Mt Donna Buang
Yarra Ranges, VIC
At a Glance
About the Mt Donna Buang
17km climb from Warburton to the Mt Donna Buang summit - the closest serious alpine-style climb to Melbourne with 1,000m of vertical gain.
Mt Donna Buang is the climbers' favourite within reach of Melbourne - a 17km, 1,000m ascent from the township of Warburton in the Yarra Ranges to a 1,250m summit topped by a famous wooden observation tower. The climb begins immediately on leaving Warburton, with no flat warm-up, and maintains an average gradient of around 5.8% over its full length. The first 6km through eucalypt forest is the steepest section, with sustained 7-8% gradients before the road eases through the upper third.
The climb's character is defined by its dense cool-temperate rainforest, with mountain ash, tree ferns and frequent mist creating a wholly different atmosphere from the granite alpine climbs further north. The road is single-lane in places, with a generally good surface that has some patchier sections in the middle third. Traffic is light outside school holidays and snow weekends.
A full Donna Buang ride from Lilydale or Healesville is typically 100-130km with the climb in the middle, making it a perfect Saturday training ride. Best ridden September through May. Snow falls regularly above 900m in winter and the road is sometimes closed.
Gradient profile — Avg gradient: 5.8%, Max gradient: 10%.
Mt Donna Buang Safety & Warnings
Technical descent - cautious in wet; snow closures June-September; some patchy road sections.
Mt Donna Buang Highlights
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