Lysterfield Park & ChurchillNationalPark

VisitorGuide

ChurchillNationalParkandLysterfieldParktakeinmuchofthesouthernsideoftheLysterfieldHillsandformavaluablelinkbetweentheDandenongValleyandtheDandenongRanges.In1997thesetwoparkswerejoinedbytheacquisitionoffurtherland,andtheynowcoveratotalareaof1,668hectares.Theseparksareahavenfornativebirds,mammalsandreptiles,andprovidegreatrecreationalopportunities.

How to get there

Short-beakedEchidnaMT

A window to the past

Less than150years ago theMelbourne region was coveredbynatural bush and forest, but todaythere areveryfewareasofbush left.Lysterfield and Churchillfortunately retaina valuable portion of whatwas once a common landscape.

HistoryofLysterfieldHills

The main entrance for Churchill National Park is

off Churchill Park Drive (Melway82 C11).The entrance for LysterfieldParkis from Horswood Road(Melway 108D2).

Things to see and do

Both LysterfieldPark and Churchill NationalPark are great fora number of recreational activities;there areelectric/gas barbecues, picnic tables andtoiletsfacilities.

Groups of fiftyor more are asked to notifythe park of their intended visitby calling 13 1963.

The joining of thetwo parkshas increased the area accessible to the public, including the magnificent viewfromTrig Point.There are manytracks through the parks suitable forwalking, jogging andcycling.

Cyclists can enjoyriding the CommonwealthGames Mt Bike track or associated recreational trailsystem,butmust takenote ofsigns restrictingaccess forbicycles tosome tracks,andmust bewaryofwalkers on all tracks atall times.

Horse riding is permitted ona limitednumberoftheeastern tracksinLysterfieldPark.Thereis no off-road vehicle access, and all vehicles mustpark in designated parking bays.

Between1936 and 1975LysterfieldLake supplied freshwater to the Mornington Peninsula.A large area surrounding the lake was purchasedfrom farmers in the earlypartofthe century andfencedoff toprotect the quality ofthewater.TheState RiversandWaterSupply Commissionestablished eucalypt plantations around the lake and also protected the remainingremnantnative forest.After 1975 Cardinia Reservoir became operational and Lysterfield Lakewas nolonger required.

HistoryofChurchillNationalPark

Churchill National Park has along and interesting history. In the1920s local stonewas quarriedthere.TheSEC (StateElectricity Commission) then acquired land through the centre of Churchill as a powerlineeasement, and in the 1930s the areawas officiallyrecognised asa park calledDandenong National Park. In1944 itwas renamed ChurchillNational Park afterSirWinstonChurchill.

There is still evidence of colonialhouses thatwereonce in the park aswell as an old aqueduct, man-madedams and scarred trees from bushfires.Seewhat cluesyou can find about the historyof the park.

FormoreinformationcalltheParksVictoriaInformationCentre

on131963orvisitourwebsiteat

To Melbourne

Rowville

TrigPointLookout

TramlineQuarrySite

CHANNEL WALK

DandenongPolicePaddocksReserve

SEPARATE PARKNOTEAVAILABLE

SHELTER TRACK

ChurchillVisitorArea

To Melbourne

ENTRANCEIEXIT

EndeavourHills

To Dandenong

ChurchillNationalParkLysterfieldPark

Recreational Facilities

Freeway Major road Minor road

Walking track

Sharedcycle,walking andmanagement vehiclesonlytrack

MountainBiketrailonly

Park Water body

Conservation Zone (No boats)

Barbecue-Electric Barbecue-Gas Birdhide

Cycling Familywalk Lookout

Swi (Swipatr

Toilet

SeasonalTrack Closure

Equestriantrail

Boatrigginglaunching

Parkinformation

Walr

May - Oct due to Phytophthoracinnamomi, a root rotting fungi

CarparkCavaletti

Picnicshelter Picnictable

Trail

BelgraveHeights

DargonHomestead Site

MonbulkCreekLookout

BelgraveSouth

GRANITE

LINKTK

TRAIL

Donelan Homestead Site

BoysFarmSite

BOYS FARM HERITAGE WALK

SHORT CUT WALK

LOWERBLAIRWITCHTRAIL

Lysterfield Lake

AcaciaNature Walk

ENTRANCEIEXIT

LysterfieldVisitorArea

UPPERBLAIRWITCHTRAIL

eParkOffice

ROCKLEIGH PARK TRACK

No public vehicle access to ParkalongReservoirRoad.

