Roller Coaster Trail Run

Kalorama Memorial Reserve marks the start for a Dandenong Ranges trail day: dense, ferny forest, tall Mountain Ash, and well-maintained but uneven paths that give the Roller Coaster Trail Run its name. Founded in 2012, it has the character of a runner-created event, not a slick production, with children running the short circuit and a large field venturing into the ranges. The route follows Hands Rd, Jasper Rd, and Old Coach Rd before descending a fast dirt road, then ascends Observatory Track, noted as potentially the race's steepest climb. The course includes Burkes Lookout, Doongalla Picnic Area, Dodds Track, Camelia Track, and Singleton Terrace, along with the instruction every trail runner knows: “Bomb the descent down the zig zag track.” The second very steep ascent is part of the Roller Coaster Folklore, and the return to Kalorama offers striking views.