From twisted alpine gums to mighty redwoods to lush temperate rainforests—Victoria has it all. There’s nothing quite so humbling as wandering through old growth giants, towering 100m+ overhead. The diversity and beauty in Victoria’s forests is simply stunning. 

Earlier this year I wrote an article on Victoria’s top 5 landscape photography locations. After exploring more of the state I wanted to delve deeper into the range of forests—both native and plantations—that Victoria has to offer. And to share a number of composition tips as forests can be overwhelming and, at times chaotic, making it difficult to capture their natural beauty in one image.

Victoria’s forests are a gem—both in their natural splendour, and selfishly for us to escape to as we leave the anxieties of modern life behind. Through capturing their beauty through photography, we can promote, preserve and restore them for future generations. 

Here are my top 5 Victorian forests to hike through, to photograph, and to conserve.

Black Spur Drive, Yarra Ranges

Just an hour’s drive east of Melbourne, the Yarra Ranges is home to a majestic stretch of native forest. Full of towering mountain ash and giant tree ferns, the area makes for a scenic Sunday drive and a picturesque location to photograph too.

I’d recommend visiting the Black Spur Drive early in the morning as the road can become quite busy—particularly on weekends. And be careful where you stop to take photos. There are only a limited number of parking bays and all are located on the side heading west back towards Healesville. 

If you haven’t been before, I’d advise to first complete the drive west to east, then turn around and take your time on the return leg to photograph. Safety first, photo second.

Warburton: Redwood Forest + Rainforest Gallery

For those looking to further explore the Yarra Ranges, after driving east along Black Spur Drive towards Narbethong, take the rougher C507 road south towards Warburton. It’s just as scenic in places as the main Black Spur—but offers more opportunities to pull over with much less traffic.

Before arriving at Warburton, make a pit stop at the Rainforest Gallery and wander through the native forest and burbling stream. Full of old growth forest and ancient myrtle beech, the 350-metre walkway winds right through the gully. Rainforest Gallery is best viewed after recent rains when the stream is at its fullest. Pace yourself, recharge and take in the crisp mountain air. 

After stopping for a bite to eat in Warburton, make time to detour via the giant Californian Redwood forest in East Warburton. Planted in the 1930s and left to grow unhindered, the limbless trunks tower overhead. Bring a picnic or simply stroll amongst the natural columns towering above.

Mt Donna Buang, Yarra Ranges

Fog. Forest. Ferns. The Mt Donna Buang drive through to Healsville is simply stunning.

Climbing in elevation (the summit stands at 1250m), morning fog shrouds the higher reaches, snaking its way through the canopy of eucalypts and myrtle beech.

While a steady steady flow of cars lingers on Black Spur Drive, I counted a total of three cars on my latest morning drive through Mt Donna Buang. It’s just as scenic as the Black Spur, yet many times more tranquil.

I take my time along the drive. Often pulling over to park and wander through the ancient forest. The undergrowth is lush, the canopy rises high and new photography opportunities await at every twist and turn.

The drive has quickly become a personal favourite. My top tip when exploring Mt Donna Buang is to visit when there’s fog. The best fog conditions occur when there’s been a decent amount of rainfall and then the overnight temperature drops. And visit early—not only before the fog melts away as the day warms, but to allow for less through-traffic.

Great Otway National Park

Like the Yarra Ranges, the Great Otway National Park (the Otways) is also home to ancient beech trees, lush ferns and an abundance of postcard-perfect waterfalls.

Waterfall scenes are (generally) best photographed under cloudy skies. The soft light helps to even out high contrast areas between direct sun and shadow. The forest is also a great location to bring a polarizing filter to reduce glare and increase saturation in the flora. 

My two favourite waterfalls in the Otways are Hopetoun Falls and Beauchamp Falls. They both require moderate fitness to access and are handily located within a 10 minute drive of each other. After reaching the falls, take time to explore the surrounds and try framing the falls with ferns or use running water to act as a leading line up to the centre attraction. Keep an eye on the weather as the waterfalls are at their peak after recent rain.

Even if the falls aren’t fully flowing, consider looking for intimate forest scenes instead. Capture details in the ferns or look up to consider gnarled formations in the canopy. When doing so, consider getting higher and look across (or even down on) your composition—often when looking up at forest scenes there are patches of white/blue sky between the branches. Looking for opportunities to physically raise your position helps to reduce or even eliminate these distracting patches.  

Californian Redwood Plantation, Otways

Also nestled within the Otways lies the giant Californian Redwood Plantation, long abandoned and left to grow unhindered for decades.

The Redwoods tower over the forest floor, and the short winding path into the forest is an enchanted experience. Take time to wander beneath the Redwoods, through the fern covered valley floor below. And don't forget to look up at the imposing giants overhead.

In terms of photography, look for lines and patterns through the forest. Consider standing back to use a telephoto zoom lens to compress the scene and capture a shot beyond the standard 26mm view that most people would snap on their phone. Also consider lighting in the forest—some compositions might work well in fog/overcast skies, while golden hour light flooding in between the trunks might help make the scene more warm and inviting.

And that’s just a selection of 5 locations. From the patterned bark of snow gums in the alpine region to more magical rainforest in Tarra-Bulga National Park, the forests of Victoria are ready to be explored and experienced. Time to get out there!