Yarra Ranges National Park

Yarra Ranges National Park is a national park in the Yarra Valley of Victoria.

History
While the national park was only founded in 1995, the area has been a drinking water protection area for around 100 years. Thus, almost the entire national park is inaccessible to visitors. Nevertheless, the parts of the park that are open are a popular destination for day trips from Melbourne.

Unlike neighbouring areas, the park has always been difficult to access due to the dense forest; First Nations peoples of the Yarra Valley avoided the area. The European colonisers also found it difficult to gain access. However, it was settled in 1860 and was considered good land for forestry. Soon after the potential to supply Melbourne with drinking water was recognised, the first springs were built.

Flora and fauna
The dense, old stands of royal eucalyptus trees provide shelter for cavity-dwelling species such as owls and bats, as well as the endangered Leadbeater's possum. The park is home to about 40 species of mammals and 120 species of birds, including three types of owls (sooty owl, powerful owl, and barking owl), the rose robin, the yellow-tailed black cockatoo, the king parrot, the grey goshawk, and the crimson rosella.

Get in
Use B380 northeast from Melbourne and then use C511. The route takes about 40 minutes to 1 hour due to the winding road.

Do

 * Lady Talbot Drive is one of Victoria's most scenic drives, passing through several waterfalls, walks and some marvellous flora.
 * There are several things to do in Marysville Lake Mountain and Cambarville which include skiing, bushwalking and mountain biking.
 * Jubilee Trail

Buy, eat, drink or sleep
There are no facilities in the park, and the nearest places to buy, eat, drink or sleep can be found in several towns of the Yarra Valley.