Outdoors · shared trail
The Plenty River Trail at Montmorency
The Plenty River Trail is Monty's front-door path to the bush: a sealed shared trail that follows the river through parkland and gum woodland, good for a short stroll, a proper walk or a ride that takes you well beyond the suburb. Here is how to make the most of the Montmorency stretch.
What it is
It is a shared walking and cycling path, mostly sealed, that runs alongside the Plenty River as it winds through Melbourne's north-east. At Montmorency it passes through open parkland and eucalypt bush, flat enough for an easy walk in most sections but with the odd rise where the path leaves the river flats. Prams and bikes handle it fine, and it is one of the nicer ways to get between the ovals, the parks and the next suburb without touching a road.
Where to join it
The easiest access point in Monty is Montmorency Park, by the Plenty River, which has parking, a playground and BBQs, so you can make a morning of it. Petrie Park, beside the train line off Mountain View Road, is another handy start and is a short walk from the Were Street shops if you are arriving by train. Both put you on the trail within a minute or two.
Which way to go
From Montmorency you can head north, upriver, toward Plenty Gorge and its parklands, where the country opens out and gets wilder. Or head south, downriver, following the Plenty as it works its way toward the Yarra and the Banyule wetlands, linking into the wider network of Melbourne river trails. Neither direction needs a plan: walk until you have had enough and turn back, or ride on and make a loop of it.
What you'll see
The birdlife is the drawcard. Rainbow lorikeets, kookaburras and wattlebirds are a near-certainty, and you will often hear them before you see them. Echidnas turn up if you are lucky, and the river itself draws ducks and the occasional water bird. Bring the dog, bring the kids, and give yourself time to just stand and listen for a minute.