Nearest town or city Bacchus Marsh Area 6 km² | Managing authorities Management Parks Victoria | |
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Website Long Forest Nature Conservation Reserve Address Long Forest VIC 3340, Australia Similar Werribee Gorge State Park, Baker House, Lerderderg State Park, Brisbane Ranges National, Wombat State Forest | ||
Long Forest Nature Conservation Reserve is a 600 hectare reserve situated 50 kilometres to the west of Melbourne, between Melton and Bacchus Marsh in Victoria, Australia. It is managed by Parks Victoria.
Contents
Flora
The reserve has over 400 native plant species. It contains a Rocky Chenopod Scrub community that includes the bull mallee, the only occurrence of a mallee species south of the Great Dividing Range. Other tree species found in the park include grey box, Werribee blue box, yellow gum and moonah. Shrub species include turkey bush and sixteen species of saltbush including fragrant saltbush.
Fauna
Mammal species in the park include eastern grey kangaroo, black-tailed wallaby, koala, brush-tailed possum and short-beaked echidna. Over 160 bird species have been sighted in the park including the barking owl, crested bellbird, diamond firetail, jacky winter, red-capped robin and speckled warbler.
Access and facilities
The park is accessed via Long Forest Road which runs northwards from the Western Highway. Car parks with information boards are located at the entrance to the Happy Valley Track and on Canopus Circuit. These provide access to walking tracks that lead to Coimadai Creek. Walking tracks leading to Djerriwarrh Creek are accessed from parking areas at Djerriwarrh Track to the south and Moonah Drive to the north. There are also several sites in which you can access to other walking tracks on Long Forest Road and in Canopus Circuit.