Coburg Lake Reserve is a city oasis not ten minutes drive of the CBD. I didn't even know such a…read morehaven existed until the start of this year. With two kids and a need to free my mind with fresh air whilst they play, there simply is no better place than here. Three playgrounds with every thing a kid could want to play with, and good walking distance between all three so mummy gets the refreshment she needs! Wildlife is a plenty off the shore of the lake and it's delightful to see the hoards of families with their bright, colourful blankets out picnicking on sunny weekends, kids squealing with a mix of joy and fear as they throw bread to the energetic and sometimes intimidating ducks and swans. I love it for all the walking tracks, each one ultimately leading to some monument or imposing statue, playground or viewing platform. The tranquility of watching the streams of the lake, listening to the water amidst the parklands brings such serenity. History abounds with bluestone hedging along some of the trails. Complete with amphitheatre and lake side gazebo, huge free BBQ facilities, plenty of seating including wooden, patio like seats with direct frontage overlooking the lake, and shaded areas; to me it's magical, heaven within a tram ride away to the city.

Finally there is a break in the weather and I can go for a bicycle ride around the Coburg Lake…read moreReserve. This former quarry for the bluestone granite that built the old Pentridge Prison was made into a lake with extensive parkland around it about a hundred years ago. There is so much in this large park with lots of lawns and trees. On my ride I pass a few sculptures in the park, a couple of playgrounds (one with the largest twister game board in the world), BBQs, picnic tables, a band stand, bicycle trails, seats, picnic tables and of course, a couple of toilet blocks. I stop and rest at a new beautifully designed lookout point with a view over the valley. I rode around the lake. There are ducks and a swan and cygnets on the lake and on the lawns a couple of galahs are foraging for food. And there are many people, like myself, picnicking the park and the good weather but the park is so large that it doesn't feel crowded, except right down by the lake. I leave the park and follow the bicycle trail south along the Merri Creek but that's another story.

I walked past this place one day a few years ago and as soon as I saw the old steam train parked…read moreout the front all the memories of my childhood came flooding back. I still remember coming down here around Christmas time for picnics with the extended family and spending our time climbing all over the train. Much has changed since then as all of the train has been fenced off with the exception of the drivers cabin. They have also built a modern playground, but they still have the lake (which unfortunately they discourage you from swimming in, drinking from, fishing in, and duck shooting in: in fact I don't think you can do anything with the lake except look at it, and I'm pretty sure they will not appreciate you attempting to waterski in it, not that I would recommend it considering that it is pretty shallow). However, despite the lack of water activities, this place is still a great place for a picnic, and who knows, one day you may wander down here and discover an African choir singing in the ampitheatre (I did).

This park is actually a part of the Darebin Creek Parklands, and it is a rather charming place as…read morewell. I walk past it reasonably often, and one of my local supermarkets is located nearby. Mind you, it is more a park for children to play in, so I guess I'm a bit too old to take advantage of that. Still, it is rather nice, and they do keep it in pretty good nick. Also, there are some nice shelters here as well, so that's pretty good as well.

NOTES: ~ Bring some good tennis shoes or hiking boots. I…read moredidn't expect us to end up here when my friends and I went out for a drive and ended up needing to navigate through Kangaroo poop and rocks with open-toed heels. La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary is great for people who want a nice experience of Australian wildlife, but don't have the money to go deep into the outback. I fit the bill, and I genuinely really like this place! It is quiet, serene, and even better if you play the Jurassic Park theme song in your head while wandering through the pristine jungle-like reserve. Prepare to meet KANGAROOS! We saw some adorable kangaroos and silently watched them for a bit of time. Because the kangaroos aren't kept in cages or enclosures, the experience at this wildlife sanctuary is even better than an actual zoo! The kangaroos are free to roam - just be careful not to piss anything off! La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary is a fantastic nature experience and I would definitely bring anyone here. In fact, it makes me quite jealous of students attending La Trobe University! They get easy access to a beautiful reserve!~

I'm not really sure whether I can consider this to be a national park, like those parks where…read morepeople travel to just to go bushwalking. I guess the reason that I say that is because there really isn't all that much bush here. I'm sure there was once, but most of the trees have been removed, probably because this place used to be sheep paddocks (or more likely cattle actually). Still, it is close to home, and when you get to the top of the hills, you do get some pretty amazing views. Also, there are some shelters at some strategic points where you can rest, or if you are like my, sit down and have a packed lunch. At the top, there is a lookout, though unfortunately the lookout is over South Morang, so unfortunately there is really nothing to see there.

Its a cool place, I would recommend. The only downside is that sometimes when you wanna play…read morethere's no nets. But overall its a good place to train and have fun!