Cardinia Reservoir Park
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Cardinia Reservoir can be accessed from Wellington Rd (Melway 126 C11) or Red Hill Rd (Melway 210 G4). A one-way road loops around the main areas of the park.
Observation Carpark
On entering the park the road rises to the observation carpark for a view over the expanse of the Cardinia Reservoir. There is a carpark to the right with two disabled carparks on the right at the far end. This is a vantage point only and not worth getting out of the car with a wheelchair. There are no curb cuts and all roads from here lead down fairly steeply. The pedestrian crossing to the lower carpark has deep culverts on either side of the road. If you intend on doing the dam wall walk, park in the next or lower, Lookout Carpark
Click on an image for a larger view or view our full photo gallery
Lookout Carpark
Just down the hill is the lookout carpark. The entrance is at the bottom and two disabled spots are available on the left near the information sign. Both of these spots are 3 metres in width. To gain access to the dam wall walk you must roll down the carpark entrance to the wall. There are no curb cuts and the road is relatively steep. At the end of the wall walk it is a hard push back up into the carpark and really requires assistance. The information board is not accessible as there is no curb cut allowing access to it.
Click on an image for a larger view or view our full photo gallery
Dam Wall Walk
The dam wall walk offers a great view over the expanse of the Cardinia Reservoir. It can be accessed from the Lookout Carpark at the main entrance end and by the Spillway Carpark at the southern end. The path is surfaced wide, smooth and level making it an easy traverse by wheelchair visitors. The entry at both ends is a metre wide although at the Spillway Carpark entrance erosion has exposed the concrete foundations of the bollard reducing its effective width. The posted time for the walk is one hour return.
Click on an image for a larger view or view our full photo gallery
Spillway Carpark
The Spillway Carpark is at the southern end of the wall and affords another great view across the Cardinia Reservoir. In misty weather this carpark provides great photograhic opportunities. There are two disabled parking bays here nearest the wall and information sign. As with the rest of the parks these bays are 3 metres wide. Access is available here to the dam wall walk.
Click on an image for a larger view or view our full photo gallery
Kangaroo Flat Picnic Area
The park has three picnic areas all equipped with wood fired BBQs. A supply of wood is located at each picnic area. No solid fuel BBQs other than those provided may be used in the park.
The sign at Kangaroo Flat indicates that the area is suitable for disabled visitors, however, there are no designated carparks, no curb cuts to allow access to the picnic area and no tables that allow access for a wheelchair. There are no toilet facilities available at this picnic spot.
Click on an image for a larger view or view our full photo gallery
Crystal Brook Picnic Area
The Crystal Brook Picnic Area is the best equipped for the disabled visitor. As you enter the carpark there is one disabled parking spot near the toilet facility and one more about half way down the carpark. Both of these spots are 3 metres wide. At the second carpark there is a second bay, also 3 metres wide, that has been painted out.
The picnic facilities and playground at below the carpark and require descent via ramps at both carpark locations. Both of these ramps are wide and well surfaced, however both are fairly steep and long. In our view assistance would be required on the way back up to the carpark for visitors using manual chairs. Picnic tables are available both out on the grassy areas and in the woodland setting. Wood fired BBQs are available. As with the tables at Kangaroo Flat there are no picnic tables that cater for a wheelchair. The paths at the bottom of the ramp from the second disabled spot are a little overgrown and require traversing the grassed areas of the picnic ground.
There is an excellent toilet facility adjacent to the carpark that has full disabled facilities. The toilet block does not require the descent into the picnic ground.
At the time of our visit (8th March 2010) there was considerable storm damage to the paths at the bottom of the middle ramp. This area is unusabled to wheelchair visitors at the present time. Check with Parks Victoria prior to your visit.
Click on an image for a larger view or view our full photo gallery
Messmate Trail
The Messmate Trail is accessible via the Crystal Brook Picnic Area. A kilometre or so of this trail is wide relatively flat and affords an opportunity to view Kangaroos grazing in the early morning or late afternoon. It also offers the access to the grasslands for families. Once the path turns to gravel it crossed at bridge at the end of the grassy valley and becomes steep.
Click on an image for a larger view or view our full photo gallery
Duffy's Lookout Picnic Area
Duffy's Lookout picnic area is accessed from a separate entrance to the park further down Duffy's Road. This picnic area has two disabled carparking spots, both again 3 metres in width. There is one curb cut in this park that leads down to the toilet block that has good disabled facilities. The path down to the toilet block, however, is steep. The same path continues to the upper picnic ground with an equally steep ascent to the relatively level picnic area. A path leads directly to the picnic area from in front of the disabled parking bays but there is no curb cut to allow access to it and it is blocked altogether by any cars using the disabled bays.
The picnic tables in this park are concrete construction and have one chair missing to allow a wheelchair up to the table. The number of accessible tables far exceed the number of carparking spots.
There is a second picnic area on the lower side of the carpark. There is no curb cut to gain access from the carpark and the surfaced paths in this section are extremely narrow. The path continues right through to the Crystal Brook area but is not suitable for wheelchairs.
Click on an image for a larger view or view our full photo gallery
see the Cardinia Reservoir Park of the Parks Victoria Web Site
Last review 8 March 2010