Jells Park is nestled in the Dandenong Creek Valley, Wheelers Hill, away from the hustle and bustle of urban life. The park attracts over 900,000 visitors a year, with over nine kilometres of paths and trails, 127 hectares of wide open space and enough picnic areas for everyone to enjoy. Jells Park is open every day, including weekends and public holidays, with 24‐hour pedestrian access.
The vehicle entry gate from Waverley Road opens at 8.00am and closes at dusk with 24‐hour vehicle exit.
Vehicle access is from Ferntree Gully Road or Waverley Road. Enter by foot along the Dandenong Creek Trail, the Scotchmans Creek Trail or via the Eastlink Trail on Ferntree Gully Road.
Waverly Road Entrance
Stringy Bark Picnic Area
Parking
Opposite the Stringy Bark picnic area is a series of gravel parking areas. These areas have no designated disabled parking. The surface is a hard gravel road base with stone sizes up to 19 millimetres. The area is level and side protection for wheelchair users can be obtained by parking between the trees.
Toilets
In the centre of the open grassed area is a toilet block. It is accessed via a level asphalt path from the car park. There is a unisex cubicle with ample maneuvering room and space beside the toilet for a wheelchair. The cubicle has a large swing door that opens inwards with a large lever type handle. The internal lock is a rotating type with a wing type handle. The toilet is fitted with side and rear grab rails. The seat height is 420 millimetres. The flush buttons are located to right of the toilet just above the grab rail and large light to operate push buttons.The hand basin has clear space underneath it with no exposed hot water pipes. The tap is operated through a push button self timer that is light to operate. There is a push button soap dispenser. The cubicle contains a bin. There is a large mirror that begins at 500 millimetres above the floor.
Picnic Facilities
The area is a large grassed area. The area nearest the toilet block is flat and then it slopes gently upwards past the playground to the cafe and visitors centre. There numerous picnic tables and wood fired BBQs in this area. The BBQ’s have a working height of 800 millimetres and the tables are the wooden fixed bench seat type. The table overhangs are approximately 300 millimetres. Newer electric BBQs with a working height of 900 millimetres are located near the pavilion. They are operated by a small recessed push button switch. They are located on small concrete pads which are not large enough to accommodate a wheelchair. The pavilion has tables with a large overhang at each end that would allow wheelchair users to sit at the table front facing.
Visitors Centre
At the top of the hill is the visitors centre. There are two designated disabled parking spaces in the small carpark on the southern side of the centre. The bays are 4 metres wide have an asphalt surface and are level. There are directly opposite the paved pathway to the centre.
The centre is entered through a set of self opening electrically operated doors. Immediately to the right is a disabled toilet facility. The door swings inwards and can be opened either manually with a large lever handle or electrically via a switch on the wall to the right of the door. There is ample maneuvering room inside the room and space beside the toilet for a wheelchair. The toilet is fitted with a full side grab bar and a small vertical bar on the rear wall. The seat height is 420 millimetres. It is set approximately 300 millimetres from the rear wall. The flush buttons are located directly behind the toilet and are large push buttons with a very light action. The hand basin is a vanity type with clearance underneath it. There are no exposed hot water pipes and the tap is operated through a large lever. It is light to turn both on and off. There is a bin within the room.
There is a cafe with indoor and out door seating. The entrance is level and all tables have movable chairs. Opposite the cafe is a small courtyard with picnic tables. They are the fixed side seating type with a 300 millimetre overhang at either end.
Lake Walk
A highlight of any visit to Jells Park is the lake. There are paths that lead from both Stringbark Picnic Area or from the main visitors centre. From the visitors centre there is a short 20 metre section with a slope of approximately 1 in 10. The left hand path gives a constant slope down to the lake trail. The slope of this path has a maximum gradient of 1 in 15. The path is asphalt, wide and smooth. It is 390 metres down to the lake trail. A right hand turn takes you another 240 metres to Jetty 1. Jetty 1 ia a large wooden structure giving a great view over the lake. Fishing is permitted from this jetty. The jetty is timber planted with the gap between the planks being less than 13 mimilletres. There is level access of the Lake Trail. The Jetty has a non solid edging allowing viewing from any height.
The path continues to the right to Jetty 2. Jetty 2 is a further 420 metres along the same standard asphalt path. This section is level. The path turns to gravel at Jetty 2. Jetty 2 is a small structure but still has large areas to accommodate wheelchair visitors. There is a large picnic area which is level
and grassed. It contains one large pavilion. The tables at either end of the pavilion are large with fixed seating on three sides. The fourth side is open with clearance under the table to allow wheelchair visitors to sit front facing at the tables.
The path continues as a gravel path from this point. The surface is fine hard packed gravel and the path is in excess of 2.7 metres wide. 250 metres further on is the conservation area. There is a pedestrian gate to the side of the main gate. The gate opens outward. The pressure required is light.
There is a large opening that acts as the handle. Jetty three is a further 200 metres. This is a much smaller structure and is accessed across a smooth grassed area. There is level access onto the jetty platform. There is no fishing from this jetty but it gives good views across the lake’s conservation area.
Following the left branch of the trail leads to the bird hide a further 400 metres on. Entry to the bird hide is directly off the path. It has a earthen floor. There is fixed bench seating along the front of the hide with a small 1 metre wide gap at either end.
The conservation area is exited a further 700 metres down the trail through a similar steel gate.
The circuit track is approximately 2.3 kilometres around the lake with a further 800 metre return from the visitors centre starting point.
Yabby Hill Play Area/Pines Picnic Area.
Parking.
In this area of the park there are three small parking areas. Each contains a designated disabled parking space 3 metres in width. The surface is level and is asphalt.
Picnic Facilities
There are two pavilions. One on the hill opposite the playground and one located on the far side of the playground. Both have concrete level floors and steel picnic tables with fixed side seating and 450 millimeter on overhangs on the table tops.
Toilet Facilities.
On the exit side of the playground is a toilet block. It can be reached by a short hard packed gravel path from the exit road. It has a unisex disabled cubicle located between the male and female entrances. The room is entered through an inward swinging door that simply pushes open with minimal force required. It has an internal totaling lock with a wing type handle. The room is large with space beside the toilet for a wheelchair. The toilet is set 300 millimetres foreword of the rear wall. The seat height is 420 millimetres and there are side and rear grab rails. The flush buttons are located on the rear wall 300 millimetres above the rear grab bar and are large recessed push buttons. There is a bin in the room. The hand basin has free space underneath it and all pipes and enclosed. The tap it is flick lever type with large single handle.
South Entrance off Fertree Gully Road
Oaks picnic area.
The oaks picnic area has 3 designated disabled parking spaces each 4 metres wide. One space is near the entrance to the carpark and there are two more in the centre of the parking area. The surface is asphalt and level.
There is a playground which contains a wheelchair swing.
Adjacent to the playground is a picnic area. It is a flat grassed area that contains and electric BBQ operated by a recessed push button switch. The working height is a low 600 millimetres and it has been specially designed for wheelchair users.
There is a “rollunder” drinking fountain, again specifically designed for wheelchair users.
There is a picnic pavilion with a level concrete floor and fixed seating picnic tables. There is one table with an
extended table top outside the pavilion.
Next to the car park there is a toilet block that has one unisex disabled cubicle. The door is a swing door that is fitted with a rotating internal lock. The toilet has a seat height of 420 millimetres and is fitted with side and rear grab bars. The hand basin has clear space under it, no exposed hot water pipes and a push to operate tap. The push required is light.
