The Errinundra National Park is a
national park
A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...
located in the
Gippsland
Gippsland is a rural region that makes up the southeastern part of Victoria, Australia, mostly comprising the coastal plains to the rainward (southern) side of the Victorian Alps (the southernmost section of the Great Dividing Range). It covers ...
region 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, Seychelle ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. The
[ national park is situated east of ]Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
via the Princes Highway
Princes Highway is a major road in Australia, extending from Sydney via Melbourne to Adelaide through the states of New South Wales, Victoria (Australia), Victoria and South Australia. It has a length of (along Highway 1) or via the former ...
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
.
Features
The Errinundra National Park preserves the largest remaining cool temperate rainforest
Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...
in Victoria and supports some of south eastern Australia's most spectacular old growth forest
An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological featur ...
s. There are also many rare and threatened species of flora and fauna, including powerful owl
The powerful owl (''Ninox strenua''), a species of owl native to south-eastern and eastern Australia, is the largest owl on the continent. It is found in coastal areas and in the Great Dividing Range, rarely more than inland. The IUCNRed List ...
s, tiger quoll
The tiger quoll (''Dasyurus maculatus''), also known as the spotted-tail quoll, the spotted quoll, the spotted-tail dasyure, native cat or the tiger cat, is a carnivorous marsupial of the quoll genus ''Dasyurus'' native to Australia. With males ...
s and long-footed potoroo
The long-footed potoroo (''Potorous longipes'') is a small marsupial found in southeastern Australia, restricted to an area around the coastal border between New South Wales and Victoria. It was first recorded in 1967 when an adult male was caugh ...
s.
Cool and warm temperate rainforest, wet open forest, montane forest
Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...
s and woodlands are the dominant vegetation communities. There is also a sub-alpine wetland.
The majority of the park is accessible only in the drier months. In winter, rain and snow generally make the unsealed roads impassable.
There has been extensive logging of all forest types surrounding the park including Brown Mountain forest
The Brown Mountain forest is located in East Gippsland, Victoria (Australia), and is notable for containing large tracts of old growth forest, including over fifty shining gum trees estimated to be over 300 years old.
Fauna
The eucalypt forest ...
and there have been some instances of logging within the national park's boundaries due to administrative errors. In addition, logging occurred in many areas before the national park was established.
See also
* Tarra-Bulga National Park
The Tarra-Bulga National Park is a small national park located in the South Gippsland region of eastern Victoria, Australia approximately south east of Melbourne. The park is located south of Traralgon on the Traralgon-Balook Road and north o ...
* Protected areas of Victoria
Victoria is the smallest mainland state in Australia. it contained separate protected areas with a total land area of (17.26% of the state's area). Of these, 45 were national parks, totalling (11.32% of the state's area).
The parks are man ...
References
External links
*
Goongerah Environment Centre
{{authority control
National parks of Victoria (Australia)
East Gippsland
Protected areas established in 1988
Forests of Victoria (Australia)
1988 establishments in Australia