ada tree walk, ada
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Deep in the heart of the forest is an ancient beauty of a tree named Ada. This tree is believed to be over 300 years old, having survived bushfires, logging activity and centuries of life in the forest. Reaching roughly 80m in height, it is hard not to hurt your neck in an attempt to see the top of the canopy, but if you are lucky and work out the angles, you can attempt to fit it into a panoramic shot on your phone! The size of this thing is really breathtaking and so is the shape of a face that appears to be growing within the trunk!
As impressive as this giant mountain ash is, it is the walk to find her (especially if the kids don’t know exactly what they are on the look out for) is what makes this family adventure really special. The walk is a 3.2km loop, leaving from the car park and into the forest along the Island Creek Walk. This half of the trail is super magical. You are shaded amongst the ferns as you follow the skinny and mossy track along a tiny little creek all the way to the tree. There are some hills, bridge crossings and it will be slippery in winter, but Mamma’s 4 and 7 year old thought they were in another world as we explored the rainforest.
Once you reach the tree, there is a much different type of track on the way back (and if you have a pram, this is the perfect road to take). It is a wide, much drier and easy walk back to the car park.
Mamma's special mention: There are multiple directions you can take to find Ada in the car. You can head to her from the north from Warburton (good in a 4WD) or from the south just beyond Powelltown. The roads are forest roads so expect to drive along corrugated dirt roads.
the nitty gritty
picnic tables and toilets at car park - 3km loop - boardwalk - creek - some short steep hills - formed track (narrow in the rainforest section and wide the return to carpark)
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