1000 Steps/Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd — Attraction in Melbourne

After living here for 13 years, I finally decided to tackle these steps. If you're lucky, you might find a parking spot without too much hassle, though we went on a weekend, which, in hindsight, wasn’t the best choice. Still, luck was on our side, and we managed to get a spot. We were excited because it was so busy—we assumed it must be amazing.

Well, let me tell you, we walked a long, long way before finally reaching the stairs. At one point, I started to wonder if they even existed! When we finally got there, signs informed us that once you start, it's a one-way route. Looking around, I noticed that at least 70% of the visitors were of Asian descent. No problem with that—just an observation—but it made me curious about why it was so popular among that group.

As I began the ascent, I quickly realized there was no view—just a stairway carved into the Dandenong hills. The place was packed. Some people moved faster than I did (good for them), and if you get passed, you need to step aside. You’ll definitely work up a sweat on this climb, which is probably why so many people do it. But again, no view at all.

When you reach the top, guess what? There’s still no view. And because it’s a one-way path, you can’t go back down the stairs—you have to take another route, which is just a street with, yet again, no view.

So, the reality is this: after completing the steps, the only thing you’ll feel good about is the exercise. I couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed, especially seeing all the tourists. I wondered if they were thinking, "Is this really all Melbourne...

As always, I love the outdoors and the fresh air experience. The 1000 steps have been my go-to to drop some body fat and be very fit. The people are generally friendly and will say hello to you here and there. Enjoy the experience and remember it is a national park. Dogs a not allowed, please, please I can't stress this one enough, to do the right thing 👉 and take your...

A great workout for someone like me with a low active lifestyle. I was all red and dehydrated by the time I reached the top. Some of these steps can be super tricky but I took...