Numerous trails threading through the native bushland offer a historical perspective, with remnant ruins trailside and scarred granite walls rising up from the lake. Birdwatching opportunities abound, with more than 45 native species found here, and a short but challenging climb to the top rewards hikers with sweeping views over the Moorooduc plains.
Established in 1887, the Moorooduc Quarry provided stone for local railway works and later buildings as development grew in the region. Closed in 1961 due to extensive flooding, it was established as a flora and fauna reserve in 1973. Stone from the quarry can be found in the buildings and gardens of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch’s Cruden Farm, the comfort station on Nepean Highway at Frankston, and on several private properties at Mount Eliza.
Green exercise, such as a brisk walk through the reserve, invites a sensory experience, where acacias bloom in fluffy tufts of golden yellow in the understory of a eucalypt canopy. Native wildflowers, grasses and bracken carpet the undulating hillside, and playful fairy-wrens dart in and out of the low-lying branches. A melodious song is carried on a warm spring breeze, with its earthy scents of wattle. Connecting with the natural elements through all our senses increases energy, rejuvenating us while relieving stress and anxiety, and promoting relaxation.
Nature can also test our resilience. It can provide the platform for growth and mental fitness when we choose to challenge ourselves in an outdoor environment. A challenging hike up the uneven incline to the viewpoints over the picturesque Moorooduc plains engages more muscles throughout your body, demanding a little more resilience to push through the limits of your comfort zone. Resilience isn’t just the ability to persevere; it can be considered an outlook we can cultivate within to focus on the important things in life.
Green exercise offers both physical and psychological health benefits that can be greater than those from indoor exercise, with effects felt immediately. After all, the best views come after the hardest climb.
