Red Hill South: Forest, Art and Trails

Red Hill South appeals to travellers seeking nature, art or outdoor activity as the inspiration for their holiday. The Merricks Trail passes through lowland forest, while the Montalto Sculpture Trail features a permanent collection of contemporary sculptures. The Merricks-Red Hill Trail and the Red Hill Trail also offer distinct options for planning your day. The area therefore offers a range of themes that you can prioritise according to your travel group’s interests.

Forest and contemporary sculpture

The Merricks Trail passes through lowland forest with tall Messmate Stringybark and Narrow-leaf Peppermint trees. These two tree species give the landscape a distinctive botanical character. If you enjoy paying attention to vegetation on an outing, you can make the forest a nature-focused part of your plans. This brings a particular landscape to the fore, rather than just the general idea of spending time outdoors.

The Montalto Sculpture Trail offers a different focus. Its permanent collection includes contemporary sculptures, among them 20 works recognised by the annual Montalto Sculpture Prize. Art lovers will find a distinct point of interest here: the focus is on contemporary sculpture and a collection of award-winning works. If art is to play an important part in your travel plans, this trail provides a clear contrast with the forest of the Merricks Trail.

For planning your day, this creates a clear contrast: forest and tree species shape the outing on the Merricks Trail, while the contemporary collection takes centre stage on the Montalto Sculpture Trail. This lets you choose according to your interest in nature or art.

Trails and regional connections

The Merricks-Red Hill Trail is a shared path for pedestrians, mountain bikers and horse riders. The Red Hill Trail follows a path that is generally two metres wide and surfaced with asphalt or concrete. The two trails therefore differ in their practical features: the Merricks-Red Hill Trail is defined by its shared modes of travel, while the Red Hill Trail stands out for its surface and width. This distinction is useful when planning a trip together and deciding whether the user group or path surface matters more for the day’s activity.

In the wider region, the Red Hill Trail can be walked as an extension of the Red Hill Rail Trail from Merricks. For travellers planning routes beyond individual local paths, this regional connection is another consideration. It links to the Merricks Rail Trail and adds a regional route perspective to questions of surface and permitted use.

A holiday rental to suit the focus of your trip

When looking for a holiday rental in Red Hill South, it is worth first deciding what you want your holiday to focus on. Would you like your stay to centre on observing nature, contemporary art or planning active routes? With that priority in mind, you can choose a location that suits your itinerary. If you are travelling with several people, take different interests into account: should your time together be shaped more by the landscape and plant life, art or exploring the trails? This way, your holiday rental search reflects the themes that make Red Hill South distinctive.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Sorrento, Tonimbuk, Merricks, Yallambie, Buangor, Benalla, Taminick, Oakleigh South.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.