Tucked into the Yarra Ranges National Park near East Warburton, the Cement Creek Redwood Forest is one of the most photographed natural spots in the Upper Yarra Valley. A short walk from the car park brings you into a cathedral-like grove of Californian (Coast) Redwoods, Sequoia sempervirens, planted in a neat grid so the tall, evenly-spaced trunks draw your eye upward into the canopy. The site holds more than 1,470 trees, the tallest exceeding 55 metres, and the redwoods themselves are now around ninety years old. Entry is free and there are no staff on site, so it is a place to slow down, wander and look up.
The grove began as a scientific experiment. It forms part of the Cement Creek Plantation, established by the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works to test how different conifer species behaved in Melbourne’s water-supply catchments. The first plantings, including the redwoods, went in between 1929 and 1934, alongside Douglas Fir and Monterey and Bishop Pine. A second wave from 1960 to 1963 added Radiata Pine, Western Red Cedar and more redwood. In April 2023 the Cement Creek Plantation was added to the Victorian Heritage Register for its aesthetic, historic and scientific significance.
Recent upgrades, completed in December 2025, have made the forest far easier to visit. There is now additional car parking, a new accessible public toilet, a visitor shelter and a safety gate, along with formalised and upgraded trails, boardwalks and viewing platforms. A Loop Trail links the two plantations, while the Cement Creek trail leads down toward the Cement Creek and Birrarung (Yarra River) confluence and connects to the O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail. Note that there are no bins on site, so please carry in and carry out everything you bring.
A few things are worth knowing before you go. Cement Creek Road is a partially-sealed road that is narrow in places and includes a one-way, one-lane bridge, so take it slowly. Car parking is limited and fills early, often by around 10am on busy weekends and holidays, so an early start helps. Importantly, dogs are not permitted in the forest in order to protect the wildlife and the forest floor; assistance dogs are welcome. Revegetation and planting works continue through 2026 and parts of the site can close at short notice, so it is wise to check the Parks Victoria page for current access notices before setting out.