A wonderful hidden little strip of nature. A wonderful respite from the hustle and bustle of…read moresuburbia, parks like this are largely underappreciated. Brought the wife and kids down here a couple months ago for some live jazz, and whenever we visit friends nearby we picnic with their family here too. Today I brought my laptop and got some work done in the shade, listening to the water fowl play, and the other murmurings of a park. A pleasant reminder that I should share my love of this special place with my fellow suburbanites. Pros: Proximity to life, great walks around the lake, wildlife, great for sunset/sunrise walks. Cons: No Swimming thanks to pollution.

It is amazing how Melbourne's suburbia hides away little pockets of nature. You can be driving…read morealong with the trees on the nature strip and eventually you realise the houses themselves are gone, replaced by the sprawling expanse of a sanctuary. Blackburn Lake Sanctuary is on of these many magical places. Tucked in from the train line and busier surrounding roads, it is near a number of schools, so it's no surprise their field trips will include walking through the park and looking for wildlife. With open park area and play ground for kids, there is perfect space for picnics and events. Community music events - like a jazz festival in February - will often set up shop here for people to attend and listen for free. And after you've stuffed yourself with nonna's best home cooking and cleaned up the paper plates, what better way to burn it all off than with a walk around the lake itself. Not so big that the whole family couldn't do it, there are several smaller paths leading to different places outside the realms of the park. One school actually backs on it, as does a nearby church. All manner of wildlife can be found - ducks, birds, even a fox once or twice. Don't swim - apparently in the 50s they used to, but sadly water pollution has turned that idea quite sour. However, sitting by the water and watching life go by has never looked better.

Lakewood Lake is situated in the middle of the Lakewood Estate in Knoxfield. It is a medium size…read morebody of water that is complete with its own island in the middle. It is the home to a diverse range of wildlife - from the Pobblebonk frogs in the smaller pond adjacent to the lake, to the territorial magpies that are prone to swoop cyclists. (If you are going to cycle around the lake make sure to put pipe cleaners - or something similar- on your helmet to scare the magpies away). I have been swooped a handful of times riding my bike there and crashing into a tree as a result isn't really the elegant cyclist look I was going for. Ducks and Geese live in the lake and love getting a free feed from visitors who venture out onto the pier to feed them. The only annoying thing about the pier is the amount of bird poo on the railings, which prevents you from leaning out over the water - in hindsight that is probably a good thing. There is a wide walking track surrounding the lake with the option of talking the short 800metre route or extending your walk by taking detours through the forested surrounds to a maximum of 1.2kms. The busiest times are around six am and six pm. There are a handful of benches to sit and enjoy the view and a drinking tap. Despite being set in the middle of the suburb you don't really notice the houses or hear traffic. It is a really peaceful place to relax and unwind.

Pretty good local park. The playground, BMX track, and picnic area attracts a lot of families…read more The football field is used for organized sports most weekends. The best feature of this park is that it connects the fully separated bicycle paths that link the two primary schools, the train station, and the supermarket.

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.

Ruffey Lake park has something for everyone. Plenty of…read moreBBQ's and covered tables and benches, fun playgrounds, and a huge off leash dog area. Clean toilets and actual working taps ( yes lots of public toilets have no working taps, no locking doors and just plain gross). I find Ruffey lake very enjoyable to visit and amenities are well maintained. Lots of hills and paths for variety. Definitely a lovely day out!

This is a big park. Like huge…read more It feels like you could be far away from the world, but then you can get a glimpse of nearby houses and a small view of the Doncaster mall sitting up on a hill. It really is nice for a daytime, the sun is out so you should be outside type of day. It's good for a walk around their many paths, or for a picnic on one of their many open hilly spaces. If I was a dog, this would be optimum day out stuff. Because at Ruffey Lake Park, there are dogs galore, on leashes, on the footpath, running around, soaking up some sun rays, taking a dip into the lake, this park is their oyster. The lake itself, is average size, it's nothing to exclaim over, or take in. For seating, if you didn't take a blanket with you and are one of those don't-like-grass people, then find yourself one of the many benches that are laid out throughout the park. For the kiddies, there are two playgrounds with swings and activities, I feel like whenever I've been here, that area is hands down the most populated part of the park. For all of your park needs, Ruffey Lake is a stand out.

