Missing link

Fortunately the information sign at Heads Road Park Orchards is out of date. The Mullum Mullum Trail continues on to Park Road. It was the last section to be completed, finally opened in 2018. The project was on hold for some time because of the construction of a sewer main in the same space and this work had delays.

A photo from bicyclenetwork.com.au shows the last of the prefabricated bridges being lowered into position. No small structure it is the first bridge found immediately after crossing Heads Road.

This is a beautiful and quiet section of the Mullum Mullum Creek. Most of the trail is on boardwalks, passing lots of big trees which were being enjoyed by noisy galahs on the day I walked on through.

The creek itself is lovely, it twists and turns around and over natural rock forms.

I took a short video which include the birdsong that adds to the enjoyment. You can find it here.

Some of the houses in this valley have been here for decades and blend into the bush. Nearing Park Road there is a fence and gate. This is the Whitefriars College, the second of the private schools that are on the creek.

The trail runs up the hill along Park Road to a safe crossing point. Along the way it is hard to ignore the huge white house that also dominates the last section of the valley walk. While it is architecturally interesting it is a pity it is not more sympathetic to its surrounds.

Obstacles

Time to get back on track and follow the Mullum Mullum Trail again. I left it across Quarry Road from the Yarran Dheran Reserve in Mitcham and now plan to follow the creek again.

My first attempt was a track along the west bank. Started off well, a wide path heading north but it narrowed and became an impassable mass of mud with the path beyond curving away from the water.

I backtracked, studied a map and still could not figure out where the trail began. Not a direction sign to be found anywhere.

There was a path leading to the right, I had assumed this was another way back to the road and my daughter who lives in the area thought this too. But it is not. It is the Mullum Mullum Trail as built by the City of Manningham, they must assume everyone who wants to use it is coming from the other direction and already knows where it is.

The path leads high above the creek, with a good view back to the EastLink Trail and of the creek flowing north.

But my day’s journey seemed doomed.

In just a few hundred metres the path was closed. Undaunted I used my map to find another track, close to the east bank of the creek. It was a bonus really as there were good water views, even if it is impossible to find a totally pristine shot.

After a while I headed back up to the main trail. I had missed views of backyards, one of which is obviously owned by devoted pet owners. And I discovered the reason for the trail closure. At some time a tree had come down, machinery was brought in to remove it, but the council is very slow to open things up again. I met a number of walkers and cyclists who told me this was not unusual and they mostly ignored the closures.

After following the boardwalk through beautiful bushland I wasn’t surprised to find the fence closing the trail at Heads Road had been opened and happily went through it leaving the forbidden section behind me.

Here at last a direction sign, but not one I wanted to see. The next section, to Park Road is marked (to be constructed). Another obstacle on my quest to follow the Mullum Mullum Creek all the way to the Yarra.