The flying foxes walking route

Are you living in Melbourne?

Do you like walking?

Do you enjoy discovering new and unique things?

If sounds like all these questions have a YES response for you, then, this walking route is a “must”. In recent times, I have Known people who, despite living in Melbourne, still haven’t seen the flying foxes or, what is even worse, they don’t know what they are… I am going to push you guys! Undoubtedly, you should do this activity, don’t be lazy this December by just eating food and opening Christmas presents!

However, not all the hope is lost;). I am going to explain what are they and most important, where are they, so you can visit them. Now that summer and Christmas time is coming trough Melbourne and there will be people with more free time at their holidays for enjoying and doing healthy activities in Melbourne, it is a good moment for putting on sporty clothes, grabbing a bottle of water and get prepared to boosting the number of healthy activities to do.

Flying foxes…maybe you thing that I am insane in my mind because it is hard to believe, just in case you are taking it literally. But don’t judge me that bad; the name of Flying foxes comes from a colony of bats that are living at the Yarra Bend in Melbourne. They can be really big, that is why they may seem to be literally like foxes having wings…Amazing, isn’t it?

Where can the Flying Foxes be found in Melbourne?

There are several routes for going and watching them. I am going to explain the walking route I have done, maybe you know another one, then you are welcomed to leave a comment and/or more walking routes in Melbourne below this post and/or send a “suggestion” email to healthy Melbourne. Let’s explain this “Flying Foxes” route:

My starting point was Flinders Station at Melbourne CBD (Flinders Street with Elisabeth Street). I got into the Metropolitan Train direction Hurstbridge and I dropped off at Westgarth Street Station. It was like 15 min of duration. From Westgarth Station I headed Westgarth Street at the opposite direction of High Street, so direction Fairfield (you can drop off at Fairfield Station as well and just walk to the South direction the Fairfield Boathouse). After 15 min. walking, I arrived to the Fairfield Boathouse & Tea Gardens so with this route you are able to see another great spot in Melbourne. At the Fairfield Boathouse you can hire a boat to explore the river or just seat at the Fairfield Boathouse & Tea Gardens in front of the river and have a picnic. The Tea Gardens Deck has amazing views and they are serving food and refreshments as well. I let you the website, just in case you are interested in it: http://fairfieldboathouse.com I crossed a massive bridge that it is really easy to see from the entrance of the park and then I turned to the right. Well, at this point I was very lucky because I went with a group of friends and we asked to a person who were walking there and he was incredible nice to us so as he joined us to show us where the flying foxes were. We were very fortunate people: Many Thanks to N.! Without your help we simply would be still walking around… I let you a link to Google maps where you can find the flying foxes. We went during the daytime so we found they were almost all sleeping. If you want to see them flying all altogether you should go during the dusk, when they are coming to this point from having been searching for food to relax and sleep during the day. https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/-37.7860853,145.0144164/-37.7927837,145.016194/@-37.7904459,145.015381,1522m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!4m1!3e2

Other info of interest:

The duration of the walking route was between 1,30 and 2 hours whilst being at the Yarra Bend Park.

You will see there is an incredible number of them, it is really crowded and it is amazing to see them all at the same part of the territory but it arrives one point that you can’t see any of them because they mark their territory.

More information about the flying foxes and another route to be considered:

http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/environment-and-wildlife/wildlife/flying-foxes

http://tramwalks.viawalking.com.au/walk-yarra-bend-park/

Many Thanks to: