Kokoda Memorial Walk

A couple of weeks ago we headed out to the Dandenongs with a group of friends to walk what many Melburnians refer to as "1,000 Steps". Also known as the Kokoda Memorial Walk, the trail was built to honor Australian soldiers (also called "diggers") who fought on the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea during World War II.

The hike itself does not take very long if you are in relatively decent shape. At the top there is a picnic ground, where our group hung out for an hour or so before making the descent. There is a separate, wider trail built intentionally for exercisers right next to the original trail, though we still passed plenty of people running up and down the steps instead of the exercise track.

Our group (minus Erik and I) on the way down!

We saw (and heard!) many kookaburras on this hike. They have a very distinct song that can be heard here if you are interested.

This short hike is definitely worth a visit, especially combined with a few other stops in the Dandenongs, whether that be another hike, a stop at the Sky High Observatory, or coffee at one of the quaint towns nearby.