Organ Pipes National Park (Keilor North)
Organ Pipes National Park is a fascinating geological attraction approximately 20 km northwest of central Melbourne, featuring spectacular basalt columns that resemble the pipes of a giant organ.
The park is located beside Jacksons Creek and offers walking tracks, picnic areas, lookouts, birdwatching and opportunities to discover the volcanic history of the Keilor Plains.
The most famous attraction is the Organ Pipes formation, where tall basalt columns were exposed by erosion after lava cooled and contracted over a million years ago.
Other geological highlights include Rosette Rock, the Tessellated Pavement and a scoria cone near the car park.
Walking Tracks:
Organ Pipes Walk
The main walking track descends from the car park into the Jacksons Creek valley, where visitors can explore the Organ Pipes, Rosette Rock and Tessellated Pavement.
Allow approximately 1.5 hours to explore the main attractions.
The initial descent follows a sealed but very steep path. The return climb is strenuous, particularly for young children and visitors with limited fitness.
Lookout Walk
Distance: 800 m
A relatively level walk along the ridge above Jacksons Creek, providing views across the Keilor Plains and the deeply incised creek valley.
The track begins behind the visitor information centre and follows a firm gravel path past two viewpoints before joining the main Organ Pipes access track near the picnic area.
This is a good option for visitors who prefer to avoid the steep descent into the valley.
Geological Attractions:
Start at the Visitor Information Centre and follow the walking track to explore the many wonderful features of the park.
1. Keilor Plains
Walk through the small gate to the two viewing platforms. All around you are the basalt Keilor Plains, one of the world's largest lava flows. These plains, formed by lava which came from volcanoes near Sunbury, are fairly flat except where streams, like Jacksons Creek below you, have cut deep valleys.
2. The Organ Pipes
About a million years ago, molten lava flowed over the Keilor Plains from Mount Holden and other nearby volcanic hills. It filled the depressions and valleys of the former land surface, then cooled and solidified into basalt.
Here at the Organ Pipes, it is believed that the lava filled a river valley running at right angles to Jacksons Creek and was perhaps 70 metres thick. Once a surface crust had formed, the lava beneath cooled very slowly.
During cooling, the lava contracted and surface cracks developed (as they do in a drying mud puddle). As it continued to harden, the cracks lengthened until the basalt mass was divided into columns. Over the million years since the lava flow, Jacksons Creek has cut a deep valley through the basalt and revealed the Organ Pipes.
3. Sandstone Bedrock
Walk down the stream for 200 metres, past well established trees and you will see yellowish rocks across the creek. These are sandstones and mudstones, sedimentary rocks laid down under the sea. Fossils in these old rocks suggest they were formed about four hundred million years ago. The old river valley now filled by the Organ Pipes was cut in this sedimentary bedrock.
4. Rosette Rock
Now walk back upstream. About 400 metres past the Organ Pipes, look across the creek to see Rosette Rock, a radial array of basalt columns like the spokes of a wheel.
5. Tessellated Pavement
Three hundred metres further on is the Tessellated Pavement, which consists of the tops of basalt columns "filed down" by Jacksons Creek.
6. Scoria Cone
You can now return to the car park by the shortcut path shown on the map. The car park is on an eroded scoria cone - a small volcano that ejected molten volcanic rock called scoria. Scoria is reddish-brown and light in weight; it has many airholes because it was full of steam when ejected.
Facilities:
Facilities include:
- Car parking
- Visitor information centre with interpretive displays
- Public toilets, including an accessible toilet
- Picnic tables
- Scoria Cone Picnic Area
- Lookouts
- Walking tracks
- Seats at selected locations
- Opportunities for birdwatching and wildlife spotting
Opening Hours:
Check opening hours and current park conditions - Parks Victoria
Access for Dogs:
Dogs and other pets are not permitted in Organ Pipes National Park.
Accessibility:
The visitor information centre and accessible toilet are located near the car park.
The Lookout Walk follows a relatively level, compacted gravel track. However, visitors using wheelchairs or walking aids should consider individual surface conditions.
The main walking track to the Organ Pipes, Rosette Rock and Tessellated Pavement is very steep and is unsuitable for most wheelchair users and visitors with limited mobility.
Review:
Organ Pipes National Park is an excellent place to introduce children to Victoria's volcanic history while exploring a beautiful creek valley.
It is handy to come with a dictionary but to save you the trouble a Rosette is "An ornament or badge made of ribbon or silk that is pleated or gathered to resemble a rose" and Tessellated pavement is "a geologic feature where the rock has fractured into polygonal blocks that resemble tiles, or tessellations".
Three of the main attractions - the Organ Pipes, Rosette Rock and Tessellated Pavement - can be visited on the walking tracks below the visitor centre.
The Organ Pipes are particularly impressive, with their tall, geometric basalt columns creating an unusual natural formation.
The creekside environment provides opportunities to spot birds and native wildlife, including swamp wallabies.
Although the walking distances are relatively short, the steep descent from the visitor centre must be considered. The gradient reaches approximately 1 in 4, and the return climb can be challenging, especially for young children.
There are places to stop and rest along the route, but visitors should wear suitable walking shoes and carry drinking water.
The lower tracks are generally easier once the initial steep descent has been completed.
For families with toddlers, the 800 m Lookout Walk provides an alternative without the demanding valley climb.
The park is best visited during cooler weather. Summer heat can make the return climb particularly tiring.
Photos:
Location
Organ Pipes Road, Keilor North 3036 View Map
Web Links
→ www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/organ-pipes-national-park
→ Friends of the Organ Pipes - FOOPS on Facebook
→ Organ Pipes National Park - Heritage Story (PDF)
→ Organ Pipes National Park (Walking Maps)
→ Organ Pipes National Park - Park Note (PDF)
