Tracks around Victoria for Beginners

[MrBungle19]

Hi there,

My name is Jamie and I'm new to the forum. I am looking to get some advice from some experienced bushwalkers/hikers on the following if at all possible:

- Good tracks for beginners and children in Victoria. My partner and I have a 14 month old and we are looking to expose her to some outdoor activities, my partner used to be heavily into hiking and I am trying to share her enthusiasm for it by planning some trips/days for us.
- Recommended equipment for walking/hiking with a 14 month old that may obviously need to be carried at certain stages.

I am very much a novice with this kind of thing but am in good shape - just looking to put together some plans for day trips and the like where my family can get started and build ourselves up to some more advanced/challenging tracks.

Any suggestions/advice from experienced walkers/hikers on this forum would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[commando]

N-S-E-W ?

Have a look at the Railtrails, flat walking, well marked.

https://www.railtrails.org.au/trail-des ... s/victoria

Domino Trail starts at Trentham Railway Station 6 km one way.

[Eremophila]

Wreck Beach along the Great Ocean Walk. MUST be done at low tide.

Head west-ish along the beach from car park, then leave the beach and head up to Devil’s Kitchen campsite where you have a big shelter which is a nice easy lunch site where your little girl can roam around a bit. There’s a toilet and water tank. Then head back inland along the walking trail. I think it’s 6-7km total but can check my map.

[Baeng72]

Hi Jamie!
If you're in the Melbourne area, there are nice walks in the Dandenongs, Kinglake NP, Warburton Area, I think there are even coastal walks on the Mornington Peninsula.
Check beforehand that there isn't a big climb or rough going.

[north-north-west]

If you're in/near Melbourne there are a lot of small parks around that have networks of walking tracks. Lysterfield, for instance. Greens Bush and the Nepean NP down on the Mornington Peninsula, Philip Island. Otways. Kinglake. Short walks at the Prom. etc. Avoid anything with a significant climb.

[neilmny]

Welcome to the forum MrBungle19.
As all have said there is a great variety around and not far from Melbourne.
The Dandenongs are probably the nearest (well to me anyway) and there is some beautiful forest walks in there.
The Warburton Rail Trail is also there and a very easy walk for the family.

[Eremophila]

Sections of the Goldfields Track / Great Dividing Trail would be suitable.

Sections of the Great South West Walk could be good, although their section lengths could be a bit much if you're toting a child. You could do part sections along the Glenelg River, or in the Cape Bridgewater/Cape Nelson areas. Easy access to roads if you need an exit plan.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Parts of the Two bays walk would be suitable. It starts at Dromana and concludes at Cape Schanck.

[nezumi]

Welcome! If you're on Facebook, I can recommend Hike it Baby Melbourne (name to be changed soon as they are separating from the US parent group) and my own group, Hiking with Kids - Victoria. People will occasionally put out a call that they are going to do a certain track if anyone else wants to go at the same time.

For anything over a few Kms, I would recommend a kiddy backpack rather than a soft carrier of the BabyBjorn type. I have the Osprey Poco Premium, which has since been discontinued, but they still make the Poco and Poco Plus versions. The only difference for the Premium is that the storage area behind the kid can be zipped off into its own 13L backpack.

For walks that the kid can do for exploring, there's a good number around Toolangi and the Dandenongs - William Ricketts Sanctuary is a fave of ours, and the Wirrawilla Rainforest Walk is pretty nice too.

For ones where you can go and have the kid in the backpack, the Lerderderg Heritage Walk worked well for us. At 10km it's a nice walk without feeling like being too much.