Gembrook Park Flora and Fauna Reserve
This 28-hectare reserve is 300 metres south of the main street of Gembrook and a five minute walk from the Gembrook Town Centre and Puffing Billy railway station. It is one of the largest areas in the district with a forest cover of tall mountain ash that has never been harvested.
Within the park are public toilets, visitor information board, nature notes, picnic tables, and barbecue facilities, access to public transport, horse trails around the perimeter and walking trails. There are short walks to explore. Fern Gully Walk is a 1.5km walk and Hillside Walk continues on for another 1.2km.
Map of Walks
Fern Gully Walk (markers 1-12) - 1.5kms 30-minute walk
Hillside Walk (markers 13-17) - 1.2kms 35-minute walk
Trail Notes
1. Animal haven
Gembrook Park is home to many mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and amphibians.
One of the most abundant is the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus), particularly in the more exposed areas, which favour the growth of grasses and other food plants. A wombat can live in as many as four to five burrows, which can be as deep as 2-3 metres.
Keep a look out for wombat diggings, burrows, and scats (droppings) along both the Fern Gully and Hillside loop walking tracks.
2. Overseas trees
Look around - can you find the 'visitors' from overseas? These two redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens) originated from North America and the species is known to be the tallest growing in the world. These particular redwoods are thought to have been planted by prominent local Harry Knight somewhere between the mid-1920s and mid-1930s.
Friends of Gembrook Park now encourages the planting of local indigenous plants to provide food and shelter for local native animals.
3. Invaders from out of town
Almost 100 species of indigenous plants live in Gembrook Park. One of the greatest threats to their survival is weeds which smother the indigenous plants and take away valuable nutrients, water, and sunlight. Weeds can sometimes come out of our own gardens, for example, the wandering creeper
(Tradescantia fluminensis), English holly (Ilex aquifolium), forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica), blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), and panic veldt-grass (Ehrharta erecta), all unfortunately have made a home for themselves in this location.
Friends of Gembrook Park is working to reduce weeds and return this reserve to native forest. You can do your bit by removing these plants from your garden and replacing them with local indigenous plants.
4. Change of scenery
This area of the park is drier, with less fertile soils, which favours the large mountain grey gums (Eucalyptus cypellocarpa) and messmate stringy barks (Eucalyptus obliqua). These trees form the 'over-storey', or tree layer, of vegetation.
The next layer of plants is called the 'understorey', and comprises species including hazel pomaderris
(Pomaderris aspera) and musk daisy-bush (Olearia argophylla).
The lowest layer of plants is slightly more open and allows the light to reach the ground, favouring forest wire grass (Tetrarrhena juncea), tall sword sedge (Lepidosperma elatius), and purple-sheath tussock grass (Poa ensiformis) underneath.
5. Spot the hollow
Hollows are usually found in trees more than 80 years old. About 60 of Victoria's 385 species of native birds and just under half of our mammal species depend on hollows for shelter and breeding. Hollows often need to be a certain size and shape to be suitable for breeding to occur. The park provides some of the last habitats in the area for animals that need hollows. Look high and low to find a hollow.
6. Bushland symphony
This is a good place to sit down, rest and enjoy the sounds of the bush. Listen and pay particular attention for the superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae). These birds have their own unique call, but this is usually interwoven with mimicked calls of many other birds. Their own call varies between areas, but is generally a loud 'blick blick'. Males commonly sing during the breeding season (winter) while feeding and standing on logs or branches.
7. Spot the eucalypt
Gembrook Park has five species of eucalyptus; messmate stringy bark (Eucalyptus obliqua) is the easiest to identify by its 'stringy' bark. This bark was once used by the local Indigenous people for string bags and nets for fishing. To identify the other four species requires some careful observation. Below are some clues.
8. Peace and tranquillity
The Fern Gully is a peaceful area to enjoy the magnificent tree ferns; the rough tree fern (Cyathea australis) and the soft tree fern (Dicksonia antarctica). The base of the fronds of the soft tree fern are covered with soft hairs, compared with the prickly base of the rough tree fern.
The surrounding hills of large mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) trees create the ideal shaded, moist environment in which tree ferns flourish.
