Murray-SunsetNationalPark
VisitorGuide
Victoria’sown‘outback’,Murray-SunsetNationalParkisthelargestnationalparkinVictoria,stretchingfromtheMurrayRiveratLindsayIslandinthenorthtoPinkLakesnearUnderboolinthesouth.The677,000hectareparkhasafascinatinghistory,abundantwildlifeandbeautifulspringwildflowers.Itprotects183speciesof
threatenedplantsandanimals.
Emusmaybeseenfeedingatduskanddawn
Enjoyingthepark
Touringforcarsand4WD
UnsealedroadsfromtheMalleeorSturtHighwaysaresuitablefortwo-wheeldrivevehicles.Four-wheeldrivevehiclesarerecommendedformosttracksandespeciallyforthemoreinteriortracksinthisremotepark.
Warning -Tracksintheparkrequirevehicleswithgoodgroundclearance.Mosttrackshaveareasofdeepsandwithwidewheelruts.Sometracksbecomeimpassableinwetweatherandothersarerecommendedonlyfor4WD.
Itisimportanttocheckcurrentroadconditionswithparkstaffbeforevisiting.
PinkLakes–Changingincolourfromglisteningwhitetodeeppink,thelakesarespectacular.Accessby2WDvehiclesviaagravelroadfromLinga.Forthosewithlimitedtime,adrivearoundPioneerDriveisamust.
Lindsay,MulcraandWallpollaIslands-alltracksaredryweatheronly.Seeseparateparknotes.
Walkingandwildflowers
ThereareshortwalkingtracksinthePinkLakesarea.Thewildflowerdisplayduringspringisimpressive.
Remoteareasoffergoodbushwalkingforpeoplewhoareexperienced,wellpreparedandself-reliant.
Camping
Campingareasintheparkhavebasicfacilities.Therearenodesignatedcampingareasontheislands.Practiseminimalimpactcampingandobserverelevantfireregulations.BewareoffallingRiverRedGumlimbswhencampingalongtheriver.
TheShearers’Quarters
ThishistoricbuildingwasoncethehomeofthelesseeofSunsetPastoralCoandtodayoffershostel-styleaccommodation.
TobooktheShearers’Quartersgoto
Remnantsofthepastoralera,theShearers’Quarters
Befirereadyandstaysafe
OndaysofforecastCodeRedFireDanger thisparkwillbeclosedforpublicsafety.Ifyouarealreadyintheparkyoushouldleavethenightbeforeorearlyinthemorningforyourownsafety.
Closuresignswillbeerectedandrangerswillpatrolwhenpossible,howeveryoumaynotreceiveapersonalwarningthattheparkisclosedsocheckthelatestconditionsbycalling131963orvisit
ForuptodateinformationonfiresinVictoriaorgeneralfiresafetyadvicecalltheVictorianBushfireInformationLineon1800240667orvisit.
FormoreinformationcallParksVictoriaon131963
orvisit
Forfurtherinformation
CallParksVictoriaon131963
orvisit
MilduraVisitorInformation
(AlfredDeakinCentre)
180-190DeakinAvenue
MilduraVic3500
Tel:(03)50214424
Caringforthe environment
Helpuslookafteryourpark
byfollowingthese
guidelines:
Pleasetakerubbishwithyouforrecyclingordisposal
Allplants,animals,historicalandarchaeologicalsitesandgeographicfeaturesare
protectedbylaw
Dogsandotherpetsarenotpermittedinthepark
Firearmsareprohibited
Campfires–lightfiresonlyinfirepitsprovided.Collectonlydeadwoodfromthegroundatleastonekilometrefromthecampground.Extinguishfireswithwaterbeforeleaving
NofiresarepermittedonadayofTotalFireBan.Builtinandportablegasorelectricbarbecuesmaybeused
provided:
•a3metreareaisclearedof anythingflammable
•atleast10litresofwaterisavailableforimmediate
use
•anadultisinattendance
atalltimes
ItisyourresponsibilitytoknowifitisadayofTotalFireBan.Murray-SunsetNationalParkisintheMalleeTotalFireBanDistrict
Toilets-Chemicaltoiletsarepreferred.Pittoiletsmustbeatleast100mfromthewater’sedge.Burytoiletpaperandwasteappropriately
Vehicles,includingmotorbikes,mayonlybeusedonformedopenroads.Driversmustbelicensedandvehiclesregisteredandroadworthy
Warning–Feralbeesmaybepresentandpersistentaroundanysourceofmoistureduring
dry,hotweather
ExploringMurray-SunsetNationalPark
Thislarge,diverseparkwasdeclaredin1991,andplaysauniqueroleinprotectingAustralia’sbiodiversity.
