Waterfalls, Fern Gullies and Mountain Ash Country at Murrindindi

Overview

Murrindindi Scenic Reserve sits at the northern end of Toolangi State Forest, about 1.5 hours north-east of Melbourne. It covers 1,068 hectares of mixed eucalypt forest along the Murrindindi River, where steep forested slopes, cool gullies and rocky watercourses give the reserve a distinctly wet mountain character.

What makes the place memorable is the way the river threads through the reserve beneath tall forest. Even away from the best-known walking areas, the landscape has a sheltered feel, with tree ferns, dense greenery and running water shaping the atmosphere as much as the surrounding ridgelines do.

Highlights

The reserve is known for its combination of waterfalls, fern-filled gullies and tall open forest. The Murrindindi Cascades bring the river into a narrower, more dramatic setting, while Wilhelmina Falls drops 75 metres over a granite rock face, adding a striking change in scale and texture to the landscape.

Along the river, the scenery shifts between broad forested sections and tighter, rockier stretches crossed by footbridges. Higher points in the reserve open out to views across the surrounding mountain country, but much of Murrindindi’s appeal is in the close detail of the place: wet creek lines, mossy rocks and the contrast between towering eucalypts and the softer understorey below.

Best Time to Visit

Murrindindi Scenic Reserve is at its best when there is plenty of water moving through the river and falls, so the cooler months and spring usually show the landscape at its freshest. At those times the fern gullies feel especially lush, the forest is greener, and the cascades and falls tend to be more lively.

Summer can still be pleasant under the forest canopy, but the reserve’s character is less about dry, open country and more about moisture, shade and running water, so many people find it most rewarding from autumn through spring.

Plants and Animals

This is mixed eucalypt forest with some of the classic vegetation of Victoria’s wetter mountain country. Mountain ash is part of the broader forest setting, and the reserve also includes damp gullies where tree ferns become a strong feature of the understorey.

The combination of tall forest, sheltered gullies and permanent river habitat supports plenty of birdlife as well as native mammals. Even without setting out to spot wildlife, the reserve has the kind of habitat where birds are a constant part of the experience, especially around the river and in the denser ferny sections.

Culture and Heritage

Murrindindi Scenic Reserve lies within the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation. For this specific area, the country to the north is associated with Taungurung people and the country to the south with Wurundjeri people. The name Murrindindi is understood to mean “Mountain Home” in Wurundjeri language.