Updated on December 5, 2025
1000 Steps Walking Track – Kokoda Memorial Trail
The 1000 Steps / Kokoda Memorial track was built in the early 1900s, as a memorial and reminder of the famous Thousand Steps track in Papua New Guinea, location of the World War 2 battle in 1942.
The Thousand Steps-Kokoda memorial walk is the busiest hike in the Dandenong Ranges. It is a stunning walk, steep, narrow and not quite 1000 steps, but it certainly feels like it! Many people use the famous track as a fitness challenge; this is an important memorial, and the signage along the way is well worth pausing to read and learning the history.
An alternative challenge to walking the 1000 Steps is the Fire Trail /Glasgow Track. It goes straight up the mountain to the summit of Mt Dandenong—no steps, just lots of rocks to clamber over and some great views too.
Watch our short video of the complete 1000 Steps Dandenong Ranges
Getting to the Thousand Steps Walk
It’s easy to get to the 1000 Steps using public transport to visit the 1000 Steps, Melbourne, the hiking notes below detail how easy it is to make a day trip (or overnight stay) to the Dandenong Ranges, hiking the Thousand Steps as well as visit the villages of the Dandenongs, perhaps going to the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Gardens or the Mt Dandenong Lookout and more.
Lots of people use the track, some in a hurry to beat their own personal goals, locals, and tourists all out for a bushwalk in the Dandenongs, so close to Melbourne.
It is easy to despise the thought of this walk because it is so busy, with thousands of us walking here weekly. However, to be on the track and see the enthusiasm of walkers, some new to the experience and others seasoned ‘1000 steppers’, is an event in itself. A quieter walk nearby, yet still a challenge, Bellview Terrace, or try ‘True Grit‘ on the other side of the mountain.
Dandenong Ranges 1000 Steps – Questions & Answers
- How long does it take to walk the famous 1000 Steps? This depends on your fitness level and if you want to read the Kokoda Memorial plaques along the way. It can take from about 20 minutes to an hour.
- Can I take my dog to the 1000 Steps? No, it is part of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, and dogs are not allowed. We do have plenty of dog-friendly walking tracks and cafes (as well as one of the best off-leash walks) in the Dandenongs, though. You can find them here.
- Where are the 1000 Steps? 1000 Steps address: 1000 Steps, Ferntree Gully National Park Corner of Burwood Highway and Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, Upper Ferntree Gully. See directions and parking notes below.
- Are there really One Thousand Steps? No, not quite… read the walking track notes below to find out how many steps we counted… Even though you may feel ‘short-changed’ about the lack of one thousand steps actually being an accurate description, by the time you get to the top, you will feel like you have actually walked 1000 Steps!
- What is the nearest city to the 1000 Steps? Melbourne is the closest major city.
History of the Thousand Steps Walking Track
Built in the early 1900s, the Dandenong Ranges 1000 Steps originally used the trunks of tree ferns as steps in the wetter sections and bare earth for the rest of the walk. Timber and concrete now form the steps and most of the pathway.
The 1000 Steps walk is a memorial to the soldiers of World War II who lost their lives on the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea. 13 Memorial plaques are alongside the track; it is well worth pausing to read the stories. More plaques at the top of the Kokoda Memorial walk depict the local soldiers who fought in World War II.
Each plaque has a brief history of a particular battle and a map showing where it took place on the Kokoda Track. The Kokoda Track memorial plaques, added to the Dandenong Ranges track in 1997, are replicas of those now on the actual Kokoda Track.
Parking at 1000 Steps, Dandenong
Parking by the 1000 steps in the Dandenong Ranges can be a nightmare. Seriously.
The car park is sufficient for a good number of cars, but it fills up with walkers and visitors there for picnics. The Mount Dandenong Tourist Road is often very congested with cars parked along the roadside (watch out for the no-parking signs and park correctly, as fines are imposed).
- Get directions to the carpark.
- OR You can get directions to One Tree Hill carpark and start the walk there; the parking is usually easier and quieter.
