Drouin - Gum Scrub Creek Urban Forest Walk - West & South Gippsland

Drouin - Gum Scrub Creek Urban Forest Walk

This 4.2km walk (4.9km option longer route) includes beautiful urban forest, wetlands and bush reserves. Choose an alternate route on a windy day. A variety of walking surfaces: concrete paths, gravel paths, shared roadway and grassy reserves, which can be wet in winter. Some parts can be rough and uneven. A few short uphill sections and one optional steep uphill section.

Gum Scrub Creek Urban Forest Walk Map

1. Start at the end of Princes Ave. Head east walking down the gravel path.

2. As the path levels out note the old tree on the left. Is it still here? This Strzelecki Gum with a trunk girth of 5.8 m has struggled after being poisoned. The overgrown creek is Gum Scrub Creek which flows from the spring fed lake behind the Royal Hotel. It flows under the railway line, and then flows from here flows north to Drouin West.

3. Continue on the path which then joins into a shared road and then onto a concrete path.

4. Cross over at Calway St and turn left. Walk down Calway St to Elizabeth Cl.

5. The gums here are planted Narrow-leaved Peppermints Eucalyptus nicholii. They have deeply furrowed bark making ideal insect habitat for birds to feed on. Turn right into Elizabeth Close and cross over the road at no. 1 to the park.

6. Walk through the park and look out for the rough overgrown path. You will come to a large Strzelecki Gum before the gully/ditch. Listen to the sounds around you. This area is usually alive with birds: King Parrots, Spotted Doves, Grey Fantails, Pied Currawongs, Little Ravens, Rainbow Lorikeets, Red Wattlebirds, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Brown Thornbills, Willy Wagtails and Blue Wrens have all been observed here.

7. Turn right and follow the dirt path into the urban forest.

8. This unique patch of open forest has hundreds of tall slender trees, mainly Mountain Grey Gums and Messmates with many hollows in the taller trees. There is a rough path through this area. Take your time; enjoy the sounds and keep your eyes alert...you might even spot a fox!

9. As the path begins to head right, look north through the trees to the large Strzelecki Gum on the wetlands. This beautiful old giant is estimated to be close to 300 years old and is so full of hollows it is like a bird hotel!

10. Continue along the path heading to the lake. Just before you get there stop to look to the right at the huge remnant row of trees behind the metal fence. A local couple have lovingly cared for these trees and planted garden beds around them. It is an extremely high value habitat area. Old maps show this as a gazetted but unused government road.

11. Stop at the lake area. The Shire has worked hard to plant wetlands grasses and the area is frequented by water birds. Turn around and look back where you have just come from. Many of the water birds use these remnant trees for roosting. Look up! White-faced Herons can often be seen nesting in the canopy in. Wetland areas need tall eucalypts for birds to roost and nest.

12. This area is a designated Giant Gippsland Earthworm habitat. Walk left around the lake.

13. For a spectacular view and slightly longer walk turn left at Waterside Dr, then turn right at Lakeview Crt, walk up to the end of the court and up the path to the top of the hill. Until a few years ago this old gazetted government road had many more remnant gums and was home to a pair of Little Eagles that had lived here for MANY years. Return back to Waterside Dr. This area is a good example of what developments should NOT do: chop tree roots, excavate under trees, build houses under trees. Many trees had to be removed because of poor planning and proximity to new housing.

14. Walk south down Waterside Dr and at the roundabout turn left into Valleyview Grv. Continue walking.

15. Just after the house at no. 8 turn left onto the path and walk to the end.

16. This 4.4ha 'bush' area between the freeway and the housing development is known as the 'John Lardner Memorial Reserve'. John Lardner is credited with the original surveys of Drouin. Parts of the reserve include remnant bushland and parts have been planted. In 1982 school children assisted Buln Buln Shire workers to plant Angophoras, Spotted Gums, Mountain Ash and other natives.

Eastern Yellow Robins, which are bush birds, have been sighted in the reserve as well as White-browed Scrub Wrens, Grey Fantails, Blue Wrens, Striated Pardalotes and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters. It is an area rich in bird life.

17. You may choose to walk through the reserve on the rough, uneven, grassy ground to the southern end.This short walk will take you to a concrete path heading west. Or you may chose to return to Valleyview Gr and walk the street path to the end of the grove which links with the concrete path heading west. Turn right.

18. Walk the full length of the concrete path as it crosses over roads to the west end. At various points stop to look at the view north to the mountain ranges.

19. At the west end stop at this point and look north along the row of remnant eucalypts, many which have been severely lopped.

20. Walk south uphill to Princes Way and walk west back to the start of the walk.