The best walks and hikes in Yarra Ranges National Park

While Mount Donna Buang draws visitors for its famous lookout, Mount Victoria rewards those seeking a more peaceful walk. Surrounded by Mountain Ash forest and cool temperate vegetation, this lesser-known summit showcases the wild, forested character of the Yarra Ranges, making it an ideal place to slow down and appreciate the park's remarkable alpine environment.

Mount Victoria Track showcases the quieter side of the Yarra Ranges, leading through towering Mountain Ash forest, pockets of snow gums and lush tree ferns. It's a peaceful contrast to the exposed summit of Mount Donna Buang, offering a chance to slow down and appreciate the cool mountain environment that supports some of Victoria's tallest native trees.

Mount Donna Buang is one of the easier alpine lookouts to reach near Melbourne. Its name comes from the Woiwurrung word “Donna Buang,” meaning “the body of the mountain.” The summit observation tower rises above the treetops for wide views over the valley and the Yarra Ranges.

Yarra Ranges National Park protects one of Victoria’s largest areas of cool temperate rainforest, stretching from the Dandenong Ranges to the alpine foothills east of Melbourne. Towering mountain ash, lush fern gullies, cascading waterfalls, and rugged mountain scenery provide habitat for native wildlife, including lyrebirds, wombats, and powerful owls. It’s one of the region's most beautiful areas to explore, whether you’re walking to remote summits, wandering rainforest tracks, or visiting one of its many scenic lookouts.

Mount Riddell track is a challenging return that is best suited for experienced walkers. The route climbs steadily through mountain ash forest to one of the quieter peaks in Yarra Ranges National Park, following old management roads before narrowing into a steeper bush singletrack, with a sustained climb to the summit. It’s a rewarding trek if you’re in good physical shape, and it makes for a peaceful day in the ranges away from the park’s more popular destinations.

Mount Riddell is a forested peak in Yarra Ranges National Park, rising to 1009 metres above sea level. Most of the summit itself is enclosed by tall mountain ash forest, but you can catch glimpses of the surrounding ridges through nearby clearings across the Yarra Valley, revealing the park’s rugged landscape. It’s a peaceful bush setting, and the sense of remoteness makes it a rewarding destination after a relatively challenging walk.

Badger Creek flows through the heart of the Badger Weir picnic area, winding beneath towering Mountain Ash forest and dense fern gullies in one of the wetter parts of the Yarra Ranges. The creek helped shape the surrounding rainforest environment, with clear flowing water, moss-covered rocks, and damp gullies supporting tree ferns and cool temperate forest along its banks.

Slip Track winds through cool temperate rainforest near Badger Weir, passing towering Mountain Ash, dense fern gullies, and mossy creekside forest beneath a thick canopy. The name comes from the old timber “slip” routes once used to move logged timber down steep slopes in the Yarra Ranges during the early logging era. Today, the track feels far removed from that history, with shaded forest, damp ground, and birdsong dominating the walk through this section of the park.