Pound Bend Tunnel

There are two ways to access The Pound Bend Tunnel - from the north side of the river via Bradleys Lane or via The Pound Bend Reserve on the south side of the river. The tunnel has amazing history and well worth reading. I've included some photos of the history of the area of the Wurundjeri people who are the First People of this nation. The information has come directly from the interpretation boards that are sprinkled on the south side of the river at Pound Bend Reserve which is inside the Warrandyte State Park.There is plenty to see here. Follow the signs as you enter and please note speed limits, no dogs, opening times and other relevant information. Parking is in the designated bays. There are toilets. Picnic tables and large wooden seats are in and around the area. Shade can be found. In spring, the wildflowers are lovely.Generally it is wheelchair friendly with good tracks and paths. Definitely kid friendly, bring your swimmers on a warm day as there are some lovely pools on the south side of the river for kids to play in. Note that there can be strong currents and underwater snags so adult supervision is a must. Another important note is that if you want to walk through the tunnel it is treacherous. There are large slabs of rock that aren't eas to navigate along. Water levels can rise quickly. And it's a long tunnel. When you start at one end, the light at the other end is a pinprick. Takes around a half hour. Lots of snags and log jams inside as well. People have died trying to go through the tunnel.Plenty of wildlife, but not very visible. Magpies and kookaburras are in abundance and happy to take your food - please don't feed them though. Cockatoos will fly overhead and many parrots can be heard. Haven't seen a koala here for a while or a platypus but that doesn't mean they aren't there. In all my years in Warrandyte, I've rarely seen a snake but yes, the are around so be cautious.If you want to start on the north side of the river and float, paddle around to the other side, it'll take anywhere between 2 - 4 hours depending on the craft you're using and your determination to get from A to B. Views up and down the river are exquisite.Note: This is not the place to visit on a Total Fire Ban day and you may in fact find that the park is closed.

A great place to spend a warm afternoon. There's quite a few shady spots around, however those with limited mobility might have a bit of trouble reaching the area around the tunnel entrance. There's toilets a little way away from the main swimming point, and a large carpark. The current isn't too strong, and the shallow water around the base of the rapids is perfect for kids. In saying that, I wouldn't recommend swimming here with very young babies, or if you're pregnant. The water quality can be a little iffy especially after rain, and the rocky river bed is easy to fall over on. If you have them, water shoes would be perfect.

Such a great place to take a dip in the warm days.Shallow water.Ample parking.Clean toilet area.Well maintained park.Must carryA hatSunglassesDrinking water

Who knew! I didn't! So glad I found this gem and so close to home too. Took the kids down for a splash at sunset, such a pretty spot. The rapids are not too strong, and fairly shallow but was easy enough for the kids to manage. Best place for a dip on a hot day

Very nice place for family picnic day and get a nice bath in natural water. Walking under the cave for some advanture and fun place for all ages. When you on the water be carefull with stones they are slippery.

Love this place! Awesome to go to Pound Bend on a really hot day for a dip in the water - it’s usually icy cold and sometimes so much so it takes a little while to get used to it and actually get in! Take shoes you can wear into the water - don’t try swimming in bare feet - there are massive rocks under the water and you can’t see them because the water is too dark. They’re very slippery too so flat rubber soled shoes that don’t mind water are a must. There’s a small sandy beach you can set yourself up on with a picnic blanket. There are rapids and many people take rafts (including lilos!) to manoeuvre down the rapids. Beautiful scenery, I highly recommend a day trip to Pound Bend.

Beautiful place for a picnic and walk. There’s a special feeling about the place that helps you stay relaxed.This was once an aboriginal settlement from what is explained on the history boards around the walking track.Which you can understand why, there is a walking track the other way which stretches a fair distance and walks alongside the river.We managed to see a platypus swimming in the river.The actual tunnel was dug when the they where looking for treasure in the past.

We had a lot of fun here. It is simple but sitting in the fast running water through the tunnel was great.

Great spot to relax and enjoy the water on a hot day. There's a few walks around the place as well as picnic table and toilets. Highly recommend as a quick trip from Melbourne.

Loved the area near the car park. The rest was flooded. It looked like it would be a great spot for a picnic but no idea about the river at normal flow.