Donna Buang Road
27 km
distance
24 min
Contour time
8.9
avg score
Sealed
surface
Scenery
Victoria
Donna Buang is the dominant peak of the inner Yarra Ranges, rising to 1,252 metres above the Warburton Valley. The...
Road quality
8.9 RQS
Exceptional. Consistently high curviness, surface, and low traffic.
Accessibility
Fully sealed
Best in Sports car. Peak season: Year-round.
7-day forecast
Excellent sealed road with constant tight corners through mountain ash - the full canopy closes overhead for most of the climb. Sports car or motorbike are ideal. Open year-round but black ice possible above 900m June to August. Summit elevation is 1,252m and the road reaches it almost continuously through the forest.
Scored 8.9/10 by Contour's road quality algorithm across curviness, surface, elevation and traffic. Best suited for sports car drivers.
The road
Donna Buang Road is the closest sealed alpine summit to Melbourne and one of the most satisfying short drives in the Yarra Ranges. From Warburton the road climbs 1,252 metres through unbroken mountain ash forest with corners that arrive at a pace that barely allows you to process the last one before the next appears. The canopy closes overhead for most of the climb - individual trees here exceed 60 metres and the filtered light through the canopy gives the road an enclosed, focused quality. There are no views until the summit because the forest is too dense and too tall to see over. The road surface is well-maintained and the gradient is genuine - in a car with any sort of engine you are working through the gears constantly. The summit itself has a timber lookout tower that rises above the canopy and gives a panoramic view across the Yarra Ranges and the Warburton Valley. On clear days Melbourne is visible to the west. In winter, light snowfall occasionally reaches the summit and Donna Buang becomes the closest snow experience to the city. The descent back to Warburton is equally good and the road pairs naturally with the Reefton Spur for a full Yarra Ranges circuit.
Donna Buang Road is the closest sealed alpine summit to Melbourne and one of the most satisfying short drives in the Yarra Ranges.
Why this road
The region
Donna Buang is the dominant peak of the inner Yarra Ranges, rising to 1,252 metres above the Warburton Valley. The mountain ash forest here is among the tallest in Victoria - individual trees exceed 60 metres. Donna Buang Road was constructed in the 1930s to provide Melbourne residents access to the mountain, and it remains the closest sealed alpine summit to the city.
Before you go
Fuel in Warburton. Road is sealed throughout and open year-round. Black ice is possible above 900m from June to August. The summit carpark has a timber lookout tower. Fog is common on the upper sections in autumn and winter. Moderate traffic on Melbourne weekends - arrive early for the best experience.
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Flag itWorth stopping for
Warburton
A river town at the base of the climb with good cafes, a walking track along the Yarra River and a redwood forest plantation.
Reefton Spur
The companion road out of Warburton - pair Donna Buang with the Reefton Spur for a full Yarra Ranges circuit.
Route
Start
Warburton
End
Donna Buang Summit
Gallery
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