Yarra Bend Park and Willsmere

Did you know that Willsmere has around 500 metres of direct frontage to Yarra Bend Park? Beyond the 25 acres of private land, there is over 600 acres of public open space and much more again when we consider all the parkland adjacent to this.

The city view is particularly incredible – it appears a bit like an island inside a forest – as there is almost no trace of suburbia nearby – only trees.

As a result, many people feel that Willsmere exhibits many of the best aspects of rural living all the while being really close to the city. At Yarra Bend Park we find…

VEGETATION:

• 117 species of FLORA that are recognised as being important to the Melbourne
• 7 of the state’s threatened flora species
• Some of the last stands of original bushland in inner Melbourne

ANIMALS:

• 185 indigenous native FAUNA species
• 13 of Victoria’s threatened species: 7 endangered and 4 vulnerable
• 125 species of birds
• 10 mammal species, including the famous Flying Fox bat colony
• 19 species of reptiles
• 15 butterfly species
• 5 amphibian species
• 11 freshwater fish species

Birds commonly seen in Yarra Bend Park are pictured on our Bird Life page, include:

The Australian Wood Duck; Pacific Black Duck; Rock Dove; Spotted Dove; Dusky Moorhen; Silver Gull; Rainbow Lorikeet; Eastern Rosella; Red-rumped Parrot; Laughing Kookaburra; Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; Spotted Pardalote; White-plumed Honeyeater; Bell Miner; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird; Grey Butcherbird; Australian Magpie; Willie Wagtail; Little Raven; Magpie-lark; Welcome Swallow; Common Blackbird; Common Starling and Common Myna.

Other Possible Birds include:

Chestnut Teal; Northern Mallard; Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Tawny Frogmouth; Australasian Darter; Little Pied Cormorant; Great Cormorant; Little Black Cormorant; Eastern Great Egret; White-faced Heron; Nankeen Night-Heron; Australian White Ibis; Brown Goshawk; Purple Swamphen; Eurasian Coot; Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo; Galah; Sulphur-crested Cockatoo; Azure Kingfisher; Brown Thornbill; Eastern Spinebill; Little Wattlebird; New Holland Honeyeater; Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; Crested Shrike-tit; Golden Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; Pied Currawong; Grey Currawong; Silvereye; Mistletoebird; House Sparrow and the Red-browed Finch.

Yarra Bend Walking Tracks

This walk gives you a 30 minute nature fix! Leave behind the inner city suburbs and step into Melbourne's largest area of natural vegetation. Dogs on lead allowed.

This 9.5 km walk takes in the bats, Kane's Bridge, Dight's Falls, and much more!

Full details of these walks and many other great walks in the area can be found here:

• Walking Maps Yarra Bend Park Walk
• Yarra Bend Park visitor guide
• Alltrails Yarra Bend Park Loop

Aboriginal Traditional Owners

Parks Victoria acknowledges the Aboriginal Traditional Owners of Victoria, including its parks and reserves, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. Through their cultural traditions, Aboriginal people maintain their connection to their ancestral lands and waters. Further information is available from Aboriginal Affairs Victoria AAV, Native Title Services Victoria, and The Aboriginal History of Yarra.