Akoonah Park is 11 hectares including a showground, small caravan park, recreation reserve, various community groups & buildings alongside bushland with Cardinia Creek running through it. A very popular weekly market also operates every Sunday from 8.00 am - 1.30 pm, which can make parking difficult.
Begin the walk by following the path to the left of the playground, then cross over the bridge and turn left once you reach the junction of 4 paths. This section takes you through a bush section that is full of bellbirds (Bell Miners) and various parrots which nest here. The bellbirds are quite small and hard to spot, but you'll sometimes catch a flash of their olive green feathers as they fly quickly among the trees.
When you come out onto the footpath turn right and walk until you you see Holm Park Rd on your left, at this spot you turn right and re-enter Akoonah Park. Follow this path until you get back to the 4 way junction and turn left, continuing until you are almost at the footy oval.
Just before the oval is a small path down to the left which comes out at the road, this can be a bit wet and muddy after rain so please take care. Cross over the road and go up the path between to pond on the right and the fence on the left. Follow along the path to the right when it reaches Lakeview Terrace up to the larger pond, part of the Beaconsfield Wetlands, where there's a place to sit and watch the waterbirds.
Cross over Fieldstone Blvd to the right of the roundabout towards the main road and just past the bus stop there's a path through another part of the wetlands which comes back out onto the main footpath near the shops. Cross back over Beaconsfield-Emerald Rd at the traffic lights and follow the path past the memorial plaques and underneath the heritage sign. Near the tennis courts turn left over the bridge and right on the other side, walking alongside Cardinia Creek. This is where the off-leash dog area is and there are also some poo bag dispensers and bins. Follow the line of the creek until the end of the path, turn left and the car park is not far away.
The tracks are generally good and wide, rough gravel and footpath mostly flat with no major hilly bits, but there can be a few muddy patches after heavy rain.
Starting Point: The car park area at the far end of Cardinia St, Berwick.
There is street parking along Cardinia St, plus a small parking area at the end, near the children's playground.
Distance: 3.2km
Toilets: The closest is a public toilet near the shops at 22-24 Princes Hwy, Beaconsfield
Other (possibly cleaner) options not far away are in the middle of Main St or at the Woollies complex in Berwick.
Dogs: Allowed (includes an off-leash area & a few spots for dog swimming)
For your GPS: 59 Cardinia Street, Berwick VIC
Hi Janie,
Did you put a starting time for the walk in the post? I couldn’t see one ther, although I know that it is 9:30am, but perhaps newcomers may not know.
Cheers, Philippa.