Tucked away in Victoria’s east is a lush national park that features some of the last remnants of Indigenous eucalypt forests that once covered a large part of the state. Tarra-Bulga National Park is one of only four cool temperate rainforests in Victoria, with deep river valleys that are dominated by majestic trees and dense fern gullies. It's a lesser-known, hidden gem of Victoria and it's easy to visit on a day trip from Melbourne.
Where is Tarra-Bulga National Park?
The Tarra-Bulga National Park is in South Gippsland, near Balook, in Brataualung Country. It makes up part of the Strzelecki Ranges, which are a series of low mountain ridges in South and West Gippsland, characterised by cool temperate rainforests. Tarra-Bulga is one of the smallest national parks in Victoria, spanning just 3,700 acres.
How to get to Tarra-Bulga National Park?
The best way to get to Tarra-Bulga National Park is to drive, as it's located about 190 kilometres east of Melbourne. The drive from Melbourne takes around 2.5 hours. The best route to take is the Princes Highway (M1 road) to Traralgon. Then head south for another 30 kilometres on a winding, scenic drive via Mount Tassie to get to the park.
What are the main attractions in Tarra-Bulga National Park?
The park is renowned for the cultural significance of its ancient rainforests, including giant 30-metre-tall mountain ash and myrtle beech trees, as well as lush fern gullies. One of the most popular attractions is Corrigan’s Suspension Bridge, which has a spectacular view of the fern trees below, as well as the surrounding forest canopy. There are also picnic areas for visitors to use. Plus, the park is known for its wildlife and is ideal for birdwatching – you can spot lyrebirds, platypus, wombats, wallabies, echidnas and crimson rosellas.
What walking tracks are there at Tarra-Bulga National Park?
There are several short walking tracks at Tarra-Bulga National Park. The walk to Corrigan’s Suspension Bridge from the Visitor Centre car park takes around 25 minutes one way. There’s also a scenic track from the bridge that winds through the tall mountain ash trees and rainforest. For a proper hike, there’s the Forest Track, which takes about 90 minutes return and is more challenging. For a complete list of the walks in the national park, check out the Parks Victoria website.
When is the best time to visit Tarra-Bulga National Park?
Depending on the season, there are different elements of the park to enjoy. In summer, the forest remains cool and is an ideal place to visit to escape from the heat. In autumn, hundreds of fungi pop up across the park. In winter, although it can be very cold, it’s the best time to spot lyrebirds. In spring, you can see ferns sprout bright green new fronds. So there isn’t really a bad time of year to visit Tarra-Bulga National Park.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.