Dandenong Ranges National Park is in Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

, Australia, 38 km east of Melbourne.

Because the park is located in an urban area, the park has a long history of major problems with feral and roaming animals. A cat

Feral cat

A feral cat is a descendant of a domesticated cat that has returned to the wild. It is distinguished from a stray cat, which is a pet cat that has been lost or abandoned, while feral cats are born in the wild; the offspring of a stray cat can be considered feral if born in the wild.In many parts of...

-curfew

Curfew

A curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...

 was introduced in the entire Dandenong Ranges

Dandenong Ranges

The Dandenong Ranges are a set of low mountain ranges, rising to 633 metres at Mount Dandenong, approximately 35 km east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...

 area some years ago, and since then the numbers and variety of lyrebird

Lyrebird

A Lyrebird is either of two species of ground-dwelling Australian birds, that form the genus, Menura, and the family Menuridae. They are most notable for their superb ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from their environment. Lyrebirds have unique plumes of neutral coloured...

s and other native species have climbed dramatically.

Dandenong Ranges National Park is divided into five sections:

• Doongalla Forest – Containing Mount Dandenong itself, and the SkyHigh lookout with panoramic views of Melbourne's east.
• Ferntree Gully – The south western section of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, located between the suburbs of Ferntree Gully and Boronia
  Boronia, Victoria
  Boronia is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox...
  
   to the west, Upwey
  Upwey, Victoria
  Upwey is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges and City of Knox. At the 2006 Census, Upwey had a population of 6,760.-History:...
  
   to the south, Tremont
  Tremont, Victoria
  Tremont is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 31 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges...
  
   and Sassafras
  Sassafras, Victoria
  Sassafras is a locality and township within Greater Melbourne beyond the Melbourne metropolitan area Urban Growth Boundary, 43 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges. At the 2006 Census, Sassafras had a population of 968...
  
   to the east and The Basin
  The Basin, Victoria
  The Basin is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 31 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox...
  
   to the north. The park contains the Thousands Steps trail leading to One Tree Hill. The very steep walking trail includes over 700 steps over 2.5km and commemorates the battle for the Kokoda track
  Kokoda Track
  The Kokoda Trail or Track is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs overland — in a straight line — through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea...
  
   in Territory of Papua during World War II
  New Guinea campaign
  The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
  
  . The steps are a popular destination for sightseers and fitness enthusiasts alike. During the AFL
  Australian Football League
  The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
  
   pre-season a number of Melbourne Australian Rules football League and Association teams run their players up the steps to promote team fitness. There is no specific creation date of the steps, however they are believed to be built during the early 1860s when they provided the only means of accessing the One Tree Hill Summit. According to a Tourist Guide published in 1868, all other areas contained thick forest vegetation. A survey of the park found that over 82% of visitors (on weekends) use the park for fitness-related walking. It is also a popular spot for picnics.

• Sherbrooke Forest
  Sherbrooke Forest
  Sherbrooke Forest lies at an altitude of 300 m within the Dandenong Ranges, 40 km east of Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia, close to the suburb of Belgrave. The vegetation is classified as wet sclerophyll forest with the dominant tree species the Mountain Ash, Eucalyptus regnans, the tallest...
  
  
• Olinda Forest occupies the eastern slopes of Mount Dandenong.
• Mount Evelyn Forest is the most northerly section of the park.

External links

• Parks Victoria: Dandenong Ranges National Park page