Our third walk starts at Through Rd (tram stop 55, Melway 60 F6) and goes to Wattle Park Shopping Centre. It is roughly 6km long (1.5 hours), although you can spend several hours in Wattle Park if you choose. Did you know that while we have thousands of “No through Roads” in Melbourne, there are just three named “Through Road”, and our one, linking Toorak and Riversdale roads, is by far the longest.
Take Through Rd north from Toorak Road. It is an attractive, tree-lined street, with mixed-age houses, many in original style. After 10 minutes you reach Through Road Reserve, which has a National Trust registered tree. Walk to the northeast corner, then continue north one block to Morey Street (on the right). About 100m along Morey Street on the left, there is an unnamed park entrance which opens out into a large attractive parkland area with an oval, seating, playground and toilets. Walk north through this park, exiting by the right-of-way beside the playground, and continue up Aminya Place. At the top, turn right towards Warrigal Road. You will soon enter Burwood’s iconic Wattle Park.
Cross Warrigal Road with care (!), then head north-east into the park. There is no real path but it is easy walking with views over the golf course. In a few minutes you pick up the main easterly pathway, just before crossing Hercules Creek. After this bridge, you can stay with the path, or go wandering to explore this wonderful area. Uphill and to the right from the bridge is the lily pond (fenced of), which you can overlook from the east side, listening for the frogs. Heading east, you will pass a cottage and stables. On Wednesdays and Sundays, you can look at the basketry gallery (10am–3pm) in the cottage. Continuing east, you will come to the huge picnic areas, toilets, trams, and the Memorial Clock Tower.
Did you know that Wattle Park is home to 20 butterfly and 60 beetle species? This information (and lots more) is in the Parks Victoria park notes, along with an excellent self-guided nature trail with questions and answers for both young children and adults. Download them from their website (using the “Explore -> Parks By Name” tabs).
You can finish by walking around the oval to the south, taking Parer or Roslyn St to the Burwood Highway tram, or north-east to Wattle Park Shopping Centre and the 903 SmartBus back to Burwood Village (bus stop just uphill in Riversdale Rd, east of the shops).