Olinda is one of the best-known villages in the Dandenong Ranges, combining cool-climate gardens, mountain ash forest, boutique shopping, cafes and walking tracks in a high-elevation setting around an hour east of...
Dandenong Ranges Suburbs
The Dandenong Ranges are made up of mountain villages, leafy foothill suburbs and rural communities, each offering a different way to experience the region. The current Dandenong Ranges Point directory includes Olinda, Mount Dandenong, Belgrave, Gembrook, Sassafras, Ferntree Gully, Emerald, Monbulk, Sherbrooke, Kallista, Mount Evelyn, Silvan, Upwey, Ferny Creek, Kalorama and many smaller communities across the hills.
Some places are best known for major attractions, while others stand out for gardens, forest walks, village shopping, cafes or quieter country scenery. Because many of the main villages are close together, it is easy to combine several on the same day trip or weekend visit.
Explore Dandenong Ranges Villages & Suburbs
- Olinda and Sassafras – Two of the best-known mountain villages for cool-climate gardens, cafes, tearooms, boutique shopping and seasonal colour.
- Belgrave and Emerald – Strong choices for Puffing Billy, family attractions, lakes, forest walks and easy access from Melbourne.
- Mount Dandenong and Kalorama – Visit for elevated views, scenic drives, forest scenery and attractions around the highest parts of the ranges.
- Sherbrooke, Kallista and Ferny Creek – Quieter forest communities surrounded by mountain ash, gardens, walking tracks and wildlife.
- Foothill and rural communities – Ferntree Gully, Upwey, Monbulk, Silvan, Gembrook and other areas offer markets, reservoirs, parks, farms and less-crowded local experiences.
Browse the listings below to choose a Dandenong Ranges village, plan a day trip or discover somewhere new to explore across the hills east of Melbourne.
Olinda
Olinda, VIC
Mount Dandenong
Mount Dandenong, VICMount Dandenong is one of the highest and most recognisable parts of the Dandenong Ranges, known for panoramic views across Melbourne, tall mountain ash forest, walking tracks and some of the region’s best-known...
Belgrave
Belgrave, VICBelgrave is a main gateway to the Dandenong Ranges and one of the region’s most practical places to base a visit. It combines a lively village centre with Puffing Billy Railway, forest walks, family attractions...
Gembrook
Gembrook, VICGembrook sits on the eastern edge of the Dandenong Ranges, where the forested hills around Belgrave and Emerald begin to open into farmland and more remote bushland. The town is best known as the eastern terminus of the...
Sassafras
Sassafras, VICSassafras is one of the Dandenong Ranges’ best-known mountain villages, with traditional tearooms, boutique shopping, cool-climate gardens, and easy access to forest walks, all within about an hour of central...
Ferntree Gully
Ferntree Gully, VICFerntree Gully sits at the western foot of the Dandenong Ranges, where Melbourne’s eastern suburbs meet the national park’s steep, forested slopes. It is best understood as a gateway to the ranges rather...
Emerald
Emerald, VICEmerald is one of the main towns on the eastern side of the Dandenong Ranges, combining a practical village centre with family attractions, lakeside parkland, heritage railway experiences and easy access to surrounding...
Monbulk
Monbulk, VICMonbulk is a busy rural township on the eastern side of the Dandenong Ranges, surrounded by farmland, nurseries and forest between Kallista, The Patch, Silvan and Mount Evelyn. Unlike the garden villages of Olinda and...
Sherbrooke
Sherbrooke, VICSherbrooke is one of the most forested and atmospheric parts of the Dandenong Ranges, with towering mountain ash, fern gullies, walking tracks and cool-climate gardens creating a very different experience from the...
Kallista
Kallista, VICKallista is a small village in the Dandenong Ranges, surrounded by Sherbrooke Forest and positioned between Belgrave, Monbulk, The Patch and Sherbrooke. It has a quieter, more local feel than Olinda or Sassafras, with a...
Mount Evelyn
Mount Evelyn, VICMount Evelyn is a leafy foothills town on the northern side of the Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Lilydale, Montrose, Silvan and Monbulk. It has a different character from the higher mountain villages. Rather than...
Macclesfield
Macclesfield, VICMacclesfield is a rural locality on the eastern side of the Dandenong Ranges, surrounded by rolling farmland, horse properties, nurseries and bushland between Monbulk, Emerald and Yellingbo. It is not a conventional...
Kilsyth
Kilsyth, VICKilsyth is a suburban foothills community on the western side of the Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Croydon, Mooroolbark, Montrose and Bayswater North. It is not a traditional Dandenong Ranges tourism village, and...
