Gippsland (Part 3)

Tarra Bulga National Park

Tarra Bulga National Park is located in the south-eastern area of Victoria’s Strzelecki Ranges, and is one of only four major areas of cool temperate rainforest in the state. Among the park’s features are its lush, moist gullies, giant mountain ash trees and beautiful tree ferns. The rainforest looks its best in winter, with leaves glistening and creeks flowing through the gullies. Some visitors are even lucky enough to see the park transformed by snow.

Tarra Bulga National Park is a delightful setting for a picnic. There are two main picnic areas in the park; the Tarra Bulga Picnic area just off the Grand Ridge Road and the Tarra Valley picnic area off Tarra Valley Road. Both picnic areas are set amongst the giant mountain ash and shady fronds of tree ferns and offer tables, fireplaces, toilets and picnic shelters. There are also numerous walking tracks that emanate from the picnic areas and meander through the mature mountain ash forests.

Wildlife
The rainforest is a haven for plants and wildlife. The canopy of the forest provides food and nesting areas for a variety of birds including the pilotbird, yellow tailed black cockatoo, eastern whipbird, and currawongs. At night the forest comes to life as possums, owls and bats emerge to feed. If you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of a lyrebird scratching the forest floor looking for food. The park is also home to the wombat, swamp wallaby, gliders, and platypuses.

Accommodation
Camping is not permitted within the Tarra Bulga National Park. However, Tarra Valley offers a range of accommodation including a guest house and tearooms, country house-style accommodation, a Swiss-style chalet with sweeping views and a caravan park with cabins available.

How to get there
The park can be reached from the Princes Highway at Traralgon by following the Traralgon Creek Road to Balook. Alternatively, follow the Tarra Valley Road from Yarram. Roads throughout the area are narrow and winding but offer magnificent scenery with panoramic views from several points.

An alternative is to drive along the spectacular Grand Ridge Road which is mostly unsealed but well maintained and starts from the Warragul-Korumburra road finishing at Carrajung, North of Yarram. Snaking its way along the ridge of the Strzelecki Ranges, the Grand Ridge Road provides spectacular and panoramic views north across the verdant pastures of the Latrobe Valley to Mt Baw Baw, and south to the sandy beaches and blue waters of the Bass Coast and Wilsons Promontory.

Tarra Bulga National Park is located in the south-eastern area of Victoria’s Strzelecki Ranges, and is one of only four major areas of cool temperate rainforest in the state. Among the park’s features are its lush, moist gullies, giant mountain ash trees and beautiful tree ferns. The rainforest looks its best in winter, with leaves glistening and creeks flowing through the gullies. Some visitors are even lucky enough to see the park transformed by snow.

Tarra Bulga National Park is a delightful setting for a picnic. There are two main picnic areas in the park; the Tarra Bulga Picnic area just off the Grand Ridge Road and the Tarra Valley picnic area off Tarra Valley Road. Both picnic areas are set amongst the giant mountain ash and shady fronds of tree ferns and offer tables, fireplaces, toilets and picnic shelters. There are also numerous walking tracks that emanate from the picnic areas and meander through the mature mountain ash forests.

Wildlife
The rainforest is a haven for plants and wildlife. The canopy of the forest provides food and nesting areas for a variety of birds including the pilotbird, yellow tailed black cockatoo, eastern whipbird, and currawongs. At night the forest comes to life as possums, owls and bats emerge to feed. If you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of a lyrebird scratching the forest floor looking for food. The park is also home to the wombat, swamp wallaby, gliders, and platypuses.

Accommodation
Camping is not permitted within the Tarra Bulga National Park. However, Tarra Valley offers a range of accommodation including a guest house and tearooms, country house-style accommodation, a Swiss-style chalet with sweeping views and a caravan park with cabins available.

How to get there
The park can be reached from the Princes Highway at Traralgon by following the Traralgon Creek Road to Balook. Alternatively, follow the Tarra Valley Road from Yarram. Roads throughout the area are narrow and winding but offer magnificent scenery with panoramic views from several points.

An alternative is to drive along the spectacular Grand Ridge Road which is mostly unsealed but well maintained and starts from the Warragul-Korumburra road finishing at Carrajung, North of Yarram. Snaking its way along the ridge of the Strzelecki Ranges, the Grand Ridge Road provides spectacular and panoramic views north across the verdant pastures of the Latrobe Valley to Mt Baw Baw, and south to the sandy beaches and blue waters of the Bass Coast and Wilsons Promontory.