This is a wonderful and quaint park that has so much to offer. In the main area, there is the…read more'jells park tea house', a lovely little café where you can sit and enjoy the surroundings. There is a large wooden playground for kids, plenty of trails and routes to accommodate for the frequent runners and bikers, ovals and barbecues (these run high in demand on sunny weekends). Jells park isn't crowded or overpopulated, but there are enough people around to give it a sense of a community. The park is more of a wetlands/bush land style park compared to a botanical type. I love coming here as it has a vibe of happiness to it, there are always children running around, couples biking and dog walkers. Jells Park is very large and you probably could get lost in it (but if you just follow any path it'll take you back out). If you're in the local area, pop down for a bbq and enjoy.

Jells Park is an extremely popular place to go of a weekend. It offers plenty of natural bushland,…read moreover nine kilometres of tracks and paths, a couple of playgrounds, and heaps of space for you to have picnics or kick the footy with the kids. There's fishing on the side of the lake that is outside of the conservation area, but I hope you like carp! There's the occasional redfin, but they seem like the exception and not the rule, particularly if your experience is anything like mine. The barbecue facilities are pretty good, if sometimes quite busy. In some spots, you'll find free electric barbecues, in others, you'll find wood-burning barbecues. Wood is usually provided, which is a plus. Just remember to take out everything you take in. No rubbish should ever be left there.

Really great place to hire a board or take a SUP lesson. I…read morebooked a group lesson but I was alone, so it was a private lesson and it was amazing! I really recomend everybody to try it!

Excellent customer service. The instructors are soooo much fun! My first time experience and it is…read morehighly recommended. The location is perfect and beautiful. Will book them again if I visit Melbourne soon.

Lately I have been enjoying a little running here and there. I have begun to like this place after…read moregoing there many times. Firstly its this quiet place where you get to meet the Kangaroos, joeys, echidna and some native birds on their own. The cycling, walking, horse riding and a few 4WD's roads (no sure if they are allowed however but you do see the tracks) are all unpaved roads. So just for a precaution take some good shoes that will withstand those kinds of environments. As for the crowds. People tend to be mostly chilling on the side of the lake where there are chairs and some grassland. Some times a few people here and there will also be running or cycling around the tracks but most of the times you are just on your own. There are no sipping water along the miles of those tracks so make sure you either drink enough water that will last you for at least an hour or take some water with yourself. Just don't give up. You'll finish those lines and at the end the feelings are just great.

The mountain bike princess in me loves the single tracks that flow freely through Lysterield Park…read more A great place for beginners to get out an about, get dirty and learn some skills on nice open single track.

Fawkner park is my urban sanctuary. It's where I go to escape the city buzz, take my poochie for a…read morelong walk and get some fresh air, see some grass and greenery. Lots of business people walking through on their lunch breaks and folks travelling to and from their workplace by foot through the park during peak times. Watch out for bikes speeding through though. Large off-lead area to allow your furry pals to let of some of their steam. Kids playground and toilet facilities within the park... and a majority of the ovals are booked out over the summer months for team sports. Great park to go with friends in summertime for a picnic. Well maintained lawns, etc. Keep an eye out for the cute little possoms at night. x

Anyone for a bit of #dogspotting?…read more I have long confessed that I am a dog stalker. I have been known to take unnecessary detours through Fawkner Park just in case someone's dog wants to come say hi to me. It's such a good park for it. While not fully enclosed like some dog parks, there is substantial tree coverage and the middle sections are not too close to any major intersections - so unless you have a pup known for bolting, safer than most off lead areas. A former employer of mine even holds their Canine Christmas parties here! But dogs aside, this is a nice park and deceptive in size. Hidden away between busy St. Kilda Road and Commercial Road, there are massive divided sections of park here with great walking/cycling tracks through the middle. On a daily basis you'll find people working out, playing soccer, lunching, or teaching their kids how to ride a bike. Plenty of bench seating and shady spots, I've also spent a few hours just hanging around here with friends for a lazy chat in the sun. A nice inner city sanctuary.

The first time I came here, I was meeting up with some friends for a frisbee match. I'm not…read moreparticularly coordinated when it comes to the hand-eye activities and so I suggested I just might cheerlead from the side lines... Well, they were all running around and frolicking about in the sunshine - the huge lawns here are perfect for it - and before I knew it I was playing like a recent graduate from the Ultimate Frisbee Champion School. Apart from friendly frisbee games, the gardens are great for a stroll or a relaxed afternoon under a tree. The community garden in south-west corner is nice to poke around in, as are the hot houses. Keep your eye out for critters in the trees.

