Tarra-Bulga National Park

Tarra-Bulga National Park Victoria
IUCN category II (national park)
280px Forest near Cyathea Falls, in the national park
Tarra-Bulga National Park
Nearest town or city	Yarram
Coordinates
Established	17 June 1986 (1986-06-17)
Area	15.22 km2 (5.9 sq mi)
Visitation	80,000 (in 1995)
Managing authorities	Parks Victoria Gunaikurnai people
Website	Tarra-Bulga National Park
See also	Protected areas of Victoria

The Tarra-Bulga National Park is a national park located in the south Gippsland region of eastern Victoria, Australia. The park is located 33 kilometres (21 mi) south of Traralgon on the Traralgon-Balook Road.

The 1,522-hectare (3,760-acre) national park is situated approximately 240 kilometres (150 mi) east of Melbourne and 24 kilometres (15 mi) north of Yarram in the eastern part of the Strzelecki Ranges. The park is home to one of the last remnants of the indigenous eucalypt forests which once covered the region. The undisturbed mountain ash forests, fern gully communities and associated Myrtle Beech stands within the park are of considerable biogeographical significance.

History

File:Tarra Bulga NP600x800.jpg

Tarra Bulga forest

The area was first set aside as Bulga National Park in 1904, comprising 20 hectares (49 acres). In 1909 Tarra Valley National Park was designated nearby, with 303 hectares (750 acres) reserved. Over the years the two parks were gradually enlarged and then merged as the Tarra-Bulga National Park, proclaimed on 17 June 1986 (1986-06-17).

Features

There are numerous walking tracks that emanate from the picnic areas. The Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk is a short and easy walk taking in Cyathea Falls, and the Fern Gully Nature Walk, passes over Corrigan's Suspension Bridge, which stretches through the rainforest canopy with views of the fern gully below. The three–to–four day 100-kilometre (62 mi) Grand Strzelecki Track connects the park with the adjacent Morwell National Park.

The park is a popular tourist attraction with a visitor centre, picnic areas with tables, fireplaces shelters and toilets. The visitors centre is open on weekends and school and public holidays. It is staffed by members of the Friends of Tarra-Bulga National Park who also undertake restoration and monitoring activities.

Since 22 October 2010, the national park is jointly managed by Parks Victoria in partnership with the Australian Aboriginal Gunaikurnai people, who are the traditional owners of the land.

Flora and fauna

The deeply incised river valleys of the park are dominated by wet sclerophyll tall open forest of mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans), with an understorey of blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon), hazel pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera) and tree ferns (Dicksonia antarctica and Cyathea australis). Pockets of the park feature cool temperate rainforest, including Myrtle Beech Nothofagus cunninghamii. The ridges are dominated by open forest and low open forest of stringybark eucalypts and gums. The park is also noted for its diversity of Fungi species, which are prominent in autumn.

The rainforest is a haven for plants and wildlife, and is particularly well known for its giant mountain ash trees and lush fern gullies. There are a wide variety of birds residing in the park including the pilotbird, yellow tailed black cockatoo, eastern whipbird, and currawongs. In the evening possums, owls and bats emerge to feed. Lyrebirds, wombats, swamp wallabies, gliders and platypuses can also be found within the park.

See also

• Protected areas of Victoria
• Goombala Road

External links

• Friends of Tarra-Bulga National Park website
• Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk
• Fern Gully Nature Walk
• Gippsland’s official tourism website – Tarra Bulga National Park