Stretch your legs in Melbourne and surrounds with the 10 best walking trails.

Ah, Melbourne. As much as we love her shops and malls or the various bars and restaurants, there are a bunch of walking trails to be enjoyed around the place.

Whether it’s beneath the skyline or along the river, here are the best walking trails in Melbourne to explore.

Port Melbourne to St Kilda

• South Melbourne
• Length: 14km return

Sparkling ocean, a charming heritage-listed pier, oh and did we mention penguins?

Start the track at Port Melbourne and walk along the foreshore until you get to the St Kilda pier as your turnaround point. But rather than go immediately back in the direction you came, walk up the pier and get a vantage point onto the fairy penguins.

Merri Creek Trail

• Fitzroy
• Length: 21km one way

Merri Creek winds pretty much through the Melbourne CBD, sustaining lush bushland on either side.

While it’s a 21km track, it winds near numerous tram stops, making it easy for you to jump on and off it where you choose.

The trail starts at Mahoneys Road in Thomastown and passes the Coburg Lake Reserve, the Brunswick Velodrome and CERES Community Environment Park, which is the perfect spot for a little breather.

The Yarra Trail

• Abbotsford
• Length: 35km return

This trail starts and ends at Southbank, in the heart of the city. It follows the Yarra River away from the skyscrapers and into the northern suburbs

You’ll pass beautiful gums, billabongs and flourishing bushland as you leave the city and pass many cyclists who also love this particular path.

Kororoit Creek Trail

• Williamstown
• Length: 22m return

Enjoy this path through park and bushland that’s complete with numerous public artworks to take in.

The wetlands, sustained by the creek, are teeming with life and offer a peaceful reprise from the concrete jungle of Melbourne, barely a stone’s throw from the city itself.

Maribyrnong River Loop

• CBD
• Length: 6.8km return

Another wonderful river to walk along, the Maribyrnong is complete with walking paths shaded by trees that hang over the water.

A highlight of this path is called “the Boulevard” along the east side. From there you can spy the skyscrapers of Melbourne in the distance.

Capital City Trail

• CBD
• Length: 29km

This particular path gives you a great tour of Melbourne while getting your steps up.

Refuel at one of the many coffee joints, take in the buskers and look out onto the Yarra River. It loops around the Melbourne Zoo, the docklands and takes you right through South Bank.

Warburton Redwood Forest Walk

• East Warburton
• Length: 1.2km

Just an hour and a half from the Melbourne CBD is the glorious Redwood Forest, ten minutes out from the town of Warburton.

The towering trees will dwarf you as you walk the short 1.2km trail, which winds down to the trickling waters of Cement Creek.

Elwood to Sandringham Walk

• Elwood
• Length: 17km

This trail hugs the coastline closest to the Melbourne CBD, passing famous spots like the Brighton Beach bathing boxes and Sandringham Yacht Club.

Start at the Yacht Club and go up to St Kilda beach before turning around and completing your trail.

Werribee Gorge Circuit Walk

• Pentland Hills
• Length: 8.5km

Less than an hour from the CBD is the gorgeous Werribee Gorge. The circuit walk is a doable 8.5km, with the nearby water from the gorge perfect to splash your face as you tackle the trip.

The bushland and river might as well be a day’s trip away from Melbourne because it feels a world away as you immerse yourself in it all.

East-West Walk

• You Yangs National Park
• Length: 4.5km loop

Located in between Melbourne and Geelong this track allows you to take in the You Yangs, which in local Woiwurrung language means “big hill”. And boy is it.

Clamber up the huge granite inclines and get a view across the Victorian plains. While short, you’ll likely be puffed because of the nature of the landscape i.e. a really. big. hill.

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