Forget about the Dandenong Ranges or the Yarra Ranges… there are some fantastic national and state parks and trails to explore within about an hour or so’s drive west of Melbourne.

Hiking west of Melbourne

There are four main parks for hiking west of Melbourne, including:

• You Yangs
• Brisbane Ranges
• Werribee Gorge
• Mount Macedon

Other smaller parks for hiking west of Melbourne worth exploring include:

• Long Forest – a gem of a park in Melton
• Brimbank Park (Maribyrnong Valley Parklands) – a hidden oasis in Keilor with access to the Maribyrnong River trail which will take you all the way to Footscray and link up with trails to get you into the CBD
• Newport Lakes.

Last modified: September 10, 2014