Murrindindi Regional Tourism

Upper Big River State Forest

The Upper Big River Valley is a popular recreation area with many kilometres of forest roads and tracks. There are opportunities for riverside camping, fishing, deer hunting and gold fossicking.

Gold prospectors first visited the area in the 1850's and there is abundant evidence of widespread alluvial mining. Deep lead mining was carried out near Stockman's Reward and in the 1920's a large steam-driven dredge also operated in this area.

There are three larger camping areas in the Upper Big River State Forest. These are Stockman's Reward, Frenchman's Creek and Big River Camp and these are suitable for small caravans and large group activities. Most other sites are less extensive, providing for single or small group camps.

Cathedral Range State Park

Cathedral Range State Park features a rugged, rocky ridge of sharply upturned sedimentary rock, 7km long. The 3577ha State Park offers you the chance to camp by a clear mountain stream surrounded by the splendour of the Cathedral Range and its spectacular peaks. The park is about 100km north east of Melbourne, east of Maroondah Highway between the small towns of Taggerty and Buxton. The main approach is along Cathedral Lane, signposted on the Highway.

The park is ideal for walking, rock climbing and photography. The most popular walk in the park, along the range between Sugarloaf Peak and Cathedral Peak and Little Cathedral, can include an overnight camp at 'The Farmyard', named after the lyrebirds in the area which imitate domestic stock from the valley farms below.

For further information pick up Park Notes information sheets from visitor information centres, call the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 13 1963, or visit the website at Parks Victoria website.

Kinglake National Park

Kinglake National Park is the largest national park close to Melbourne. It has 21,600 hectares of tall forests, fern gullies, and rolling hills, an extensive network of walking tracks and other facilities, and vantage points offering scenic views. Kinglake National Park is 65km north-east of Melbourne. Access from Melbourne is by three main routes:

the Melba Highway from Yarra Glen,
the Heidelberg-St Andrews Road from St Andrews
the Whittlesea-Yea Road from Whittlesea.

The park is popular among bush walkers, day trippers, families, campers, cyclists and horse riders. There are facilities accessible for people with limited mobility at major visitor sites.

Discover scenic lookouts and dramatic views of the Melbourne skyline, Port Phillip Bay, the Yarra Valley and majestic waterfalls as you explore Kinglake National Park by foot. There are limited tracks available for horse riding. Call the Parks Victoria Information Centre for further information on 13 1963.

Yea River Wetlands Park

The Yea River Wetlands Park is situated on some 35 acres of crown land, on the Yea River behind Cummins Reserve, and managed by the Murrindindi Shire Council. The wetlands comprise of a series of billabongs and a branch of the Yea River formed through channel changes in the river, many years ago, before white settlement.

The special beauty of the Yea River wetland is that it is right on the edge of town and accessible to everyone. A wetlands walking trail brochure has been developed, which directs visitors to specific points of interest throughout the park. Each area is marked with a numbered post to enable visitors to participate in visual sightings of wildlife and remnant native vegetation.

Yea River Wetlands Walk brochures are available at the Yea Visitor Information Centre on 5797 2663.

Yea Waterways

Due to the magnificent waterways surrounding Yea, bird life abounds in and around the surrounding flood plains as well as up into the nearby hills, and it's not only water birds that can be seen. As well as ibis, herons and pelicans, eastern and crimson Roselles, various species of robin, wedge-tailed eagles and kookaburras are among those bird varieties easily identified. Dedicated bird watchers can be assured of much, much more, maybe even culminating in a glimpse of the King Parrot.

Wilhelmina Falls, just 32 kilometres from Yea via the Melba Highway and Murrindindi Road, is one of the area's most delightful natural attractions. A brisk 15 minute walk will take you to the falls. You'll see the old logging tram tracks along the way. The falls are accessible all year round and provide bush walkers - novices and veterans alike - with plenty of excitement. A mere 11km away are the Murrindindi Cascades.

Scenic Strath Creek

As Strath Creek is nestled in the heart of the mountains, there are some interesting scenic vantage points quite nearby. Seven kilometres towards Broadford, the Murchison Spur Road leads to a lookout with stunning views across the valley of a thousand hills. About ten kilometres further along the Murchison Spur Road and turning off into Falls Road are the Strath Creek Falls. These are well worth a visit and quite undiscovered.

OFFICIAL VISITORS' GUIDE

- Lake Mountain, Lake Eildon, Upper Goulburn River, Murrindindi, Victoria

Here are just some of the Attractions / Services / Activities featured in the region's Official Visitors' Guide