Explore
Dandenong Valley Parklands
Dandenong Valley Parklands is a network of parks running alongside Dandenong Creek in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. Loved by the locals, the green spaces of Jells Park and Chesterfield Farm make for great days out, while Corhanwarrabul and Bush Park Wetlands are perfect for birdwatching.
Slow down at the Dandenong Valley Parklands and forget you’re in the heart of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
Surround yourself with good friends and family in the wide, open spaces of Jells Park, Nortons Park and Shepherds Bush. Wander, cycle or run the tree-lined Dandenong Creek Trail. And bird lovers, set up in one of the bird hides for your chance to spot darters, pelicans, herons and cormorants.
Running through the heart of the park, the Dandenong Creek begins its journey as a series of springs on the western slopes of the Dandenong Ranges before flowing into urban areas and meeting up with the 49km Dandenong Creek Trail. Run, walk or cycle along the scenic trail with your four-legged pooch. The wide-open spaces of Jells Park, Shepherds Bush and Nortons Park were made for fun days out with family, friends and your four-legged pooch. Come prepared for a picnic or barbecue.
The playgrounds at Jells Park will entertain adventurers of all ages and abilities all day long. Visit our newest playspaces at Yabbie Hill and Jells Park East, where young explorers can climb, hide, swing, slide and scamper like the critters and creatures of the Dandenong Creek catchment. Wide paths, quiet spaces, specific ground coverings and carefully selected play equipment ensure this play space will provide entertainment and adventure for everyone.
As rivers, lakes and reservoirs are natural environments, you may encounter hazards. Follow our water safety advice to make sure your day out at Jells Park is a safe and enjoyable one.
Things to do in the area
Picnic areas and playgrounds in Jells Park
BlindSquare app Jells Park
Bird watching
Tours and adventure experiences in parks
One of the best ways you can get into nature is with a Licensed Tour Operator.
There are more than 400 Licensed Tour Operators across Victoria who are ready and waiting to help you experience and connect with Victoria’s spectacular parks and waterways.
Discover more than 60 different types of nature-based experiences including hiking, mountain biking, boating, four-wheel driving, indigenous culture tours, birdwatching, surfing, diving and so much more.
Licensed Tour Operators know all the best places to go and will plan and prepare your visit to ensure you are safe and can enjoy your nature-based adventure to the fullest.
How to get there
Dandenong Valley Parklands
When you're there
Need to know
Dandenong Valley Parklands
Accessibility
Visiting a park can be more of a challenge for people with disabilities, however in Victoria there are a wide range of facilities to help people of all abilities enjoy our wonderful parks around the state.
A fully accessible Changing Places facility is available at the Visitor Centre for park visitors with high-support needs and their carers.
Parks Victoria's social script resources for children on the autism spectrum have been developed with the professional assistance of AMAZE to increase the accessibility of its parks for people on the autism spectrum.
Assistance dogs are welcome in Parks Victoria parks and reserves. Entry requirements apply for parks and reserves that are usually dog prohibited, such as national parks.
BlindSquare GPS-app
Parks Victoria has partnered with Guide Dogs Victoria (GDV) to facilitate the installation of BlindSquare at Jells Park, the world’s most widely used accessible GPS-app for people who are blind or with low vision. Through Customised Location Services (CLS), BlindSquare describes where a user is in the park and aids them in finding their way around, including areas not covered by standard GPS like walks, public toilets, picnic areas and barbecues. This app enables visitors who are blind or with low vision to explore the park safely and independently and to receive the many health benefits. A free version of the BlindSquare app is available called BlindSquare Event .
For further information, visit the BlindSquare or Guide Dogs Victoria websites.
Change of Conditions
Nature being nature, sometimes conditions can change at short notice. It’s a good idea to check this page ahead of your visit for any updates.
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Jells Lake Picnic Ground (Dandenong Valley Parklands)
Jells Lake Jetty Closures
Jetty 1 & Jetty 2 will be closed until further notice.Jells Lake Closed
Jells Park Lake is closed due to poor water quality. Please do not fish, touch the water or let your dog near the lake until further notice.Trail Conditions
The recent rain events have caused flood damage to sections of the unsealed trails in Jells Park.
These sections are sign posted and marked on the attached map.Repairs will be carried out once conditions improve and they can be completed effectively.Attachments: Picture 1 (27KB)
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Dandenong Valley Parklands
Koomba Boardwalk Closure
Koomba Boardwalk will be closed until further noticeShepherds Bush Boardwalk Closure
The Shepherds Bush Boardwalk is currently closed due to flood damage.An alternative route can be found in the below document.Attachments: Shepherds Bush Boardwalk closure - alternate route (158KB)
Jells Park Cafe
The lease for the Jells Park Visitor Café at Jells Park ended in late February 2024. In line with the Leasing Policy for Victorian Crown Land 2023, an EOI process ran during 2023 seeking suitably qualified operators to provide a food and beverage offer at the café.A suitable new operator has now signed the lease and the café will be closed to the public while they set up. A coffee cart is now operational on site - so visitors can continue to enjoy coffee, juices and cakes in the interim.Any further updates on the café will be maintained on this page.
How we keep it special
Jells Park playspaces
Two new nature-based playspaces and a Changing Places toilet facility are now open at Jells Park thanks to a $3 million investment from the Victorian Government. Learn more about these exciting new additions to the park.
Jells Park shared-use trail
A project is underway to develop new shared-use trails at Jells Park, to provide more opportunities for visitors to walk, run or cycle through this much loved community parkland. The Bushland Trail will provide an opportunity for people to explore the natural landscapes of Jells Park, with minimal impacts on native flora and fauna. The second, shorter Lake Trail will loop around the café and playspaces, showcasing great views of the lake. This trail will have a more level grade and feature extra lighting, wayfinding signage and distance markers at key milestones along the track. Both trails respond to the different needs, experiences and values of the local community. Both will be about three metres wide, however the surface materials, amenity (such as lighting) and grades will vary to cater to different levels of ability and activity.
Jells Park Sports Fields
We are activating Jells Park’s northern and southern grounds by upgrading two cricket ovals – ‘the Ashes’ and ‘the Oaks’. The fit-for-purpose synthetic pitches are being designed so they can be used by clubs in the City of Monash during the busy local cricket season. The open green fields will also accommodate a range of other sports and recreational activities – ensuring they can be enjoyed by the whole community year-round. Additionally, a small pavilion will be constructed to house change rooms for all genders, umpire facilities and a toilet for players.
Jells Park is a much-loved park located in Melbourne’s south-east on Wurundjeri Country. Its fantastic green spaces, picnic areas, playscapes and all abilities features make it one of Melbourne’s most popular parks, hosting close to a million visitors each year. The Victorian Government has invested more than $13 million to deliver a range of projects across Jells Park, ensuring visitors continue to enjoy this special location.