Sherbrooke to the Summit of Mt Dandenong, via Sassafras

The Sherbrooke to Mt Dandenong Summit walk is an excellent hike with some steep tracks as well as undulating terrain. Passing through the Alfred Nicholas Gardens to Sassafras and then descending the mountain on the other side of Sassafras to then make the ascent to the top via Dandenong Creek Track, Zig Zag Track, Burkes Lookout, and the Kyeema Memorial.

Highlights Include

  • Historic Nicholas Gardens
  • Tree Fern lined gullies
  • Giant Mountain Ash Trees
  • Pass through Sassafras village with plenty of cafes and shops
  • Expansive Melbourne views

This walk can also be combined with the Belgrave – Sassafras Walk, making it rather an epic hike. Catch the train to Belgrave and hike all day, stay overnight maybe.

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  • Get Driving Directions to the Alfred Nicholas Gardens
  • Public Transport: Train to Belgrave then bus route no. 694 towards Olinda. Get off the bus opposite the Alfred Nicholas Gardens on Sherbrooke Road to start the walk.
  • OR train to Upper Ferntree Gully station or Croydon station then bus route no. 688 to Mt Dandenong Summit and Skyhigh to do the walk in the reverse direction (more downhill than uphill climbs).
  • Reverse direction walk notes are at the end of this page for walkers starting at the Mt Dandenong summit.

Walk Notes:

  • Distance – 13kms | 3-4 hours ONE-WAY
  • Moderate > Hard, though not extremely hard by any means.
  • Toilets: Alfred Nicholas Gardens, Sassafras, SkyHigh, Mt Dandenong.
  • Park opposite the Alfred Nicholas Gardens on Sherbrooke Road or start the walk from Ferny Creek Recreation Reserve and walk along Sherbrooke Rd / Tan Track to the gardens. The walk can also be started in Sassafras.
  • Alfred Nicholas Gardens close at 5 pm. The walk can follow down Nobles Lane as an alternative.

Starting from The Alfred Nicholas Gardens

  • Walk down through the gardens to the gate at the very bottom corner which comes out on ‘The Crescent’.
  • Turn left immediately and follow the track to where it again meets The Crescent.
  • Cross over the road and re-join the track. Follow it until the steps lead off to the left. 
  • Go up the steps and this will take walkers into Sassafras.
  • Cross over the Mt Dandenong Tourist Road and walk a short way down Mountain Highway, past Gepetto’s Toy Shop, to Old Coach Road.
  • Stay on Old Coach Road as it becomes a walking trail, it is about 1km to the next section of this hike.
  • At the junction of School Track, turn right and then, almost immediately, left onto Bradley Track
  • Follow Bradley Track all the way until it joins Range Track, then turn left and walk down to Olinda – Basin Road.
  • Turn right and walk 300 meters up Olinda-Basin Road until Dandenong Creek Track, on the left.
  • Follow Dandenong Creek Track until the junction with Channel 10 Track
  •  Turn right onto Channel 10 Track until the junction with ZigZag Track
  • Turn right and head up Zig Zag Track, until reaching the junction with Towers Track
  • Turn left onto Towers Track until meeting Kyeema Track
  • Turn left onto Kyeema Track and follow it along past Burkes Lookout, continuing all the way on the track which runs below SkyHigh.
  • Trig Track finally leads off to the right (at the time of these notes being written there is no signpost for Trig Track) From Burkes Lookout it is 1.5kms to Trig Track.
  • Turn right, follow Trig Track all the way up to SkyHigh!
Sherbrooke - Sasafras to Mount Dandenong Hike
Alfred Nicholas Gardens, Sherbrooke
2.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Track leading to Sassafras
2a.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Old Coach Road as it winds down the hill from Sassafras.
3.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Bradley Track
4.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
5.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Range Road/Track as it leads to the Olinda-Basin Road.
6.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Dandenong Creek Track
7.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Dandenong Creek Track.
8.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Junction with Zig Zag Track heading off to the right, up to the summit of Mt Dandenong
8a.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Top of ZigZag Track where it joins with Towers Track.
9.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Channel 10 TV tower – this is the one on the far right as you look to Mt Dandenong from Melbourne direction.
10.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Views across Melbourne from Burkes Lookout on the Kyeema Track.
11.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Kyeema Track, going towards SkyHigh, Mount Dandenong.
12.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Kyeema Track near the junction with Trig Track, leading up to SkyHigh.
13.Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Skyhigh
Views from SkyHigh, Mount Dandenong. Cafe and picnic areas. The public bus passes through here going towards Croydon and the other way down to Upper Ferntree Gully.
Sherbrooke-Sassafras-Mt Dandenong Hike

Reverse Walk Notes: SkyHigh, Mt Dandenong to Sherbrooke, via Sassafras.

  • From SkyHigh walk down the exit road until Trig Track, turn left and walk down to Kyeema Track.
  • Turn left onto Kyeema Track and follow for 1.5Km’s to Burkes Lookout.
  • Continue on Kyeema until it joins with Towers Track, turn right and walk down the hill.
  • Towers Track joins ZigZag Track, turn right and continue down to the next junction.
  • Turn left onto Channel 10 Track and follow until the junction with Dandenong Creek Track.
  • Follow Dandenong Creek Track all the way to Olinda-Basin Road and walk down the road 300 metres until Range Track/Road is on the left.
  • Follow Range Track a short way, then turn right onto Bradley Track.
  • Continue walking on Bradley Track until it reaches School Track, turn right and then the next left onto Old Coach Road.
  • Follow Old Coach for about 1km to Sassafras.
  • Cross the road at Sassafras to continue the walk on the other side, beside the Sassafras Hall.
  • Walk down the steps and then turn right, continue until reaching ‘The Crescent’.
  • Cross over the road and re-join the trail, walking down until again meeting the road.
  • Turn right immediately and enter the Alfred Nicholas Gardens.
  • Keep walking up through the gardens to the main entrance.
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