The Croajingolong National Park is a coastal national park located in the

East Gippsland East Gippsland is the eastern region of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia covering 31,740 square kilometres (14%) of Victoria. It has a population of 80,114. Australian Bureau of Statistics2006 Census Community Profile Series: East Gippsland (St ...

region of the Australian state of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seyche ...

. The national park is situated approximately east of Melbourne and south of Sydney. The name ''Croajingolong'' derives from the

Australian Aboriginal Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the Torres Strait Islands ...

Krauatungalung words ''galung'', meaning "belonging to" and ''kraua'', meaning "east".

Location and features

The park is linear in shape and bordered on the southern side by the Tasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean, the western side by Bemm River and the eastern side by the township of

Mallacoota Mallacoota is a small town in the East Gippsland region in the state of Victoria, Australia. At the 2016 census, Mallacoota had a population of 1,063. At holiday times, particularly Easter and Christmas, the population increases by about 8,000 ...

. Its northern boundary consists of dense bushland and low hills. The dimensions of the park are approximately by , with an area of . The Wilderness Coast Walk stretches the entire length of the park along beaches, through heathland and round rocky headlands. Croajingolong National Park, with the adjoining

Nadgee Nature Reserve The Nadgee Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve that is located in the far south coast region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The reserve is situated to the immediate south of Beowa National Park. Its southern border is bou ...

in New South Wales, forms one of only twelve World Biosphere areas in Australia. It contains ecosystems, habitats and

gene pool The gene pool is the set of all genes, or genetic information, in any population, usually of a particular species. Description A large gene pool indicates extensive genetic diversity, which is associated with robust populations that can surv ...

s that are managed sustainably. The park encloses the Sandpatch Wilderness Area and is contiguous with the

Cape Howe Wilderness Area A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment which drapes the wearer's back, arms, and chest, and connects at the neck. History Capes were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon. T ...

, the Nadgee Nature Reserve and the

Cape Howe Marine National Park The Cape Howe Marine National Park is a protected marine national park situated off eastern Gippsland in the far eastern tip of Victoria, Australia. The marine park extends from just east of Gabo Island to Cape Howe and the New South Wales b ...

Important Bird Area

The eastern section of the park lies within the

Nadgee to Mallacoota Inlet Important Bird Area The Nadgee to Mallacoota Inlet Important Bird Area comprises some 385 km2 of coastal and subcoastal land at the south-eastern corner of the Australian continent, where Cape Howe marks the junction between the Tasman Sea and Bass Strait, a ...

, so identified by

BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...

because it supports populations of

eastern bristlebird The eastern bristlebird (''Dasyornis brachypterus'') is a species of bird in the bristlebird family, Dasyornithidae. It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, and temperate grassland. It is thre ...

s and

pilotbird The pilotbird (''Pycnoptilus floccosus'') is a species of passerine bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Pycnoptilus''. The species is endemic to south-eastern Australia. Taxonomy The species was first describ ...

s as well as other significant fauna.

Visitor attractions

Croajingolong's landscapes are so spectacular and environmentally significant that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) nominated it a World Biosphere Reserve in 1977. The park houses impressive biodiversity, including almost 1,000 native plant species and 315 animal species. The diverse coastal landscapes feature rocky outcrops, large stretches of sandy beaches, coastal dunes and freshwater rivers, making the park a popular destination for hiking and walking, swimming, diving, snorkelling and sea kayaking. A popular way to explore the remote wilderness and diverse flora and fauna of the national park is on the Wilderness Coast Walk, which extends 45 kilometres from Thurra River camping area to Shipwreck Creek. Popular destinations within the park include: * Point Hicks and its lighthouse * Tamboon Inlet resort town * Spectacular sand dunes at

Thurra River The Thurra River is a perennial river with no defined major catchment, located in the East Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria. Course and features The Thurra River rises below Mealing Hill in remote country northeast of and f ...

Lake Elusive A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larg ...

near

Wingan Inlet Wingan Inlet is an inlet within the Croajingolong National Park, in the East Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. Features and location The inlet covers a surface area of and is fed by the Wingan River and provides outflow to the Tasman Se ...

* Mount Everard * Rame Head Camping spots exist at Wingan Inlet, Shipwreck Creek and Peachtree Creek and are all accessible by car. The camp sites at Mueller Inlet and Thurra River are privately managed. Most campgrounds are equipped with picnic facilities and fireplaces. Nearby towns are

, Genoa,

Cann River The Cann River is a perennial river located in the East Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria. Course and features The Cann River rises southwest of Granite Mountain in remote country on the eastern boundary of the Errinundra ...

, Bemm River and

Orbost Orbost is a historic early settlers town in the Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria, east of Melbourne and south of Canberra where the Princes Highway crosses the Snowy River. It is about from the surf and fishing seaside town of Marlo on the ...

References

External links

Croajingolong National Park page
at Parks Victoria
Wilderness Coast WalkHand made artist's book of etchings
inspired by a bushwalk in Croajingolong National Park. Book created by Sandi Rigby and copy no.5 held by the Australian Library of Art, State Library of Queensland * Croajingolong featured in the son
''Croa-jingo-long''
by Harold Williams (as Geoffrey Spencer) in 1923. {{authority control Biosphere reserves of Australia National parks of Victoria (Australia) Protected areas established in 1979 1979 establishments in Australia Important Bird Areas of Victoria (Australia) Gippsland Southeast Australia temperate forests

Location and features

Important Bird Area

Visitor attractions

See also

References

External links