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Kalparrin Gardens and a Little More, Greensborough
4.5-6kms 1¾ hrs Mel 20 J1
Bert & Helen Fine, Ian Burns
Surface = 2, steepness = 2

Hard surface path but with wide grassy edges most of the way, minimal undulations. Ample car parking along Whatnough Park and/or Yando St.
The walk begins at the Kalparrin Early Childhood Intervention Centre in Kalparrin Ave., Greensborough.
From Kalparrin turn left onto Yando St using the footpath going very gently uphill, passing the skatepark and St. Mary’s Tennis Club on the left.
Ignore the park entrance just beyond the Tennis Club and with the lake now in full view, continue along Yando St. to the second park entrance.
Enter the Park and walk westwards along the northern edge of the lake, veering slightly left at the toilets on the right, with a children’s playground on the right and a footbridge on the left.
Cross the lake using the bridge. Turn immediately left and walk along the southern side of the lake until reaching an obvious U-turn to the right leading to the BBQ/picnic area further on the left. This upper path roughly follows the direction of the railway line on the left.
Just past the BBQ shed, turn right into Pinehills Drive and walk through the carpark to the other side of the lake, ignoring the first path on the right.

Re-enter the park using the second path on the right towards the playground and the duckpond.
Walkers who brought some stale bread can now feed the ducks (haha), while others might want to make use of the toilet amenities a little further on the left.
Return to Yando St. using a short uphill path behind the toilets and then all the way down to Kalparrin Ave.
At the intersection of Yando St and Kalparrin Ave, find the footbridge across the Plenty River (on the left). Walk across the bridge and turn sharp left onto the lower (old) section of the trail, through abundant vegetation (acacias in spring) and with the river in full view all the way. At the junction with the shared path (watch for bikes) take a right and walk back to the footbridge.
At this point the group can decide to call it a day (approx. 4.5 km) or continue around Partington’s Flat via the Diamond Valley Soccer Club, up the escarpment to the Greensborough Tennis Club and the “dreaded” swing bridge.
Cross this, turning right immediately and walking back around Whatnough Park to the cars in Kalparrin Ave. This extension may be a little easier underfoot depending on weather conditions and will add approx. 1.5 km to the walk making it a total distance of 6 km.

Coffee at Mabel Jones, Grimshaw St, Greensborough (park at rear).

The walk this coming Friday is exploratory in nature. As such, it might be included in our walks programme, or be a ‘one-off’ walk. Whatever the case, I think the area will be new to many of us, and worth checking out.

The walk: Findon Creek, and the middle reaches of Darebin Creek, Epping. We will be walking on paths that for much of the time are adjacent to both of the creeks. There are some stands of very old eucalyptus trees, especially along Findon Creek.

Terrain, grade and distance: Mostly shared sealed footpaths, with an easy grade and covering, at a guess, about 7km.

Meet either at the car-pooling point alongside the Diamond Valley Sports Complex, off Civic Drive, Greensborough at 9.00 a.m. or at the start of the walk, in Dalton Rd, close to the corner of McDonalds Rd and Dalton Rd, Epping (Melway 182 C10) at 9.30 a.m.

To reach the start of the walk:
If coming from Eltham /Greensborough, drive to McDonalds Rd, South Morang, using either Yan Yean Rd and Kurrak Dve, or the Western Ring Road and Plenty Rd. Travel West along McDonalds Rd. There are a couple of tricky intersections along the way. The first is at Bush Blvd, which you will pass and which is on the left, and then Ferres Blvd, where McDonalds Rd veers left past South Morang Rail Station. Continue along McDonalds Rd, past both Pindari Ave on the left, and Greenbrook Dve, also on the left. A further 1km brings you to a roundabout. Turn right here into Dalton Rd, and park in Dalton Rd (there are houses on the left, and a creek reserve on the right)

Post walk: Kathy has suggested that we have early lunch at Dosa Hut, an eatery that specialises in South Indian food, and located at Shop R10, 415 McDonalds Rd, Mill Park, Westfield Plenty Valley (tel 8418 3579). This is at the western end of this linear complex of shops, close to the cinemas. So, as we are coming from Epping, it will be the first turn into the shops on the right. The cafe is in an open area just before the main shopping mall. The menu can be found at dosahut.net.au, then at View Dosa Hut Plenty Valley menu.
If you would like to join the group for lunch, let me know by Thursday, 5pm, 31 October, via email: stutterd45@gmail.com, or mobile: 0419 093 214. If you are not lunching, then there is no need to contact me; make a decision to walk on Friday morning, or whenever.

I hope to see you on the walk,

Tony