Kooyoora State Park
| Kooyoora State Park Victoria | |
|---|---|
 Granite outcrops at Melville Caves | |
| Nearest town or city | Inglewood |
| Established | 1985 |
| Area | 113.5 km2 (43.8 sq mi) |
| Managing authorities | Parks Victoria |
| Website | Kooyoora State Park |
| See also | Protected areas of Victoria |
Kooyoora State Park is a state park in Victoria, Australia located 220 kilometres (140 mi) northwest of Melbourne, and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) west of Inglewood. It is a 11,350-hectare (28,000-acre) reserve comprising box-ironbark forest and rocky granite outcrops, including the Melville Caves.[1][2] Popular activities include bird watching, horse riding, camping, caving, rock climbing, fossicking, and bush walking. Facilities include walking tracks, lookouts, a campground, and a picnic ground with a shelter and toilets.[2]
Kooyoora State Park was proclaimed in 1985.[2] The original inhabitants of the area were the Jaara people who used the rock caves and shelters for protection from the weather. European settlers moved into the area in the 1840s and gold mining commenced in the late 1850s. The bushranger, Captain Melville is believed to have used the area as a hideout.[2]
The native grasslands provide a food source for kangaroos and wallabies.[2] Key tree species include Blakely's Red Gum, Yellow and Grey Box and Red Ironbark.[2]
References
- ^ Kooyoora State Park, Parks Victoria, retrieved 2012-01-25
- ^ a b c d e f "Kooyoora State Park visitor guide" (PDF), Park Notes, Parks Victoria, December 2010, retrieved 2012-01-25
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