The Pines Flora and Fauna Reserve

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is a sharp contrast to the George Pentland Botanic Gardens with its manicured gardens which once made up a 9 hole golf course, it is lush and green and very tamed, providing play equipment for children, a pond for reflection and barbeque facilities. To see more visit Lorraine's article . It's well worth a visit



doesn't offer the refinements of a manicured garden but it's beauty is no less striking.



It is a huge area of 238.4ha. Originally the area was to be a pine plantation and then a sand quarry but was saved by the locals who protested strongly for its preservation. The same locals that still can be found walking the various tracks but who now talk of the tragedy of the Peninsular that divided the park into two sections.



I visited the side of the park between the Pennisula Link Freeway and the Frankston Freeway. I gained entry via the Warrawee Circuit gate, a small laneway between residential houses. There is a second entry point however in Excelsior Drive that has a carpark for off street parking.

In spite of the well maintained walking paths it feels as though you are making your way through original shrub lands like it might have once been a long time ago. We met many people walking both with and without their dogs who were on leads, and a suprising number of parents with their teenage children. The views from the seated lookout were spectacular.



The walks are well signposted and if you get yourself turned around, googlemaps via your mobile device make it easy enough to orientate yourself.



If you like the sense of being in the wilderness without having to travel far this might be a good place to visit.

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