Paul’s Range Circuit

A good circuit with great views to knock out some k’s in your legs. All walking on jeep tracks. As always start early and get to the bakery or pub in the arvo.

At Yarra Glen take the Old Healesville road Turning left into Paul's Lane. Continue over the aqueduct infrastructure and park in a small clearing in a tight dale. Signs are present indicating the road ahead is 4wd. The first pinch is very steep and would challenge my 4wd abilities. Anyhow, my path is on foot so I just had to deal with the tightening of muscles and breathing. Too the right are grazing lands and there is the evidence of the black Saturday fires of feb 2009 all along the range. Must have been horrific. At the top you go right and begin walking along the ridge that continues all the way to Toolangi, albeit up and down. Should you go left it goes steeply down to the valley part of the walk. This circuit means that you end up coming up to this junction and then back down to the car.

I found myself a good reliable stick for the journey and continued along. There are seasonal locked gates that keep the delinquent 4wder from destroying the tracks. At the first good high point I had good views across the valley to Yarra glen and the gap between the Dandenongs and Mt little Joe.
There are about 4 Water points on this ridge and I suspect the area is popular with trail bike riders, not sure about mountain bike riders. Pauls Creek road is followed all the way till you meet junction of Pauls Creek Track. You will feel the elevation as you walk and note the Mt St Leonard fire tower to the north, it is a constant companion. There are many tracks on your left that go down to the pauls creek in the valley below. Good water can be had from Pauls creek. I sat down to peel and orange, wash and enjoy a cup of tea.

The area is a collection zone for domestic firewood so the sound of chainsaws is common. That and motorbikes. The final pinch up “PFF” track is pretty tough with its slippery gravel surface but then you are back to the junction and down to the clearing where your car is parked.