Heatherton, Melbourne: What can I do in Karkarook Park?
Karkarook Park is the biggest park in Heatherton, Melbourne. Try fishing for rainbow trout in Karkarook Lake of birdwatching from the observation tower at the Dragon Fly Picnic Ground.
Heatherton is one of seemingly millions of suburbs to the south-east of Melbourne, and most overseas visitors won’t have any cause to go there. Unless they play golf, of course.
14 fantastic experiences that make the most of your free time in Melbourne
- Get the very best views – on a hot air balloon flight over the city.
- See the changing colours of the river – on a sunset kayaking tour – with dinner. (Highly recommended ✅)
- Feast and see the sights at the same time – on a four course dinner cruise along the Yarra River.
- A genuinely excellent street art tour, led by prominent street artists. (Highly recommended ✅)
- The also superb Aboriginal heritage, plants and bush food tour in the Botanic Gardens. (💲 Great value 💲)
- Best of Melbourne bike tour – you can see more on two wheels than walking.
- Hidden laneways bar crawl OR foodie discovery tour OR chocolate and dessert tour.
- Combo ticket for Australian Sports Museum and MCG tour.
- Hassle-dodging advance tickets for the Melbourne Skydeck, Melbourne Zoo, the Ice Bar (with cocktails) and Sea Life Aquarium.
Heatherton golf courses
Heatherton is home to the Capital Golf Course and Kingston Heath Golf Club, both of which are highly regarded. The Capital Golf Course is where the Melbourne Golf Academy is based, and the Kingston Heath Golf Club is one of the finest courses in the world. It hosted the 2016 World Cup of Golf. The Yarra Yarra Golf Club in neighbouring Bentleigh East is another option.
Unsurprisingly, given these golf courses, Heatherton is low density and has a lot of green space. The Kingston Heath Reserve is next to the two golf courses, but the main site of interest to non-golfers is Karkarook Park.
👇 7 great day trips while you’re in Melbourne 👇
- Great Ocean Road tour – with koalas 🐨.
- Brighton Beach, Moonlit Sanctuary and Phillip Island tour – with penguins 🐧.
- Yarra Valley wine tour – with gin, cider and cheese 🍷.
- Grampians National Park tour – with bushwalks and LOADS of kangaroos 🦘.
- Mornington Peninsula tour – with hot springs bathing 🛀.
- Wilsons Promontory tour – with all manner of native wildlife 🦘🐨.
- Dandenong Ranges steam train ride – plus wildlife at Healesville Sanctuary and chocolate-tasting in the Yarra Valley.
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Karkarook Park in Heatherton
Karkarook Park is remnant of sand mining operations in Melbourne’s suburban sandbelt, which Heatherton is very much a part of. The park is based around the 15 hectare Karkarook Lake, an artificial lake that’s popular for boating and canoeing. There are also plenty of rainbow trout in Karkarook Lake if you want to have a go at fishing.
Otherwise there are 6km of walking trails in Karkarook Park, many of which head through the birdlife filled wetlands. The best birdwatching is done from the observation tower next to the Dragon Fly Picnic Ground, though. The Dragon Fly picnic ground has electric barbecues and undercover picnic tables should you wish to hang out in Karkarook Park a bit longer.
Moorabbin Airport near Heatherton, Melbourne
Moorabbin Airport is just to the south of Heatherton, and the runway backs on to the Heatherton Golf Course. You’ll find the Australian National Aviation Museum on the Moorabbin Airport site. Otherwise, Heatherton isn’t really on the main route to anywhere else on the way out of Melbourne. You’d have to take a slight detour off the quickest to visit Karkarook Park on the way to the Mornington Peninsula, for example.
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