About us
Join Walking With Grace for outdoor adventures across the beautiful Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Ranges.
We bring people together to create meaningful outdoor experiences that nurture. We offer short walks, full‑day hikes, mountain adventures, camping trips, rafting, and opportunities to learn about local plants, wildlife, and develop your outdoor skills. Whether you’re building fitness, seeking friendship, or wanting to reconnect with nature, our events give you a supportive space to grow at your own pace, learn and reconnect with nature.
We’re a faith‑inspired, non‑profit community that believes grace is more than a word —For us, grace is a way of moving through the world — with love, gentleness, and openness toward others. We welcome people from all walks of life, all backgrounds, and all beliefs. If you enjoy nature and value a supportive, uplifting community, you’ll feel right at home.
After each walk, you can continue the journey by sharing photos, trail maps, and stories on our free community platform: https://club.hiking.org.au — a place to connect with fellow members, discover new adventures, and celebrate the joy of exploring together. Because adventures are meant to be shared.
Walking with Grace and Hiking.org.au are a division of Social Support INC a Registered Non-profit organisation
Upcoming events
5
Frankston exploratory walk
George Pentland Botanic Gardens, 41N Williams St, Frankston VIC 3199, Australia, Frankston, AUWalk: 14km
Terrain: mostly flat, sand walking on beach, narrow bush trails, concrete suburban paths, a section of scrambling on sand hills
Elevation gain: 200 meters (approx).
Highlights: Kananook canal trail, Frankston beach, Oliver's hill (views across the bay), Sweetwater Creek, George Pentland botanical gardens.Join me (Sandra) for this exploratory walk around Frankston and parts of Mount Eliza. I have done this walk three times before but haven't marked it out. Today we will be doing this, so the walk could involve frequent stops, some checking of way points and possibly doubling back to find alternatives or check out potential new sections. The walk numbers are capped to eight as it is exploratory. This hike will be repeated as a full hike in the future. Today is for mapping out details. This is a casual paced hike.
For the first section of our 14km hike, we’ll be taking a scenic detour through the beautiful George Pentland Botanic Gardens. Originally a municipal golf course, this stunning 7.5-hectare sanctuary has been transformed into a haven for native Australian flora. We will complete a relaxing ~1.2km loop along the garden's well-maintained, undulating paths, passing a beautiful fern gully, native rainforest zones, and indigenous Dreaming poles. We’ll also take a quick moment to pause by the central ornamental lake to spot the local birdlife before pressing on with the rest of our 14km journey. From here we will walk to the Kananook Trail via streets and a sports oval. An easy, consistently flat walk heading north along the banks of the Kananook Creek Trail will navigate a mix of natural dirt paths, boardwalks, and brief gravel transitions. This shaded green lung acts as a quiet buffer between the highway and the coast, offering a dense, leafy bush-walking atmosphere. Expect to see stunning reflections on the tidal creek, vibrant birdlife (including spoonbills, herons, and cormorants), and the classic coastal tea-tree scrub. At our turning point at the Long Island Tennis Club we turn south for a stunning, adventurous beach-and-cliff-face expedition back toward Olivers Hill. We'll leave the creek behind, hitting the sand to walk the vast expanse of Frankston Beach before following the popular board walk section to the base of the hill. Instead of taking the highway over the top, we are choosing the ultimate scenic route: walking right under the towering cliffs along the water's edge. This stretch requires a bit of teamwork and agility as the boardwalk ends and we navigate the rocky, sandy shoreline around the point. Expect a fun challenge as we scramble up and over the coastal sand hills to reach the secluded beach beneath Gulls Way. We’ll finish this leg with a heart-pumping climb up the hidden public steps from Gulls Way, popping out onto the highway.
Emerging from the top of the Gulls Way stairs onto the Nepean Highway, we'lll cross over and up to Sweetwater Creek parkland via Fleetwood Crescent. From the top of the creek, we will follow the winding waters downstream through an incredible contrast of steep gullies, open eucalypt forests, and dense fern pockets. The highlight of this stretch is The Granites, a beautiful section where the creek rushes over massive natural rock formations and boulders. We'll cross swinging bridges and navigate boardwalks all the way down to the Liddesdale Avenue exit near the highway. From there, it's a direct, steady 1.2km street walk up through the quiet avenues of Frankston South to cross back into the peaceful grounds of George Pentland Botanic Gardens where we started our epic 14km.Bring: 2+ Litres of drinking water, sun protection, your lunch, your bathers if you fancy a dip in the sea (depending on the desires of the group we can stop for a short break/swim).
