It's not a bad little patch in there is it? It's easy to catch a train to Upper Ferntree Gully ( a suburban station) and walk around the corner to that bit of Dandenong Ranges National Park.
Going up the '1000 Steps, did you stop at each Kokoda battle information point?
I've found a thoughtful and measured (though newly discovered) interest in military history very useful on the way up, in disguising how short of breath and generally in need of a rest I was.
The '1000' in 'The 1000 Steps' is a bit of false advertising - there aren't that many. I'm fairly sure I counted them one time (exceedingly boring it was) - and the total was disappointingly well short of 1000.
If you go up View Track (from the Ferntree Gully side) it can be a pleasant stroll the other way from Chandlers Track (ie turn right instead of left) - along Macedon Track and Bellview Terrace, following the ridgeline South. Plenty of joggers around and all that, but tends to get quite misty and magical in the right weather..
It's not wild, but glad you avoided the shopping malls with this, far better, alternative