Summary

A beautiful walk from Old Strathdon Orchard to Bellbird Dell Reserve following the Healesville Freeway Reserve.

Description

Starting at the Old Strathdon Orchard, there is a formal track to Davy Lane then you need to make your way across open grassland/playing fields where there is a dog off-lead area at the end of Stanley Road.

Continue eastward behind the community gardens and municipal horticulture centre. Here the landscape changes into remnant woodland and the new regeneration plantings of trees and bushes conducted by the Level Crossing Authority.

The track along here is very informal though well used by the locals, it is quite narrow and rough which is slippery when wet (not suitable for anyone with mobility problems.

There is a definite country feel with the now disused horse paddocks, occasional farm building and patches of bush. Most of the local roads have access to this path so if is too rough it is easy to break off to use Jolimont Road to the north. The only road you will need to cross is Terrara, while reasonably busy it isn't much a wait and then its just a few hundred metres, passing an old farm building, to the wonderful Bellbird Dell Reserve.

Named after the distinctive sound of the bellbird, the reserve consists of open space, shared trails, feature ponds, picnic facilities and playgrounds, all within a natural bushland setting.
Bellbird Dell is a 1.4 km linear park with an area of 17.5 hectares, named after the many bell birds, with some areas of remnant bush, walking trails, wetlands and ornamental lakes. See a separate walking map for the Bellbird Dell walk here.

The park has two children's playgrounds, one at the south end and the other at the north end, many walking trails/tracks and boardwalks over the wetlands sectors. Open grassed areas with picnic tables provide places for quiet enjoyment.

For walkers the Dell offers short or long strolls but dogs must be on a leash. Main pathways are shared with cyclists.

There are no toilets on site. Nearest toilets are at Terrara Park Pavilion.

11508 Views

Points of Interest

1. Old Strathdon Orchard & House

Today, Old Strathdon Orchard is a 2.5 hectare property surrounded by outbuildings and fruit trees on Springvale Road, Forest Hill, it was the last working orchard in the municipality.

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2. Davy Lane Reserve

Large open grassed areas that includes off lead for dogs, the play cricket here in the summer

3. Community Gardens

Municipal Horticulture Centre & Community Gardens

4. Remnant Woodland

Some of the area's original vegetation

5. Disused horse paddocks

Much of the Healesville Freeway Reserve has been used for horses over recent decades, with the impending conversion into parklands all of the horses have been moved out.

6. Old farm buildings

Ruins of a farmhouse and adjoin yards

7. Blue Tongue Way

Entry point into Bellbird Dell Reserve

8. Bellbird Dell Reserve

Many varieties of birds & frogs can be seen & heard here, in spring, there are wild flowers. Victoria's floral emblem the Pink Heath (Epacris impressa) can be seen growing 'wild'.

Features

Playground

Picnic spot

Local treasures

Nature trail

Park / Garden