Kurth Kiln Park, covering 3,500 ha, contains a range of forest types and other interesting features awaiting exploration. Located a short distance east of Melbourne, the park is mostly known for its kiln, used during the Second World War to make charcoal for gas producer units fitted to motor cars. The ‘producer gas’ was a substitute fuel for petrol, rationed at the time.
The diversity of plant life attracts a range of wildlife including wombats, swamp wallabies and echidnas. Bush rats and antechinus (marsupial mice) may be spotted scuttling about on the forest floor. Bird life abounds with lyrebirds, honeyeaters, parrots, kookaburras, yellow-tailed black cockatoos, currawongs and butcherbirds.

On 1 September, on a beautiful and sunny first day of spring we met at the Kurth Kiln Picnic Ground where Alfred gave us a short informative talk about the kiln and the other structures on this historic site. Ursula led us on a 12km walk through the scenic park. We had lunch at the rugged Ship-Rock Falls and for afternoon tea we dropped in at Alfred and Ursula's home on Tomahawk Creek, not far from the Kurth Kiln.