Victorian Grampians gain heritage listing
Five of Australia's iconic national parks have been added to the National Heritage List, including the beautiful Grampians (Gariwerd) in Western Victoria.
The other newly listed sites include:
[url="http://www.deh.gov.au/heritage/national/"]http://www.deh.gov.au/heritage/national/[/url]
What is special about the Grampians?
History
Aboriginal people have lived in Gariwerd for thousands of years and it is one of the richest Indigenous rock art sites in south-eastern Australia. European settlers arrived following favourable reports of potential grazing land by Major Thomas Mitchell, who scaled the highest peak in the Grampians, Mt Duwil (Mt William), with a small group of explorers in 1836. Mitchell named the mountains the Grampians after the rugged region in his native Scotland.
The Grampians soon became a centre for farming, mining and timber production, and a source of water for surrounding farmland. The Grampians was designated as State Forest in 1872 and was declared a National Park in 1984.
Wildflowers
The Grampians supports over 975 native plant species, representing over one third of the total Victorian flora.
During spring the park bursts into a rich and colourful display of wildflowers, such as Grampians boronia, blue pin-cushion lily, Grampians parrot-pea and Grampians thryptomene. The area also hosts more than 75 orchid species.
A haven for endangered animals
The variety of vegetation, topography and habitats provide shelter and food for at least 230 bird species, including thornbills, fairy-wrens, honeyeaters, whistlers, robins, wetland birds, powerful owls, great egrets, red-tailed black cockatoo and swift parrot. Other inhabitants include warty bell frog, brush-tailed rock wallaby, long-nosed potoroo and heath rat.
Grampians National Park
For more information about the Grampians National Park please visit: [url="http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au"]http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au[/url]
For a map of the park see here:
[url="http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/resources05/05_1411.pdf"]http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/resources05/05_1411.pdf[/url]
Five of Australia's iconic national parks have been added to the National Heritage List, including the beautiful Grampians (Gariwerd) in Western Victoria.
The other newly listed sites include:
- Sydney's Royal National Park and the adjoining Garawarra State Conservation Area
- Warrumbungles in northern NSW
- Ku-ring-gai, in Sydney's north
- Stirling Ranges in South Australia.
[url="http://www.deh.gov.au/heritage/national/"]http://www.deh.gov.au/heritage/national/[/url]
What is special about the Grampians?
- Striking escarpments
- Delicate spring flowers
- Contrasting spectacular natural beauty
- Major Aboriginal rock art
- Fabulous spring wildflowers
- Known as Gariwerd by local Indigenous people
- Attracts more than 800,000 visitors each year.
History
Aboriginal people have lived in Gariwerd for thousands of years and it is one of the richest Indigenous rock art sites in south-eastern Australia. European settlers arrived following favourable reports of potential grazing land by Major Thomas Mitchell, who scaled the highest peak in the Grampians, Mt Duwil (Mt William), with a small group of explorers in 1836. Mitchell named the mountains the Grampians after the rugged region in his native Scotland.
The Grampians soon became a centre for farming, mining and timber production, and a source of water for surrounding farmland. The Grampians was designated as State Forest in 1872 and was declared a National Park in 1984.
Wildflowers
The Grampians supports over 975 native plant species, representing over one third of the total Victorian flora.
During spring the park bursts into a rich and colourful display of wildflowers, such as Grampians boronia, blue pin-cushion lily, Grampians parrot-pea and Grampians thryptomene. The area also hosts more than 75 orchid species.
A haven for endangered animals
The variety of vegetation, topography and habitats provide shelter and food for at least 230 bird species, including thornbills, fairy-wrens, honeyeaters, whistlers, robins, wetland birds, powerful owls, great egrets, red-tailed black cockatoo and swift parrot. Other inhabitants include warty bell frog, brush-tailed rock wallaby, long-nosed potoroo and heath rat.
Grampians National Park
For more information about the Grampians National Park please visit: [url="http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au"]http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au[/url]
For a map of the park see here:
[url="http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/resources05/05_1411.pdf"]http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/resources05/05_1411.pdf[/url]