doors Cafe and Harry's Cafe and Deli a short drive away. Westerfolds Park continues the same river, Main Yarra Trail: Finns Reserve to Warrandyte picks it up further upstream, and Fitzsimons Reserve is the nearby park option.

When to go. Mid-week, around the middle of the day, is the quietest window. Weekends and sunny weekday evenings fill with cyclists and families. Starting from the Tikalara end gives you a calmer first kilometre. Good for seniors, given how flat it is.

Sources

• Yarra Valley Parklands Management Plan | Parks Victoria · www.parks.vic.gov.au
• Tikalara Park | Manningham Council · www.manningham.vic.gov.au
• Main Yarra Trail: Candlebark Park to Tikalara Park, Victoria, Australia - AllTrails · www.alltrails.com

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