## • 🌦 Weather & Safety
We hike in all conditions — rain, shine, mist, or cold — as long as it remains safe to do so. If weather conditions become unsafe (strong winds, storms, extreme heat, or track closures), we may modify or postpone the walk. Any updates will be posted on the event page.
## ❤️ About Walking With Grace & Our Hiking Community
Walking With Grace is a faith‑inspired, non‑profit community that welcomes people from all backgrounds and beliefs. Our hikes are community‑led, volunteer‑run, and focused on connection, kindness, and enjoying nature together.
This event is part of **club.hiking.org.au**, a free online hiking community where you can:
*Download GPX files
*Share your outdoor adventures
*Connect with other hikers
*Discover new trails and inspiration
Because** Adventures Are Meant to Be Shared.**
## ✨ RSVP Etiquette
If your plans change, please update your RSVP so we can plan well in advance and make space for others on the waitlist.
## 🌟 We Look Forward to Sharing This Adventure With You
Every walk is a chance to slow down, breathe deeply, and enjoy the simple gift of being outdoors together. Whether you’re joining us for the first time or returning for another adventure, we’re grateful to have you with us.
We look forward to sharing this experience with you — the conversations, the views, the quiet moments, and the joy of walking side by side.
Because** Adventures Are Meant to Be Shared.**
🌟** How Can You Help WWG?**
If you have suggestions for walks you would like to do or can recommend please let us know.
WWG is run by volunteers. Fees are incurred to run the group. If you would like to donate to help spread the cost, any contribution would be very gratefully received.
Bank Details: BSB 484799 ACC 481491970
⚠️ Disclaimer
This is a social, community‑led outing rather than a guided or professionally supervised activity. By attending, you accept responsibility for your own safety and wellbeing.
The route may include uneven ground, shallow water crossings, slippery surfaces, and natural hazards typical of bush environments. Please consider your fitness and comfort level, bring suitable gear, and look out for one another as we move through the terrain. If conditions change or anything feels unsafe, we’ll adjust the plan together as a group.
Our volunteers carry first‑aid supplies, an emergency radio, and satellite navigation/communication devices. These are available to support the group, but they are not a substitute for personal preparedness. We also recommend having active ambulance cover whenever you take part in outdoor activities.6 attendeesSpring Walk - Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden (6km) and opt 8km hike afterwards.
Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden, 75 The Georgian Rd, Olinda, al, AUSpring is one of the most breathtaking times to explore the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden. The flowers are blooming and the sun is shining.
On this walk, we’ll explore multiple sections of the Botanic Garden, taking our time to enjoy the colours, viewpoints, and peaceful paths. We’ll also visit the Chelsea Australian Garden, a beautifully designed native landscape featuring water elements, sculptural forms, and stunning plant displays.
This is a relaxed, social outing with plenty of opportunities for photos, conversation, and enjoying the crisp autumn air.Optional walk extension for those wanting a big of a bigger walk through neighbouring trails in Olinda. Extra loop will be 6-10 km
## 📍 Meeting Point
Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden – Main Carpark (Olinda) meet just inside the entrance gate near the steps. the car park can get busy, there is overflow parking on the left and also at the oval. both are close by
## 📏 Distance & Difficulty
***Distance: **~5–7 km (depending on final route)
***Grade: **Easy / Moderate
*\ **Terrain: **Garden paths, gentle inclines, some uneven surfaces
**\ *Duration: **~2–3 hours## 🎒 What to Bring
*Water & snacks
- Comfortable walking shoes
*Weather‑appropriate clothing, Waterproof jacket and tee recommended - Sunscreen / hat
*Camera or phone for autumn photos - Any personal items you need
## 🌦 Weather & Safety
We walk in most conditions unless they become unsafe. If strong winds,lightning, or garden closures occur, we may adjust the route or postpone the event.
## ⚠️ Safety Disclaimer
This is a social, community‑led outing, not a guided or professionally supervised activity. By attending, you accept responsibility for your own safety and wellbeing.
Paths may include uneven ground, slippery leaves, and natural hazards. Please consider your fitness and bring suitable gear.
Our volunteers carry first aid, an emergency radio, and satellite communication devices, but these do not replace personal preparedness.## ❤️ About Walking With Grace
Walking With Grace is a faith‑inspired, non‑profit community that welcomes people from all backgrounds and beliefs. Our hikes are volunteer‑run and focused on connection, kindness, and enjoying nature together.
This event is part of club.hiking.org.au — a friendly community for sharing adventures and GPX files. Because Adventures Are Meant to Be Shared.10 attendees- Comfortable walking shoes
Past events
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