According to Peter Bennett, a volunteer Park Walk guide, Plenty Gorge Parklands is a hidden treasure.

“Plenty Gorge is a slice of wilderness in suburbia, and it’s amazing how few people know about it,” Peter said.

“Not only is it intertwined with suburbia which makes it very accessible, at the same time a lot of the park feels quite rugged and remote – it’s got everything.”

Located in Melbourne’s outer north-east, Plenty Gorge Parklands stretches across both sides of the Plenty River. Its unique geology – with basalt plains to the west and sedimentary rock to the east – supports a wide range of habitats, from wetlands to the river, rocky outcrops to dense bushland, making the park a refuge for a wide range of species.

Photo: Peter Bennett enjoys sharing his extensive knowledge of local birds with others while leading Park Walks in Plenty Gorge.

Peter began guiding Park Walks at Plenty Gorge three years ago, bringing with him more than a decade of birdwatching experience through volunteering with BirdLife Australia. He said he loves showing visitors just how many birds call the park home.

“There’s a great mix of birds here. Some locations in the park have recorded more than 150 different species, which is fantastic for a suburban site,” he said.

“The iconic birds here are the Wedge-tailed Eagles. This last season, two pairs nested and each raised two chicks, so there’s now eight eagles flying about before the young ones start to head off.”

“The robins are also very popular at this time of year – Flame Robins, Yellow Robins, Red-capped Robins – and at Tanunda Wetlands there’s Blue-billed Ducks that raise their chicks there as well.”

Leah Keating is another of the volunteer Park Walk guides who also spends her time volunteering with the Friends of Plenty Gorge. Leah began helping with the guided Park Walks about a year ago, before officially joining the Friends group six months ago.

“Honestly, it’s been amazing. I’ve met some incredible people, and I’ve learned so much already in such a short time. Everyone has this wealth of knowledge so it’s been really cool to be part of that,” Leah said.

“I’d say to anyone they should absolutely join their local volunteer group. Not only are there benefits of helping look after your local park, but there are so many benefits for you too that come just from being outside in nature.

“I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning not feeling the best, but after walking around the park I can feel it’s completely changed my mental health already – so there’s not only benefits for the environment, but for people as well.”

What is a Park Walk?

Park Walks are free walks guided by trained volunteers.

They offer a relaxed, social and supported way to enjoy walking in bushland or urban parks without the stress of navigation or time pressure. Volunteers are often locals who love sharing their knowledge of the park’s plants, animals, and history.

Photo: Leah Keating and Peter Bennet are volunteer Park Walk guides and enjoy helping people explore Plenty Gorge Parklands.

“One of the best things about Park Walks is there are a lot of people who want to visit the park but don’t feel comfortable coming out here by themselves, so the volunteer-led Park Walks give them the chance to come out in a safe environment and find where things are,” Peter said.

“This gives them the confidence to come back again on their own.”

“I get a great amount of enjoyment seeing the pleasure other people get when they visit here for the first time.”

Walking in nature is also good for your mental and physical health – it can boost creativity, reduce stress and blood pressure, and help people of all ages live healthier, more active lives.

Thinking about volunteering?

Being a volunteer in our parks is a great way to help conserve the beauty of Victoria’s landscape – while also learning more about plants and wildlife, gaining new skills, spending time in the outdoors, improving your health and wellbeing, and meeting new friends. 

By volunteering with Parks Victoria, you can also experience some of Victoria’s special places in a way that is not available to the public.

 If you would like to become a volunteer Park Walks leader, please register your details on ParkConnect.

Click here to find out how you can volunteer in a park near you or subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest volunteering opportunities and updates straight to your inbox.