I always forget this place is here! I feel absolutely privileged to be so nearby. When you're in…read morethe mood for a beautiful scenic walk, this seems to be the place, providing you don't want to head into the city for the other one. The plant life is super abundant and the amount of grass that's available for picnic is awesome! There's even that nice little playground for the kidlets. The only downside is there's always poo on the ground, yes a big downside. I'm not a fan of that being right in the pathway, especially when you are responsible enough to clean up your own dogs poop! Be kind and keep the pathways and grass clean please!

The bicycle path along the Merri Creek isn't much good for getting anywhere because there are some…read moremore direct routes that you can take. But both C and I enjoy it as a pleasant place to ride through the parkland and along the creek. There are a couple of bridges to cross and plenty of steep hills requiring extensive gear changing as the path winds its way along the Merri Creek. C simply gets off her bike and pushes it up some of the steepest hills. The bike path is shared with pedestrians, dog walkers, baby carriages, so it is not a place for a fast ride. If you want to ride fast try the Brunswick Velodrome along the bike path. I also pass by Ceres Environmental Park and the beautiful Russian Orthodox Church with its gold domes. My favorite feature of this ride is Simon Perry's Rolled Path. It is a fun sculpture that works perfectly with the bicycle path. The sculptor Simon Perry made "The Public Purse" in the Bourke Street Mall. In Coburg the Merri Creeks joins up with the Coburg Lake Reserve where C and I have a break from our ride.

My mate gave me a bike a few years back and it changed my life. It was this rusty old thing he'd…read morehad chained to his fence for years and I had a few at his place and he let me take it home. It's about three years down the track now and I've still got it. I reckon that's a fair claim for its ownership. We have a relationship now. One thing I discovered since getting my bike, is the Merri Creek Bike Trail and I fuckin' love it. The trail meanders along the creek banks from Reservoir right through to Abbotsford. While it's a totally indirect route to either of these places (or any of the in between suburbs), that's kind of the point. You can just relax and cruise along at a leisurely pace and soak up the regenerating bushland and creek banks. There are birds and somehow the noise of nearby traffic evaporates. I love it so much, I'm goin' there right now; not to go anywhere in particular mind... I'm just gonna be cruisin' yo.

Went there for a business lunch with a colleague and they cuffafled about for 2-3 mins bringing out…read morethe coffees at seperate times!! Im livid, not what i expect from a wealthy establishment suchas this. Anyways yelp on!!!

I'm basing this review purely off my Kooyong Classic experience. I'm yet to experience the joy of…read moreactually visiting the dining room or the gym / pool (which isn't open to non members anyway). The classic is a great exhibition warm up for the intense two weeks that is the Australian Open. It's very trusting / silly / whatever but they open up a few of the grass courts to create an entertainment precinct, where you can sit down, enjoy a jug (or many as we did over a couple of days) of Pimms/wine / beers. Also available are a small range of snacks to balance out the beer and Pimms. Kooyong is an old school stadium. You get benches and full sunlight. So take a hat, cover up and wear heaps of sunscreen. I did note that they erected a shade over one section of the stadium so that will be popular on a blistering day. The only thing I think Kooyong is doing wrong, as an exhibition event is the ticket prices. An adult for 1 day is around $85. Which is incredibly restrictive and it's shown in how empty the stands are sometimes. It's such a lovely event to attend it seems like such a shame that it isn't more accessible and instead the potential crowds will instead go to the Aus Open, not that there's anything wrong with that either.

Nestled at the foot of the Dandenongs, The Retarding Basin is the perfect place to take the dog and…read moreunwind whilst taking a stroll around the track. A crushed rock path weaves its way through the open fields, around the large water basin, and across a huge field, before crossing the river and through the mangroves lake. Beautiful stuff. All the while, there's a great view of the mountain looming above you, and although civilization is minutes away, you feel like you're in your own private universe. With many others knowing the place, its best to keep your pup on a lead to avoid any instances, that way, both you and your best friend can enjoy the stroll in peace.

A beautiful place to walk with great paths and two lakes. No Shelter, bbqs, toilets and only a…read morecouple of seats, so don't plan to stay for the day unless you come prepared. Perfect for your dogs to swim and play and socialise, but please don't take unsocialised animals there unless you're prepared to introduce your dog slowly and gently to other dogs, as you could turn any corner and come face to face with a giant Jack Russell or some other breed equally intimidating . Most dogs you meet will be off leash and having a great time, fetching balls and sticks and having a good time. Not all people like each other and sometimes dogs take a dislike to each other too and trouble ensues, which is horrible for the owners. It is always better to be prepared if you can. Just letting you know beforehand so you will have a wonderful time with your dogs when you get there. I don't mean to be patronising but I have seen a couple of dogfights in my time and I don't want to see another one. And... the views to the Dandenongs are lovely too. Hope to see you there.