Getting to the 1000 Steps Walk by Train from Melbourne
To reach the Dandenong Ranges National Park and the famous One Thousand Steps walk by public transport from Melbourne, catch a train on the Belgrave Line and get off at the Upper Ferntree Gully Station.
From there, walk left along the Burwood Highway for about 1 km to the park entrance, or catch bus route 688. Hop off at the first stop, right outside the Dandenong Ranges National Park and as close to the start of the 1000 Steps as you can get.
Getting to the 1000 Steps walk from the Dandenongs
For anyone living or staying in the Dandenongs, it is easy to catch bus route 688 down the hill to walk the steps. You can get off at the bus stop right outside the National Park.
Where to eat near the 1000 Steps, Dandenong Ranges
- There is a cafe in the park, see the menu choices and check opening hours on their FaceBook here or phone 9753 5633
- Opposite the train station in Upper Ferntree Gully, there is a good choice of cafes, a bakery, a chocolate shop…
- There is a good picnic ground in the National Park with tables and shelters. Bring some lunch and enjoy walking the Thousand Steps and having lunch in the park.
- Carrying water on the 1000 Steps walk is not necessary, as drinking fountains and water bottle refill stations are at the base and top of the walk.
THE HIKE: WALKING UP THE 1000 STEPS
There is little chance of getting lost; the signs are so clear after walking through the main entrance. It can take approximately 15 minutes to walk to the top of the 1000 Steps for anyone super fit and up for the challenge, or about an hour, stopping to read the information plaques along the way and take in the beauty of the native forest.
A few seats are available on the track to rest weary bones, watch for Lyrebirds, or to take a break and relax…
Once we reached the top of the steps, we followed Poachers Track to head down the hill to Tremont and catch a bus into Sassafras for afternoon tea (Olinda and Mt Dandenong Village are the next bus stops along the way). More details are included below.
Step by Step up the 1000 Steps – Kokoda Memorial Track
Step No. 780 – The top! So much for the Thousand Steps!
At the top of the 1000 Steps hike, there are more interesting historical plaques to read, seats to rest on, a cooling-down/warming-up exercise area, and drinking fountains.
Nearest public toilets – at One Tree Hill, about a 10-minute walk further on.
Continuing:
Three choices of further paths to take:
- Lyrebird Track back down to the entrance (the 1000 Steps walk is one-way).
- Keep on walking to the One Tree Hill picnic area.
- or take Poachers Track and walk down to catch a bus at Tremont (the way we went).
Catching a Bus from Tremont to Sassafras and beyond
At the top of the steps, we took Poacher’s Track to the right. It is a very short walk to Churchill Drive.
Turning left on Churchill Drive, walk about 60 metres before crossing the road to the top of Titania Crescent, then walk down the Crescent, which is an unsealed road, and come out at the Dandenong Tourist Road in Tremont, where there is a bus stop on Route 688 (Upper Ferntree Gully Station to Croydon service).
The bus passes through Sassafras, Olinda, Mount Dandenong and Kalorama.
For bus timetables and public transport options in the Dandenongs, check the PTV website.
Walking into Sassafras rather than catching the bus.
The walk into Sassy from the top of the 1000 Steps walk will take about 30-40 mins. From the top of the Steps, walk up the hill to One Tree Hill Road, turn right and follow the road all the way down to join the Tourist Road, turn left and follow the footpath into Sassafras.
Along the way, Proserpina Bakehouse is a fabulous place to stop for food, too.
Hike Mount Dandenong 1000 Steps Walk and Stay Overnight.
How about making the 1000 Steps walk into an overnight hiking trip? Put on a day pack, leave the car behind and come to the hills by public transport. There is a wide variety of accommodation up here for singles, couples, families, and groups.
- Sassafras and the surrounding villages have plenty of lovely places to stay.
- How about staying in a vintage caravan with walking trails from the front gate and a short walk to the fabulous Pig & Whistle Tavern in Olinda?
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