The Tim Neville Arboretum in Ferntree Gully is a perfect spot for an afternoon out with a young…read morefamily. There is a large playground that has been recently renovated and is brand new. It has a child safe gates and a fence around it to encourage supervision. It is a pretty popular playground and gets quite busy on sunny days. The park has two really pretty lakes complete with ducks. There are boardwalks and bridges to walk over and a nice track that meanders all around the park. To appreciate the peace and the beautiful scenery make sure to take a seat at one of the park benches scattered all around - they are perfectly placed for the best views. Although if you are coming for peace and quiet you'd be best off coming during a weekday as on weekends and school holidays there will be kids everywhere. The Knox Bicycle Track runs alongside the park making it a great picnic lunch spot if you're going on a big ride. Kids often ride their bikes around the tracks in the park and there are plenty of grass areas big enough to kick a ball around and be more active. Supervision of kids is essential around the lake as there are no barriers or anything to prevent people from falling in. Dogs are common visitors to the park and must be kept on a leash at all times. The park is really unique in that it caters to every member of the family, young and old and it really is a beautiful spot. Very popular for wedding receptions and events there is a pergola at one end that often plays host to quite a crowd. There are adequate parking spaces available as well as side street parking.

With the outer east slowly building up and attracting more and more new residents to the area, one…read moredifference we have to the west is the amount of greenery we hold dear. At the foot of the Dandenongs, between Fern Tree Gully and Boronia, sits the Tim Neville Arbouretum, a huge expanse of lakes, fountains and open space that has been a favourite for picnics, weddings and lazy Sunday afternoons for as long as I can remember. As a kid we used to come here on our bikes and tear around the paved track that winds its way through, across the footbridge and past the amphitheatre, that is home to yearly Christmas Carols by Candlelight. Perfect on a warm day, there are also BBQ's to use, and plenty of rooms for a large group.

The Blue Lotus Water Garden is Australia's largest water garden and contains thousands of rare and…read moreextremely beautiful lotus flowers and water lilies, including the Giant Amazon Lily, Giant Crocodile Plant, 2000 year old Oga Lotus plants in a Japanese garden, Winch tropical lilies and night flowering lilies. There is also a Little Yarra River Trail featuring massive river gums, native animals and birds. The lakes and ponds attract water birds such as herons and cormorants. The Garden is open over summer and autumn until the 6th of April and now is apparently the best time to see it. The Giant Amazon Lily and Giant Crocodile Plant were both flowering when I visited on Saturday the 15th of February. The Garden has a BBQ shelter (gold coin operated) and shaded picnic area as well as shaded seating on the walking trails. N.B. The flies can be a bit of a nuisance so don't forget to take a can of insect repellent. Assistance and guide dogs are the only animals permitted to enter the Garden. The Garden is closed when weather conditions are extremely hot or otherwise dangerous. I was told that, on a 40* day, the temperature in the Garden can be 45*. Other facilities include a retail nursery, gift shop, ladies' boutique, garden shop and the Cafe Lotus, which has shaded outdoor seating with beautiful views across the Cafe Pond. The Cafe opens at 9.30 am on weekends and public holidays but entry to the Garden is not permitted until 10.30 am. Access to all areas other than the Garden is free. Email: info@bluelotuswatergarden.com.au

Heaven to dogs and dog walkers; the Koonung Creek Reserve is one enormous canine playground…read more An off-leash park, there are trails and ovals where dogs of every breed imaginable disport themselves and owners chat. The Reserve also features a little lake, playground and exercise equipment set up periodically along the main trail. The trail is ideal for beginner runners as the hills aren't very steep, and there are a few benches and drinking fountains set up along the way. The track that I normally take stretches from Bulleen Road along the Eastern Freeway to Doncaster Road. Its only short but makes a nice loop, and you aren't too exposed to the freeway sound. Keep your eyes pealed for Eastern Rosellas, Rainbow Lorikeets and other native wildlife around the lake, and if you've got kids with you the playground is great and includes a barbeque area and toilets. The only downside is certain cyclists who speed along the track. Aggressive and not inclined to stop or let you know if they're approaching make sure you keep an eye on your pets and kids. This doesn't occur every day, but I have witnessed poor behavior on the cyclist's part from time to time.