Walk Mt Dandenong’s 1000 Steps

a few of my friends have done this lately.. i have just moved to Melbourne so only just heard of it… I have lined up a few friends and we will be doing it in a few weeks :) cant wait!

I have only been out to the 1000 steps twice and will go again next week in preparation for the Kokoda Trail trek happening very, very soon.

It is great training and I want to improve on my time it takes to complete. Next Saturday I will be heading up there to do it 4 times in succession. It’s a great challenge and way of staying fit. I recommend it to everyone and the setting is absolutely beautiful.

I really need tgo keep this up to date! I can’t believe it’s be 5 months since I first did the steps… it was torturous that first time, even though I considered myself to be relativeley fit.

First you have to walk up (yes, UPHILL!) and path that stretches for about 80 metres. This is exausting enough, so when you reach the base of the steps you know you
re going to be in for a tough time.

The stairs themselves are random in their thickness and steepness, though the beautiful scenery and sounds of the wildlife is constant. There are benches to sit on everyy 200 or so steps, you can take a breather if needed. I sure needed it the first time!!!

I was surprised at how many people were on the steps – people all all diffrent ages and sizes and of course the hardcore hikers with their backpacks and sticks, most likeley training for an adventerous trek though an exciting destination overseas.

It’s SUCH a rush making it to the top of the steps! Even though there isn’t much of a view, the feeling of making it up there in one piece is amazing. The walk down is just as rewarding, as I give encouraging and knowing looks to the pained faces making the ascent up.

I’ve been back dozens of times since and love doing it every time! I would recommend walking the steps in the morning whilst the air is crisp… it’s a sensational way to start the day.

I’ve been wanting to do the 1,000 steps for a few weeks now – ever since my boss mmentioned it to me. I’m determined to do it tomorrow. It’s goinmg to be 31 degrees tomorrow, so whilst it’s going to be stunning scenery, it certainly going to be a challenge!!

The Kokoda Trail as it has been commemoratively re-named is one of the hidden attractions of the Mt Dandenong Ranges. Set amidst the fresh beauty of the Australian bushland, 1000 steps climb upward beneath a thick canopy of gum trees and pose a challenge to the most ambitious travelers.

Being in Melbourne for a few days, I decided this morning to take the challenge and embark on the Kokoda bush trail. The air was fresh; some would alternative between adjectives such as cold, crisp, chilly or in extreme terms – freezing! however I welcomed the change in season having become so accustomed to the sub-tropical temperatures of Queensland. An early morning rainfall had left its residue on the native bush and the passive morning sun had done little to avail the ferns of the small water droplets which rested on their long-reaching fronds. Every aspect of the bush, the sounds, the falling leaves and the freshness of the cool air was brimming with life.

The one thing I miss most about Victoria is the Dandenong Ranges. The native Australian bush is at its most beautiful in the Dandenongs with tall gum trees reaching upward towards the sky and vibrant green gullies of fan-like ferns catching the moisture of early morning. Trickling water flows over lichen covered rocks, lightening struck trees display their enduring beauty and golden rays of sunlight pierce through the trees as though the sky itself had been torn. In all my travels, the Dandenong Ranges are incomparable to any countryside I have seen… the bias of my view is undoubtedly coloured by the nostalgic value I place in this place of my upbringing. For me, the attractiveness of the Dandenong Ranges is not found merely in the beauty captured by any discerning eye, but also in the underlining memories that are encased within this beauty.

Over moss covered rocks and trampled leaves, my brother and I challenged the trail admirably. While my attention was being constantly deviated to the beauty of the surroundings with camera in hand, my younger sibling powered ahead at a more industrious pace and habitually waited for me after every 100 or so steps – an apt description may be ‘a slow but steady pace’. Despite the resounding echo of voices ahead, our thoughts were assailed by the silence of the bush and our every step marked by a feeling of triumph… it was not simply a ‘goal ticked off the list’, it was a memory made that I shall treasure forever.