The south-western section, covering 450 ha, is known as Ferntree Gully which was named after an 1860 painting of the local forest. To access the Ferntree Gully Picnic Ground turn off the Burwood Highway onto Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd and take the first left. It has parking, toilets with disabled access, drinking water, picnic tables and shelters, electric barbecues, a ranger's office, information boards, a playground and walking tracks. The latter passes through stringybark and peppermint gum forest. Pea shrubs bloom in spring.
Notes are available on some of the tracks.
There is an entry fee for cars at the Ferntree Picnic Ground on weekends, public holidays and school holidays. It is open Friday to Sunday from 1.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. at 3 Olivebank Rd at Ferntree Gully. To get there turn off the Burwood Highway into Railway Rd, follow it through to Forest Rd and head north for about 2 km then turn right into Olivebank Rd. At each such site there is a reproduction of the relevant painting, providing insight into the artist's interpretation of the landscape and into how the landscape has changed since that time. It passes largely along the Yarra River, through Heidelberg , Bulleen, Templestowe, Eltham , Diamond Creek, Research, Warrandyte , passing through Ringwood and Montrose , en route to Kalorama , Olinda , Kallista and Ferntree Gully.