Ringwood East loop, starting at the station

Ringwood East loop, starting at the station created by Sean Mathews

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Summary

Station to Station walks begin and end at a railway station. No car required. This one is a walk of secret passages and foothill heights, of hidden farmland and suburban sights.

Description

A great option for this walk is to choose to arrive at and depart from Ringwood East Railway Station by either train or bus.

If you like suburban walking you are going to enjoy this part of Ringwood East, ranging the foothills of the outer east below the ever present forested backdrop of Mt Dandenong. Like so many of Melbourne's suburbs, it features its own special attractions and the occasional hidden gem.

Complete enjoyment of suburban walking requires appreciation of the built environment. The housing stock along this route is largely dominated by 1950s through 1970s housing in a relatively bushy setting. Many of the dwellings are architecturally designed and / or renovated for attractive individuality. Gardening is undertaken with pride in this area. There are many fine gardens to admire. It really is quite pretty.

If you have children in tow, they will enjoy the likes of secret walkways, colour wheel installations, a roadside chicken run, several free household library boxes, farm animals, ornamented gardens, a bushland flora reserve, playgrounds, shopping strip art and nature strip sculpture. Be aware though, it is quite a long and hilly walk for younger children.

Parks and small playgrounds abound, often accessed via hidden pathways. There are three schools, all of significance for either prestige, unique design or location. One even has its own farm hidden away in the middle of suburbia for you to walk alongside.

You will begin and end at the Ringwood East shopping strip. It isn't anything spectacular to look at. However, it does have everything you need for pre or post walking sustenance, including supermarket, bakeries, cafes and restaurants. If you love an Op Shop, make sure you drop in there as well.

You can do much of this walk with a pram by easily by passing the few dirt tracks. As previously stated though, it is pretty hilly in places.

Dogs must be on a leash.

Other walks in this area
Wombolano Bushland walk, Ringwood East
Quarry Reserve Loop, Upper Ferntree Gully
Bungalook Conservation walk, Kilsyth
Dorset Recreation Trail, Croydon

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Points of Interest

1. Ringwood East Railway Station

Arrive and leave by train or bus to make this a completely relaxed and carbon minimal walking experience.

2. Public art en route to a park.

There may not be a lot of public art spread across the less renowned suburbs, but it is out there. You just get out there and find it. Cute little secret pathways make the experience even better.

3. Eastwood Primary

After years of deterioration, Eastwood Primary School was finally rebuilt. Wow, what an example of how a school can be. It is a masterpiece of a junior learning environment.

4. Gardens of many types

You definitely have to walk to truly get to admire the work, variety and pride so many people put into their gardens. It really does make visiting suburbs like this and their streetscapes a pleasure.

5. Renovated 1950s weatherboards with pleasant gardens

A feature of the walk are the many nicely renovated original dwellings with well maintained gardens.

6. Architecturally designed houses

The hilltops around Ringwood East tend to be where residences of unique character can be found. There are plenty of them, particularly with a 1970s vintage.

7. The backdrop.

Every vantage point along this walk shares a forested Mt Dandenong backdrop.

8. Hender St playground

There are playgrounds at many sites along the walk. The attraction of this particular site is also the view into the Tintern farmland.

9. Tintern Grammar farmlands

Hidden within the Tinternvale valley is a special surprise, the school farm. Sadly, part was sold off in recent years, but it remains a significant and pleasing presence.

10. Enter Tarralla Creek Trail.

At the bottom of the Tinternvale valley lies the ephemeral Tarralla Creek. Walking after rain can see sizeable flows toward Dandenong Creek. Otherwise it presents as a leafy walk you just touch on.

11. Tinternvale Primary.

On the slope above the valley base is this attractive school site. It is inviting for the way the school is nestled into its large bushy space.

12. Walking between houses.

Another laneway takes you up to Long View Drive. An enjoyable example of bushy suburbia.

13. Expect the unexpected.

So, you are walking down a suburban street and "Whoa!" there is a grand Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo sculpture sitting right there carved into the nature strip. Cool!

14. Another secret pathway

Take this path across the ridge to Shane Crescent. With its playground and bushy foliage it must be a great place for local kids to play.

15. Book shares all over

Many of the streets along this walk host such free domestic library exchanges. You could probably source all your reading in this way if you wished. Plenty of kids books too.

16. Many things for kids to discover

Local gardeners do not forget the children passing their homes in Ringwood East. Many have a novelty approach to tickle their fancies.

17. Cheong Wildflower Sanctuary.

Ever wonder what your suburb looked like before occupation? This 3 acre Reserve is a good example. Circumnavigate it by walking down the lane at the end, then around back on the parallel railway track