There’s so many marvellous national parks to discover around Victoria, such as the spectacular Organ Pipes near Melbourne, the wildflower paradise of the Grampians and the coastal wonders of Wilsons Prom. And if cool temperate rainforests are up your alley, why don’t you consider a trip to Tarra-Bulga National Park? This lush pocket of Gippsland is home to giant mountain ash trees, dreamy forest walks and a pretty cool suspension bridge. The drive takes about 2.5 to 3 hours from Melbourne, and it’s absolutely worth the wait.
Tarra-Bulga National Park
Spanning 2,014 hectares, this national park protects a part of the forests that once covered the eastern Strzelecki Ranges. It lies on Brataualung Country, and is jointly managed by the Gunaikurnai people. On the hills and slopes, you’ll find towering mountain ash, messmate and blackwood trees, while in the sheltered gullies, you’ll find myrtle beech, southern sassafras, austral mulberry and banyallas. With cool and moist conditions, this park also has over 41 species of ferns, as well as an abundance of birds and wildlife. With its cool forests and fern gullies, Tarra-Bulga is a great place to escape the heat of summer.
Birdwatchers will have plenty to look out for, with over 100 bird species in the park. Look up at the forest canopy, which provides nesting areas for pilotbirds, cockatoos, kookaburras, rosellas, currawongs and more. Meanwhile, in the understorey and smaller trees, you’ll find birds like eastern yellow robins. Listen out for the call of the lyrebird, and see if you can spot them searching for grubs on the ground. Look out for other native wildlife, such as wombats, wallabies, gliders, possums and even the shy platypus.
Corrigan Suspension Bridge
One major highlight of the park is the Corrigan Suspension Bridge. This spectacular bridge stretches through the forest canopy, and offers incredible views of the fern gully below. The original bridge was built for tourists in 1938, and was later replaced in 1982. As you go, look out for a 60-metre-tall mountain ash tree, which is over 200 years old. You can reach the bridge from the Bulga picnic area, a 720 metre return journey that takes just 15 minutes to complete. For something a little longer, you can also follow the signs from the Visitor Centre Carpark via the Lyrebird Ridge, Ash and Wills Tracks. This longer walk is 1.2km long, and takes 25 minutes one way.
More forest walks
The park is filled with short to medium walking tracks, so there’s plenty to choose from if you’d like to stretch your legs and soak in the scenery. These include:
- Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk – wander through a rainforest gully and across mountain streams to Cyathea Falls. This track is 1.4km long and is about a 40 minutes return journey.
- Lyrebird Ridge Track – this trail leads through regenerating and mature mountain ash forests. There are seats along the way, so you can take it all in. It’s 45 minutes return, and 2.4km long.
- Forest Track – journey along this unsurfaced trail through the forest, a rainforest gully and a thicket of hazel pomaderris. This 4.4km walk comes with steep sections, and takes 1.5 hours to complete.
If you’re a passionate bushwalker, you could also embark on the Grand Strzelecki Track. Stretching across over 100km, this hike connects Morwell National Park with Tarra-Bulga National Park. It takes three to four days to complete, or you can walk it in sections. Learn more about it here.
Things to do
If you’re not sure where to start, pop into the Visitor Centre in Balook. Open on weekends and public holidays, this spot has plenty of helpful information about the park and its history, as well as facilities like toilets and a picnic area with barbecues. Beyond the Visitor Centre, there are two other picnic areas. Both the Tarra Valley and Bulga picnic spots are set amongst the towering trees, and come with tables, toilets and shelters. Do take your rubbish with you, as there aren’t any bins available.
Beyond the park
If you’d like to swap out the forest for the coast, Tarra-Bulga is about 40-minutes away from the little town of Port Albert, and an hour away from Ninety Mile Beach. Otherwise, venture inland to Traralgon for cafes and restaurants. On your way back to Melbourne, take a detour to Wilsons Prom, or stop by other coastal towns like Venus Bay.
Getting there
From Melbourne, take the Princes Highway to Traralgon. Then follow Traralgon Creek Road and Traralgon-Balook Road to Balook. You can also approach from Yarram via Tarra Valley Road or Bulga Park Road.
Take care while driving, as the roads in the area are narrow and winding. Only Traralgon-Balook Road and Tarra Valley Road are sealed, the rest are dirt. As you travel along, you’ll see plenty of panoramic views and gorgeous scenery.
Check conditions before you go on the Parks Victoria website.
