Tarra Valley and Other National Parks | History

TARRA BULGA NATIONAL PARK

Giant Mountain Ash and superb pockets of cool temperate rainforest, Myrtle Beech and Sassafras are as rewarding as the grand scenic views in this park, which features waterfalls and a graceful suspension bridge over a fern-filled gully. As you walk along the quiet tracks through the park, you may see or hear a Lyrebird or other native wildlife. Settled since the 1870's, the surrounding area has a rich variety of local history.

Visitor Centre

The Visitor Centre at Balook is open weekends, school and public holidays. The Centre displays the human and natural history of the ranges and a feature on rainforests. Fireplaces, barbeques, picnic shelters and toilets are provided at the Visitor Centre. The Tarra Valley Picnic Area has picnic shelters, tables and toilets.

• Tarra Bulga National Park

• Morwell National Park

• St Gwineer National Park

• Tyres National Park

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HISTORY

In 1903, the Alberton Shire Council asked the State Government to reserve an area of the forest with fern gullies near Balook as a public park. Twenty hectares were reserved and given the aboriginal name Bulga, meaning 'mountain'. Six years later, an area of 303 hectares in the Tarra Valley was temporarily reserved, though the eventual park was only 40 hectares in size. This park and the Tarra River were named after Charlie Tarra, an Aborigine who guided Strzelecki and his party through Gippsland in 1840.

Following recommendations by the Land Conservation Council, the two separate National Parks were joined through a land exchange with A.P.M. Forests Pty Ltd. An enlarged and renamed Tarra-Bulga Park of 1,230 hectares was declared in June 1986.

By 1990 Tarra-Bulga National Park covered 1,625 hectares of some of the best examples of original forests of the Strzelecki Ranges. Additions in 2005 increased the park size to 2,015 hectares.

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