Take a walk along the boardwalk and enjoy this cooler environment. Please help us to look after this gully by viewing only from the lookout bridge.
9. Fallen giant
This grand old tree is about 45 metres long, which is impressive when you keep in mind that the tree has decayed substantially over time, shortening its original length. Over the years, the tree has provided a perfect place for mosses and lichens to grow. These act like a sponge, soaking up the water - which you can feel for yourself. The mosses and lichens, combined with hundreds of insects and fungi, help the tree to decompose. This natural process returns nutrients to the soil for ongoing forest growth.
10. A watery home
Scented paperbarks (Melaleuca squarrosa) are abundant through this damp section of the park. These shrubs have small, pointed leaves and creamy-white, papery bark. The sweet-scented flowers in spring and summer are attractive to insects.
Also growing in this moist vegetation community surrounding Cockatoo Creek, is an unusual plant called the forest sedge (Carex alsophila). This sedge is a light green plant which has a dark brown seed head. This area is one of the few sites in Victoria where the sedges are still found and as a result Gembrook
Park is of 'State Conservation Significance'.
Although these are not abundant, if you look carefully near the bridge you might be able to spot one or two.
11. Life on the edge
The edge of the park here is a dangerous area for both animals and plants. Hazards for native wildlife include roaming pets, foxes and vehicles. Plants also face difficulties with polluted water and invasions of non-native plants. But we can all help those animals and plants that rely on the park for their survival, by keeping our pets inside at night, staying on the tracks, and not dumping rubbish.
12. Mini-beast safari
Invertebrates or 'mini-beasts' (animals without backbones) are a vital part of a healthy forest, and of any ecosystem. The most common invertebrates in the forest are spiders, ants, beetles, bugs, cockroaches, millipedes, snails and slugs.
Of all the animal species in the world, only 5 per cent are vertebrates and the other 95 per cent are invertebrates! Look carefully as you walk along the track and see what types of insects you can see.
13. Yabbies
In damp areas, like this next to the creek, you may see evidence of freshwater crayfish activity. Commonly known as yabbies, these semi-aquatic, smooth-shelled creatures do not have a skeleton but have an exterior hard shell - an exoskeleton. As they grow, they moult and shed their old shells, growing a larger shell to fit inside.
Yabbies live in small burrows that can be seen throughout the park and range in depth from 50 centimetres to 2 metres underground.
Yabbies are omnivores but primarily eat vegetation like leaves and rotting plant material. However, they are opportunistic and will eat fish, manure, meat, and even turn to cannibalism when population overcrowding occurs. Yabbies also eat their old exoskeleton after moulting and use the calcium from this
to aid in growing the new one.
14. Wattles make a comeback!
This area to the north and continuing along the track for 150 metres has been allowed to naturally regenerate.
This 1.5-hectare area was once a pine plantation, logged for the final time in 1985.
Many wattles have regenerated and are now the dominant species in this area. Silver wattle (Acacia dealbata) and black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) have greenish-grey coloured, fern-like, soft leaves.
15. Fruits of the forest
Looking southwards from this point, you will see some very dense tall sword-sedges (Lepidosperma elatius). These form a barrier preventing weeds from entering the reserve along this boundary. Their distinguishing feature is the prominent mid-rib along the stem.
You may also see prickly currant bush (Coprosma quadrifida); a large shrub with small, dark, sweet fruit from January to March. Local Indigenous people used native plants like this as a source of food.
Austral mulberry (Hedycarya angustifolia) was another shrub important to Indigenous people, for food, but also to light fires. The shoots that come up from these trees are long and straight and could be used as fire drills.
16. Bird's eye view
Here you can see a couple of trees that have died but are now providing a great home for birds, mammals, insects and reptiles. Dead trees like these are important, as they provide habitat for many different animals.
Living plant species in this area include hazel pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera), blanket leaf (Bedfordia arborescens), hop goodenia (Goodenia ovata), drooping cassinia (Cassinia arcuata), and large kangaroo-apple (Solanum laciniatum).
17. Blackwood forest
In front of you here, is a patch of beautiful blackwoods (Acacia melanoxylon). These trees can be quite large and bushy, ranging in height from 6 to 30 metres, with hard, dark bark and deep green foliage. They favour well-drained soil and produce round, creamy yellow flowers from August to October.
