Tarra-Bulga National Park

Tarra-Bulga National Park is a national park that holds a small patch of temperate rainforest in Victoria's Central Gippsland region.

History
The area was initially protected as the Bulga National Park in 1904, which covered only. In 1909, the Tarra Valley National Park was established nearby. Over the decades, the two parks were constantly expanded and finally merged under the current name in 1986. Today, at, it is still relatively small compared to many Victorian national parks, but it's significantly larger than what it once was.

Landscape, flora and fauna
The park's deep river valleys are dominated by moist sclerophyll forest (mainly giant eucalyptus). The rest consists largely of blackwood, pomaderris and tree ferns. In some spots in the park you can also find cold temperate rainforest with myrtle beech trees. The heights are covered with low, sparse forest, mostly eucalypti of peppermint and gum species.

Climate
The park's climate varies between cool and very cold, though the patches of deforested areas can feel warm or even hot during the summer (and will continue to do until climate change gets under control).

Visitor information

 * Parks Victoria website

Get in
If you are using a navigation app, direct your GPS to the town of Balook. To access the park, drive south from Traralgon along the Traralgon Creek Road (C483), north from Yarram along the Tarra Valley Road or Balook Yarram Road, or via the Grand Ridge Road (C484; unsealed) from either Carrajung or Mirboo North.

Note: C484 is only one lane (shared between both sides) north of the southernmost Tarra River crossing. Drive with extra caution.

Fees and permits
As of April 2024, there is no fee for entering the national park.

Get around
Most of the walks around the visitor centre can be reached on foot. However, if you are visiting the Tarra Valley for the two waterfalls, you will need to drive.

Bushwalking trails
The park has six bushwalking trails, five of which are in the vicinity of the visitor centre. The sixth is Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk in the Tarra Valley (see &sect; Cyathea Falls above).
 * Lyrebird Ridge Track (coloured  on map) – a 2.4-km (45 min return) walk taking you through mostly regenerative mountain ash forests.
 * Ash Track (coloured  on map) – a 680-m branch track off the Lyrebird Ridge Track. Most of the vegetation on this branch track is very similar, but there are very visible remnants of logging that occurred here during the early-20th century.
 * Fern Gully Track, including the Willis Track (coloured  on map) – an easy 15-minute loop that takes less than a kilometre, but more importantly, passes through, the park's main draw.
 * Scenic Track (coloured  on map) a 1-km 20-minute (one way) walk connecting Corrigan Suspension Bridge to the entrance near Bulga. It contains one of the park's finest temperate rainforests.
 * Forest Track (coloured  on map) – this 4.4-km 90-minute loop is the longest walk solely within the park, passing through a rainforest gully and a thicket of Hazel Pomaderris. It is very steep, but doable if you have some experience; part of the track utilises a disused road (Old Yarram-Balook Road), and this section tends to be more tolerable.

In addition, the 85-km-long Grand Strzelecki Track partially runs through the park. See Central Gippsland do for information regarding that track.

Buy
Postcards and other souvenirs can be purchased at the visitor centre.

Eat and drink
There is only one cafe in the area with odd opening hours. Bring your own food if you are visiting outside their opening hours.

Lodging
There is no lodging within the park, but there are two very close to the park. If you want to minimise your car use, Tarra Bulga Guesthouse Balook is walking distance from the visitor centre, while Tarra Valley Retreat is a bit further away but cheaper on price.

Camping
Unusually, there are no campgrounds within the park, but it is possible at the nearby Tarra Valley Retreat.

Stay safe
When driving, ensure you are always attentive to vehicles coming in the oncoming direction as the roads in the park only have 1 shared lane. Take extra precaution around tight corners.

Go next

 * Wilsons Promontory National Park – the southernmost point of mainland Australia.