Pedestrian access

duringParkOfficehoursonly

MELBOURNE

Lilydalee

0250500750

MAROONDAH CHURCHILLNATIONALPARK

LYSTERFIELD PARK

mmersonly immingbaysnot olled)

ets

kingtrail lhead

M E TR E S

Cartography by Spatial Vision M/6391

MELBOURNE

e

Dandenonge

Frankston

e

Lysterfield Lake

Cardinia Reservoir

©

Map updated February 2006

Forfurtherinformation

ParksVictoriaInformationCentre

Call131963

orvisittheParksVictoriawebsite

Caringforthe environment

Helpuslookafterthisparkby

rememberingthese

guidelines:

Pleasetakeallrubbish

homewithyouFirearmsareprohibited

Dogs,catsandotherpetsare

notpermitted

Allnativeplantsandanimals

areprotected

Woodandsolidfuelbarbecues(includingheatbeads)areprohibited

NobarbecuesmaybelitonadayofTotalFireBan

Leavetheparkasyoufindit

Pleasedon’tthrowthisparknoteaway.Keepit,returnitforotherstouse,orrecycle

Walks

1.A pleasant shortwalkleads fromLysterfieldLakepicnicareas to the dam wall. Please do not climb on thewall or dislodge rocks protectingit; stickto the trackon top.

2.An 8 kmwalk takesyou right around Lysterfield Lake. Cross the dam wall and followAcacia NatureTrail,CasuarinaTrack,LakeTrack and the trail through the conservationzone to LoganPark Road.FollowLoganPark Roador Lake Track back into the park to the main picnic area.

3.For the more adventurous, a6.4 km walk (including return to the carpark) takesyou uptoTrigPointforspectacular360°views of Melbourne.From thecarpark at Churchill NationalPark, walk along ChannelTrack and continuewhen it becomes Stonemasons Track and Lysterfield Hills Track.This trackleads you straightto the top of the hill.

4.At the picnic area of Churchill there isa 10 minute naturewalkloop to enjoy.

EasternYellowRobinMTWater sports atLysterfield Park Swimmingispermittedwithin the twoswimming

baysatLysterfieldLake. Note that the watercan

bequite murky and childrenshould be supervisedatall times.Thewater body isnotpatrolled.

Non-powered boating ispermitted on thelake,except at thenorthern, eastern and south- easternextremities for the protection ofswimmers and waterbirdhabitat. Powerboatsare not permitted.

Sailing ispermitted inmonohull boats up to 5 metres long and multi-hull boats up to 4.3 metres long.There isa local sailingclubwhich welcomes new members. If youwould like further details on membership please contactParks Victoriaon 13 1963.

Canoeing, rowing and sailboardingare also permitted, but the number of boats at any one time on the lake maybe controlled.

CrimsonRosellaMT

A valuable wildlife refuge

Lysterfield and ChurchillParksare an especially significant area for an amazing variety of birdlife. A total of 172species has beenrecorded in the parks.The birds are attracted bythe differenttypes of foodand environments;woodlands, forest,the lake and grassyopen spaces.

Someof these birdsinclude;parrots,honeyeaters,wrens,thornbills, grebes, pelicans,cockatoosandeven the migratoryJapanese Snipe.

Parrots and Bell Miners (commonly knownas Bellbirds) are probably the most obvious birds.Takeawalk along Bellbird Track and listen to the melodiousnotes of thesebirds as theycall toother membersof their family.

Manyof the mammals in the area are activeonly at night, but ifyou arrive early or leave at dusk,youmay catcha glimpse ofawallaby or kangaroo. Echidnas are also common, foraging around in thedaytime looking for ants and grubs in the groundand under thebark of trees. Inthe summer Greenand Golden Bell-frogs maybe found basking in the sun.

Visitors with limited mobility

Visitorswith limited mobilitycan enjoy bothLysterfield Lake Park andChurchill NationalPark. Both parks have rampedaccess and accessibletoilets.Please contactstaff on 13 1963 ifyouneed further information on disabledaccess at either park.

Community involvement

The community is a veryimportant part of these parks. If you are interestedin joining theFriends Group in thisarea, please contact Parks Victoria on 13 1963 or ask a Rangerwhenyou next visit.

April2007

PrintedonAustralian-made100%recycledpaper