Length: 3.7 km

Time taken: 50 mins (including breaks for pictures)

Grade: Easy

Climb: n/a

Cherry Lake is a relatively short and basic walk around a lake, with a view of Altona’s industrial structures in the background. Half the walk is parkland, and the other half is a conservation area with a bird hide and some wetlands. The walk was flat but thanks to the change in scenery between the conservation and recreation areas there was enough variety to keep it interesting.

Map

Fisherman sitting on a short pier over the lake

A map of the lake

Altona's industrial area in the distance.

Cute ducks in the lake

The official separation between the conservation and recreation area.

The conservation area

A nice tree along the path

The bird hide

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The path through the conservation area

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Length: 6.35 km

Time taken: 1 hours, 50 mins (including breaks for pictures)

Grade: Easy

Climb: 20 metres (as measured by RunKeeper)

This walk followed the Patterson River from the beach to the Frankston Freeway and back. The whole walk was quite open and exposed which resulted in me getting a touch of sunburn on my arms and neck. I’m glad I had company for this walk because it would have been long and boring without it.

From the path we saw boats and jet-skis on the river, and the back of houses on the land. The beach at the end was lovely as the sun was fully out.

Map

The Frankston train line and Nepean Hwy bridges crossing the river near the entrance.

The path along the river was quite wide and exposed for the length of it.

People sitting on a small patch of beach along the river.

A bridge crossing one of the river inlets.

The view from the bridge.

A different angle from the bridge

Rocks across the river near the freeway bridge.

A lizard trying to find his way to the other side of the fence near the beach.

A statue beside the beach.