There aren’t actually 1,000 steps. Depending on who’s counted, it’s somewhere between 770 and 870 — but by the time you’re two-thirds up a steep, fern-lined climb through mountain ash forest, it feels like a thousand easily. That gap between the name and the reality is basically the whole experience.
Where It Is and What It Actually Is
The 1000 Steps is the popular name for the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk, a steep loop track in Dandenong Ranges National Park, about 40 minutes east of Melbourne’s CBD. The walk starts and finishes at Ferntree Gully Picnic Ground, climbing roughly 2.8km up through rainforest to a small clearing called One Tree Hill, with views of Melbourne through the trees before you loop back down via the Lyrebird Track.
It’s a memorial, not just a fitness track. The walk honours the Australian soldiers who served on the actual Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea during World War II. Thirteen memorial plaques line the route, added in 1997 as replicas of the ones on the real Kokoda Track — each with a short account of a particular battle and a map showing where it happened. It’s worth actually stopping to read a few, not just powering past them on the way up.
A Bit of History
The original track was cut in the early 1900s, with tree fern trunks laid across the wetter sections to make the climb manageable. Wooden palings replaced those, and the concrete steps you’ll walk on today were installed in 1950.
The Kokoda connection came later — the track was adopted by Kokoda campaign veterans as a memorial site, and there’s a Kokoda Track Memorial statue at Ferntree Gully honouring “courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice.” These days plenty of Melburnians also use it as informal training for the real 96km Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.
Getting There
By car: Take the Burwood Highway toward Upper Ferntree Gully, or the M3 if you don’t mind the toll, exiting at Mount Dandenong Tourist Road. Free parking is available at Ferntree Gully Picnic Ground, a short walk from the trailhead.
Fair warning on parking: This is genuinely the busiest bushwalk near Melbourne, and the car park fills fast on weekends and public holidays. If you’re driving, get there early or expect to circle for a spot.
By train: Take the Belgrave line to Upper Ferntree Gully Station, then it’s about a 15-minute walk to the start of the trail — a solid option if you’d rather skip the parking scramble entirely.
How Hard Is It, Really?
This is a steep, moderate-difficulty climb, not a casual stroll. Allow 60–90 minutes for the full loop unless you’re properly fit, and more again if you’re stopping to read the memorial plaques. The ascent typically takes 20–40 minutes with breather breaks, and you’ll come back down via the Lyrebird Track rather than retracing your steps.
One thing worth knowing: the name isn’t about the step count, it’s about how the climb feels. The grade is steep enough that even regular walkers use this as genuine training ground, so don’t assume “public park walk” means “easy.”
What You’ll See Along the Way
- Rainforest and mountain ash — the path runs under towering mountain ash trees with ferns crowding the edges most of the way up
- Melbourne views — a clearing near the top gives you glimpses of the city skyline through the tree line
- Superb lyrebirds — listen for their elaborate mimicry as you climb; the surrounding forest is a genuine haven for native birdlife
- The memorial plaques — thirteen along the main climb, more at the top, each telling a specific piece of Kokoda Track history
Before You Go
- No dogs. This one’s off-limits for pets, no exceptions.
- Wear real walking shoes. The steps are timber and stone with handrails in places, but it’s still a steep, sometimes uneven climb — not a spot for sandals.
- Bring water. There’s a café at the base (1000 Steps Café), but nothing partway up.
- Go early or go on a weekday. This is Melbourne’s most popular bushwalk, and it shows — an early morning or weekday visit is the difference between a peaceful climb and a queue on the steps.
Nearby, If You Want to Make a Day of It
The Dandenong Ranges offer plenty to pair with the walk if you’re not heading straight back to the city:
- Dandenong Ranges Botanic Gardens — a quieter, flatter contrast to the 1000 Steps climb
- Mount Dandenong Lookout — sweeping views without the climb, good if you’ve already done your legs in
- The Dandenong townships — Sassafras, Olinda and Kalorama are all close by for a coffee or lunch stop once you’re back down
Quick Facts
| Location | Ferntree Gully Picnic Ground, Dandenong Ranges National Park |
| Distance | ~2.8km loop |
| Time needed | 60–90 minutes |
| Difficulty | Steep, moderate |
| Cost | Free |
| Dogs | Not permitted |
| Best time | Early morning, weekdays |
If you’re planning around a weekend, the honest advice is to get there before the crowds do — this walk is popular for a reason, and that reason is exactly why timing your visit matters more than almost anything else on this list.
Parking fills quickly on weekends and public holidays — arrive early or take the train to Upper Ferntree Gully Station instead.