Afurther44,000hectareswasaddedtotheparkin2012,makingitthelargestnationalparkinVictoria.
WildernessAreaswereestablishedtoprotectlargeareaswithrelativelyundisturbedvegetation.MalleevegetationdominatesthesandyloamsoilswithpocketsofNativeCypress-pineandBelahwoodlands scatteredthroughout.
Victoria’slargestflowertheMurrayLily,therestrictedSilveryEmu-bushandtherareBlue-leafedMalleeallgrowwithinthepark.
ApartfromthemoreconspicuousmammalssuchasWesternGreyandRedkangaroos,theparkishometoanumberofrareandthreatenedspecies.TheseincludethePaucidentPlanigale(asmallcarnivorousmouse-sizedmarsupial),theRegentParrotandtheMillewaSkink.OthernotablebirdlifeincludesMalleefowl,MalleeEmu-wren,thePinkCockatooandBlack-earedMiner.
Lacemonitorswaitforsmallpreyintreebranches
Arichhumanhistory
Indigenouspeoplehavelivedintheareaforthousandsofyears.Shellmiddens,hearthsandscartreesfoundthroughouttheparkrevealmuchaboutthelifestyleandrichcultureofthepeople.TheynotonlyoccupiedthewatercoursesbutalsotravelledthroughoutthedrierMallee.
Theyledasemi-nomadiclifestyle,travellingwithintheirregioninsearchoffood.Localfoodresourcesincludedfish,freshwatermussels,reptiles,kangaroos,QuandongsandNardoo(afreshwaterfern).
Stockgrazinginthe‘SunsetCountry’datesbackasfarasthe1860s.FascinatingremnantsofthepastoralerasuchastheShearers’QuartersandMopokeHutcanbediscovered.Pestplantandanimaleradicationandrevegetationworksstrivetorestoreareasaffectedbygrazingfromstockandrabbits.
Impressivewildflowerdisplaysincludingthis
Australbuglecanbeseeninspring
ExploringtheMalleeregion
TheVictorianMalleeparkscoveroveronemillionhectaresandareextremelyimportantfornatureconservationbecauseoftheirrelativelyundisturbedstate.
TheyprotectarangeofplantandanimalspeciesadaptedtothedryMalleeenvironmentandcontributesignificantlytoAustralia’sbiodiversity.
Autumn,winterandspringarethebesttimestovisit.
EnvironmentalWateringEnvironmentalregulatorshavebeeninstalledatLindsayandMulcraIslandtoreturnmore
naturalfloodingpatternstonearbywater
bodiesandfloodplains.Wheninundated,theseareasprovideimportantrefugeandresourcesforthreatenedspeciesincludinghabitatsforwaterbirdsandtheiconicMurrayCod.
Locationandaccess
Murray-SunsetNationalParkisinnorthwestVictoria,betweenOuyenandMilduraandtheSouthAustralianborder.Itisabout550kmfromMelbourneand400kmfromAdelaide.
AccesstotheparkfromMelbourneisviatheCalderHighway,andfromSouthAustraliaviatheSturtHighway.
June2014
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