This route explores some of the lesser known parts of Victoria Park and largely avoids overlapping existing Wild Things trails.
Start at the Cracroft Reserve entrance gates on Hackthorne Road and loop around the reserve for a quick warm-up before hitting the hills. Head up Victoria Park Road and turn left just past the houses, making your way up the grassy 4WD track up the hill. At the top go through the gate into the dog park, follow the fenceline to the left and through the next gate. The trail goes through a short bush area then down towards the Harry Ell Drive gate. Go past this and follow an overgrown trail behind the houses. There is long grass, gorse & blackberry and it's slippery after rain. Embrace your inner Wild Thing and make your way carefully through.
You'll soon emerge onto Latters Spur Track - hang a right and follow this along the fenceline back up to the dog park. Go through the gate and make your way up and through another gate back on to the Latters Spur track. Keep following this until the junction with Eastside Bush Track. Take Eastside Bush down the hill, ignoring the trails off to your right. At the next T junction, turn right up the hill following a 4WD track. This brings you up into the MTB area where there is a water fountain.
You now need to look out for the trail heading up the small knoll between the 4WD road and the Latters Spur track. This will bring you out to the 19th Battalion memorial, a peaceful place with exotic tree plantings where you can pause and pay your respects if you wish. Follow around above the memorial and rejoin the trail which passes the ranger's residence before linking onto Victoria Park Road. Turn right and take the first trail you see across the road leading back down into the bush.
Keep following the 4WD trail until a T junction - to the right are steps leading up hill and to the left the trail continues down. Ignore both these and look for the small unmarked trail heading into the bush in the same direction you've been heading. This unofficial, hidden trail is not well benched and slippery after rain. You will eventually come out into the oak forest, keep following the unmarked trail which comes out onto the Harry Ell Track alongside Dyers Pass Road. Cross the road and make your way along the footpath to the Sign of the Takahe. Finally, nip around the garden wall back through Cracroft Reserve to the finish.
