Gembrook to Healesville
35 km
distance
55 min
Contour time
8.9
avg score
Sealed
surface
Scenery
Victoria
The Dandenong Ranges foothills extend east of the main ranges towards Gembrook, transitioning from the well-known...
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
Back road through the Dandenong foothills. Smooth, quiet and mostly ignored. A good short run from Melbourne without any highway time.
Scored 8.9/10 by Contour's road quality algorithm across curviness, surface, elevation and traffic. Best suited for sports car drivers.
The road
The road from Gembrook to Healesville is one of those routes that experienced local drivers know about and almost nobody else does. The 35-kilometre run cuts north through the Dandenong Ranges foothills, alternating between farmland valleys and forest sections on a smooth, well-maintained sealed surface with consistently good corners and almost no traffic. The road is not dramatic - there are no cliffs, no extreme elevation changes - but it has a satisfying pace and quality that rewards drivers looking for a clean hour without highway frustration. The rolling terrain through the middle section produces a series of linked bends that flow well at speed, and the farmland sections on either end give enough open space to see ahead. Both ends connect to interesting places: Gembrook is the eastern terminus of the Puffing Billy railway and Healesville is the gateway to the Yarra Valley wine region. The road is entirely sealed and well-marked, with virtually no truck traffic.
The road from Gembrook to Healesville is one of those routes that experienced local drivers know about and almost nobody else does.
Why this road
The region
The Dandenong Ranges foothills extend east of the main ranges towards Gembrook, transitioning from the well-known tourist areas around Olinda and Belgrave into quieter, less-visited farming country. Gembrook itself is a small town that exists largely because of the Puffing Billy railway, a narrow-gauge steam railway built in 1900, now one of Australia's most popular heritage railways. Healesville to the north is a working town with a strong food and wine scene built around the Yarra Valley winery region immediately to the west. The Healesville Sanctuary, one of Australia's best native wildlife parks, is on the edge of town.
Before you go
Fuel in Gembrook and Healesville. The road is open year-round and fully sealed. Very light truck traffic. Weekend morning traffic is light. Best combined with a Yarra Valley winery visit from Healesville or a Puffing Billy ride from Gembrook. Phone coverage is reliable throughout.
See a routing error?
Flag itWorth stopping for
Puffing Billy Railway, Gembrook
The narrow-gauge steam railway running from Belgrave to Gembrook through the Dandenong Ranges - book ahead as it fills on weekends.
Healesville Sanctuary
One of Australia's best native wildlife parks with platypus, Tasmanian devils and wedge-tail eagles - worth a full morning.
Route
Start
Gembrook
End
Healesville
Gallery
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