Monash City – Bushland, Trails and Culture

Monash City combines experiences in nature with walking trails, local history and photography. Its attractions range from bushland reserves along waterways to historical walks and a public museum of photography. You can therefore choose different focuses for your trip: time in the great outdoors, exploring on foot, or discovering culture and history.

Bushland Reserves and Nature

Damper Creek Conservation Reserve is an 11-hectare bushland reserve. A narrow, 1.5-kilometre strip of bushland runs along Damper Creek. Valley Conservation Reserve covers 15 hectares and provides habitat; it also offers a glimpse of the area before urban development. It is home to more than 55 native species, including 32 significant plant species, and is considered an area of regional zoological significance. If you are interested in native plants, animals and the history of the landscape, you will find plenty of specific things to discover here in the great outdoors.

Valley Conservation Reserve also has an adventure playground with rope climbing courses, a treehouse and flying foxes. These play facilities make the reserve interesting for families with children, while its nature and habitat features offer another way to experience the area. Within the same reserve, play and nature-watching are different reasons to visit.

Trails with Different Character

The 13-kilometre Scotchmans Creek Trail follows both paved and unpaved paths through the City of Monash, from Jells Park to Warrigal Road. The 11-kilometre section of the Dandenong Creek Trail in Monash starts at the eastern end of Highbury Road and heads south towards Jells Park. Each description refers to a separate route. They can help you plan if you would rather spend your time on a longer walk and choose a particular trail.

For a walk with a historical focus, try the Glen Waverley Historical Walk. It is about 4 kilometres long and takes you through aspects of Glen Waverley’s history dating back more than 100 years. Glen Waverley Station is accessible by train or bus. This means you can plan the walk differently from a trip along the longer Scotchmans Creek Trail: here, the focus is on local history and a shorter route. The Oakleigh Historical Walk explores the history and culture of Oakleigh’s activity centre.

Photography, Local History and Shops

The Museum of Australian Photography is located in Wheelers Hill. It is an initiative of the City of Monash and Australia’s leading public museum dedicated to collecting and exhibiting photography. If you are interested in the medium, you can include this museum as a cultural highlight in your trip plans. The Track Gallery is located in the Mount Waverley Community Centre and adds to the city’s cultural attractions.

The Oakleigh Historical Walk follows Atherton Road, where you’ll find continental cafés, fresh food retailers and speciality shops. The walk lets you take in the street’s business scene, too. For travellers who want to include cafés, food and speciality shops in their exploration alongside local history, Oakleigh offers a different experience from the walk through Glen Waverley.

Recreational activities are also part of Monash City: Central Reserve has a skate park and a playground with climbing equipment and other play features. For families, these can be a great addition to a programme of walks or cultural attractions, without having to fit every activity into a single outing.

Tailor Your Stay to Your Interests

When looking for a holiday rental in Monash City, it helps to decide first what you would like to focus on: bushland and nature, longer trails, local history or photography. If you’re travelling with children, you can also consider playgrounds and the adventure playground at Valley Conservation Reserve. The different attractions offer specific ideas to help you tailor your stay to your travel group’s interests.

Oakleigh East is also part of the destination: Oakleigh East.

More destinations: Cardinia Shire, Maribyrnong City, Brimbank City, Manningham City, Bass Coast Shire, Alpine Shire, Greater Bendigo City.

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