For a quick dose of nature, take an easy 30-minute drive away from Melbourne CBD to Organ Pipes National Park. Covering about 300 acres of land, this destination is the smallest national park in Victoria. But, despite it’s size, it packs a big punch! Take a steep walk down into a river valley, and see impressive basalt columns formed by lava millions of years ago. On top of the geological formations, you’ll also find cool walking trails, picnic areas and wildlife. It’s open daily, and you can take advantage of the cool winter weather now, and see Jacksons Creek in full flow. Or, make a plan to visit in spring, when the wattle trees will flower.
Organ Pipes National Park
From the moment you arrive, you’ll step onto an ancient volcanic landscape. The actual car park is located on an eroded scoria cone, a small type of volcano. Step out of the car, and you might just walk on volcanic rocks known as scoria, which are a reddish brown colour. They’re also light and full of airholes, because it was full of steam when it was ejected from the volcano.
Over the years, Jacksons Creek has cut a deep valley into the landscape, so it’s a short but steep path down into the park. Follow the trail to see the spectacular Organ Pipes. These basalt columns, etched into a towering cliff face, were formed by cooling and cracking lava millions of years ago. As the name suggests, these vertical formations look just like the pipes of a church organ. These columns soar up to 20 metres in height, and are up to one metre across, making them a marvellous sight to behold.
After admiring the pipes, keep walking along the Left River Trail and check out the Rosette Rock. While it sounds like a cousin of the famous Rosetta Stone, you won’t find any carved inscriptions here. Instead, you’ll find basalt columns, arranged to look like a rose, or the spokes of a giant wheel.
Continue along the trail to see the Tessellated Pavement, where you can see the horizontal tops of more basalt columns. Walk or climb over these cool structures, which tend to be hexagonal in shape.
As you wander around, look out for native wildlife, like kangaroos, wallabies and echidnas. If you’re lucky, you might even see a platypus in the river. This park is also a great place for birdwatchers, as you’ll see rosellas, honeyeaters and maybe even a wedge-tailed eagle.
More things to know
This park is great for visits all year round, and it takes about 90 minutes to fully explore and appreciate it. There are facilities like toilets and picnic areas, so pack a little lunch if you’d like to eat out in nature. The track is sealed, but steep, and is not suitable for those with wheelchairs or mobility issues.
Unfortunately, dogs aren’t allowed to come along, unless they are an assistance dog.
The park is open daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm, or 6pm during daylight saving.
As you are out and about in nature, keep an eye on Parks Victoria for any updates.
📍Organ Pipes Rd, Keilor North VIC 3036