Boronia
Boronia, VICBoronia is a large suburban centre at the western foothills of the Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Bayswater, Ferntree Gully, The Basin and Wantirna. It is not a traditional mountain village, and visitors should...
Cockatoo
Cockatoo, VICCockatoo is a small township in the eastern Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Emerald and Gembrook along the historic Puffing Billy railway. It has a more local, rural feel than the heavily visited villages around...
Montrose
Montrose, VICMontrose is a leafy foothills suburb at the northern entrance to the Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Kilsyth, Mooroolbark, Mount Evelyn and the steep climb towards Kalorama and Mount Dandenong. It is best...
Silvan
Silvan, VICSilvan is a rural locality on the eastern side of the Dandenong Ranges, best known for flower farms, fruit growing, Silvan Reservoir and the annual Tesselaar Tulip Festival. There is no conventional town centre or busy...
Ferny Creek
Ferny Creek, VICFerny Creek is a small, leafy locality in the upper Dandenong Ranges, surrounded by forest between Upper Ferntree Gully, Sassafras and Sherbrooke. It has no conventional village centre or large shopping strip. Instead...
Upwey
Upwey, VICUpwey is a leafy foothills village on the southern side of the Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Upper Ferntree Gully and Tecoma on the Belgrave railway line. It combines a genuine local town centre with cafes...
Selby
Selby, VICSelby is a small, forested community in the southern Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Belgrave, Menzies Creek, Kallista and Clematis. It is not a conventional tourist village with a main shopping strip or large...
Lysterfield
Lysterfield, VICLysterfield is a large outer-eastern suburb on the southern edge of the Dandenong Ranges, best known for Lysterfield Park and its extensive network of mountain-bike trails, walking tracks, picnic areas and lake-based...
The Basin
The Basin, VICThe Basin is a leafy foothills suburb on the western edge of the Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Boronia, Ferntree Gully and the steep climb towards Sassafras. It has a small local shopping centre, family...
Kalorama
Kalorama, VICKalorama is a small mountain locality on the northern side of the Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Montrose and Mount Dandenong along Mount Dandenong Tourist Road. Its name is associated with “beautiful...
Upper Ferntree Gully
Upper Ferntree Gully, VICUpper Ferntree Gully is a main gateway to the southern Dandenong Ranges and the closest town to the famous 1000 Steps. The suburb sits where Melbourne’s eastern suburbs meet the steep forested slopes of Dandenong...
Tecoma
Tecoma, VICTecoma is a small foothills village in the Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Upwey and Belgrave on the Belgrave railway line. It is much smaller and less visitor-focused than neighbouring Belgrave. Still, its railway...
The Patch
The Patch, VICThe Patch is a small rural locality in the Dandenong Ranges between Kallista and Monbulk, surrounded by farmland, forest, nurseries and residential acreage. It is much quieter than the better-known mountain villages and...
Clematis
Clematis, VICClematis is a small rural locality in the eastern Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Menzies Creek and Emerald along the Puffing Billy railway. It is not a conventional visitor town with a large shopping strip or...
Menzies Creek
Menzies Creek, VICMenzies Creek is a small rural township in the southern Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Selby and Clematis along the Puffing Billy railway. Its main visitor attraction is the Menzies Creek Museum, one of the most...
Tremont
Tremont, VICTremont is one of the smallest and most heavily forested localities in the Dandenong Ranges, positioned between Upper Ferntree Gully, Ferny Creek, Sassafras and The Basin. Almost the entire suburb sits within Dandenong...
What are the best villages to visit in the Dandenong Ranges?
Olinda, Sassafras, Belgrave, Mount Dandenong and Emerald are among the most popular visitor areas, while Sherbrooke, Kallista, Gembrook and Silvan offer quieter alternatives.
Which Dandenong Ranges village is best for cafes and shopping?
Olinda and Sassafras are particularly strong for cafes, tearooms, boutique shops and relaxed village browsing, while Belgrave has a livelier mix of dining, entertainment and shops.
Which Dandenong Ranges areas are best for nature?
Sherbrooke, Mount Dandenong, Ferny Creek and Ferntree Gully provide easy access to Dandenong Ranges National Park, forest walks, waterfalls, birdlife and picnic areas.
Can you visit several Dandenong Ranges villages in one day?
Yes. Many of the main villages are only a short drive apart, making it practical to combine places such as Sassafras, Olinda, Mount Dandenong and Kalorama, or Belgrave and Emerald, on the same trip.