Blackwoods are known to be a food source for caterpillars and butterflies, and Indigenous people used the wood to make weapons and the bark to relieve rheumatism.
Download Gembrook Park Trail Notes Brochure
Historical Information about the Reserve
Game Breeding Reserve
Gembrook Park is about 29 hectares today. This just a small part of the original 640 acre reserve granted to the former Zoological and Acclimatisation society in 1873. Then it was established as a permanent reserve breeding game such as: Hog Deer, Hares, Guinea Fowl, Pea Fowl, Pheasants, Quail, Blackbirds, English Perch and Brown Trout.
A Change in Attitude
Although the plant and animal introductions initially proceeded successfully, bushfires, native predators and poisoned grain spread to kill rabbits, took their toll. This led to a change in attitude towards the feasibility of the reserve. It was sold and subdivision took place in 1905.
The Narrow Gauge Railway (Puffing Billy) from Ferntree Gully to Gembrook was completed in 1900 to transport timber and other commodities to Melbourne. At the weekends day trippers enjoyed the beautiful fern gullies and tall forests in the Gembrook area.
Times of Struggle
Little activity occurred during most of the 1930s, perhaps due to difficulty in finding committee members.
About 1920, the general store owner and Park enthusiast Mr. Harry Knight had planted the two Redwoods (Sequoia Sempervirens) at the Ferngully walking track.
This view is held by local historian Mr. Bill Parker, who himself saw the 11 to 12 feet tall Redwoods in the mid 1920's. His teacher Mr. Gerald Russell, had taken the students to the Park for Guild Day and had told them about the two trees. Some locals have thought that the trees were planted to commemorate the centenary of Victoria in 1934.
Public tennis courts were constructed in the park during 1939 and in 1942 a swimming pool was built next to Cockatoo Creek. Today the picnic area is on the former tennis court site and the swimming pool is no longer functional.
Times of Support
Concern for protection of the remaining forest led local support for a public park. In 1906 six acres were set aside as a crown and reserve. Some nominated residents were appointed as the Committee of management in 1907. In 1915 reports indicated that the Park was well managed and the convenience of the public well provided for. Money was raised slowly to make improvements to the Park.
in 1927 the Lands Department gave permission for a School Endowment Plantation to be established in the north-west corner of the reserve. These and subsequent planting have since been harvested benefitting the local primary school financials.
Times of Change
In 1963 local government was appointed as the Committee of management for Gembrook Park. This was first the Shire of Berwick, then the Shire of Pakenham. As a result of amalgamation, Cardinia Shire Council is now the Committee of Management. With the assistance of tourism grants, a new toilet block was built in 1966 and two small footbridges were built and tracks cleared in 1969. In 1998, with the assistance of the Friends of Gembrook Park, the Council completed a comprehensive Management Plan. As a result the pine plantation was harvested and the Friends Group, local residents and students from Gembrook Primary School re-planted the site with locally occurring (indigenous) plants.
Management Aim: to preserve the natural and cultural values of the Gembrook Bushland Park (flora, fauna, and heritage) and to provide for passive recreation and enjoyment of nature.
Cardinia Shire has made many improvements to the Park including weed management, replanting of indigenous plants, track improvements and visitor facilities.
Many groups have assisted with this work including the Friends Group, youth employment programs, contractors, local school children and more recently supporters from the Peter MacCallum Institute have been involved in planting days in memory of lost loved ones.
History Repeats
Although Puffing Billy railway stopped running to Gembrook in 1953, it returned in 1998 and once again Gembrook Bushland Park is a popular destination for passengers.
Review:
The walk is well sign-posted with marker posts with the numbers from the guide. Generally the walk is through bushland along fairly narrow dirt posts. There were plenty of birds to see and hear.
There is a seat next to point #16 if you want a rest.
At point #8 there is a viewing platform for the fern gully and also a shortcut back to the carpark. At this point the rest of the walk follows a road and so no-one is going to criticise you for taking the shortcut back.
Photos:
Location
22 Redwood Road, Gembrook 3783 Map
Web Links
→ Gembrook Park Trail Notes (PDF)
→ The Best Family Activities in the Dandenong Ranges
