Walking to the top of Mt. Donna Buang.

I enjoy hiking. The long and the short. Steep or flat. I love the challenge and sense of accomplishment at the end. I ventured out to Mt. Donna Buang with a group of hikers from Melbourne. The mountain is located near the town of Warburton, one hours drive east of Melbourne on the Yarra River.

The hike started at Martyr Rd. The hike is steep and has a level 4 grading. The sign says to allow for 7 hours to do the 12km hike or you can do the 15km return over 8 hours. There is an elevated viewing platform at the top offering views of the Yarra valley, Melbourne, Dandenong ranges, Cathedral Ranges and the Australian Alps. While the elevation is steep, the walk through the mountain ash bush and rainforest is worth it.

The mountain is popular during winter as it is the closest ski field to Melbourne. There is a road all the way to the top for those who would like to try tobogganing when winter rolls around.

You can get here via public transport. Trains run from Flinders Station to Lilydale. From Lilydale train station jump on a bus to Warburton.