Beyond the bustling metropolis of Melbourne lies a world of enchanting beauty just waiting to be explored. A region that boasts an astonishing array of diverse landscapes that will leave any adventurer in awe, Victoria offers a kaleidoscope of wonders. Come with us on a journey through the gems of this great southern state, where every turn reveals a new facet of its beauty.
VICTORIA’S HIDDEN GEMS
One of the (countless) things we love about this state is the versatility afforded to us by the land. We love that we can travel every which way, and will be greeted by a diversity of landscapes. There are the rolling green hills of Gippsland, the lush, dense forests of the Dandenongs, the defining outback of the Mallee, the rugged mountains of Gariwerd/Grampians, the ocean views of the Surf Coast and the iconic alpine landscape of the High Country… We could go on. Our country is renowned for its rich topography, and Victoria’s regions beautifully reflect Australia’s expansive landscape. All you need to do is load up the car and go see for yourself.
Let’s go exploring!
WILDFLOWER WONDERS
All-season blooms: Victoria’s perennial wildflowers
Spring may seem like the best time to go wildflower spotting, but these sweet native plants actually flourish in parklands, forests and reserves year-round – all you have to do is look above, around and below. You’re bound to come across wildflowers in any natural setting, so whenever we are travelling we like to keep our eyes peeled for any glimmers of roadside colour. Some wildflowers are endemic, while most species can be discovered all over – growing on tree branches, stemming from lily pads, or peeking through sheaves of grass in forests, parks and along roads.
Victoria boasts many parks and regions that are bursting at the (green) seams with stunning wildflowers. There are those areas where you can find yourself frolicking in a sea of purple hardenbergia, and other places where native peas and yam daisies are scattered throughout the native landscape. Venture near and far and see what pretty plants you can spot – donkey and purple-bearded orchids, native peas and daisies to name a few.
Slatey Creek’s diversity: a treasure trove of flora
If you’re seeking an overdose of wildflower species, Slatey Creek near Creswick will surely indulge your appetite. Native peas, goodenia, drosera and golden spray are just a few of the species that can be found here. The Murnong (yam daisy) can be found here – keep an eye out for its tufted rosette of toothed lanceolate leaves, reminiscent of a dandelion due to its yellow head of florets.
Gariwerd’s floral display: Springtime in the Grampains
The Gariwerd/Grampians region is home to a huge variety of emerging wildflowers, including pink and white heath, orchids and blooming tea trees in their natural settings. Wander around the vast bushlands of the mountains and catch a glimpse of the eye-catching flora, or visit in early October for the town hub of Halls Gap’s Wildflower Walkabout Weekend.
Woowookarung’s botanicals: Discover Ballarat’s flora
Located in the regional city of Ballarat, Woowookarung Regional Park is a 641ha park created in 2016 through the ongoing efforts of the local community and its many user groups. Woowookarung means ‘place of plenty’ in Wadawurrung language, and, as you walk through its meandering tracks and trails, you’ll find a plethora of wildflowers including many pea species, such as masses of golden bush-pea or the beautiful hardenbergia sprawling over fallen logs, as well as the dainty native violet or ivy-leaf violet that are very small and grow low to the ground.
Great Ocean floral trail: Coastal wildflower beauty
If you’re seeking to appreciate wildflowers in a coastal setting, venture to the towns along the Great Ocean Road. Admire banksias, parrot peas and orchids along the Surf Coast Walk, which also crosses the Anglesea heathlands near the start of the Great Ocean Road, or traverse heathland in the Bay of Islands Coastal Park where spring wildflowers abound throughout the volcanic landscape of the Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve.
MYSTICAL FORESTS OF VICTORIA
Ancient forests & hidden worlds: The mystery of Victoria’s woods
Whenever we wander into Victoria’s forests we are reminded that the word ‘forest’ has the same Latin root as the word ‘foreign’. They both come from foris, meaning outside, or another place. Victoria’s forests are like other worlds. Some are towering mazes of solid eucalypt timber, the canopy dancing in the sky somewhere overhead. Other forests are low, stunted, gnarled trees that hold sand dunes together tenaciously with their hidden roots, their limbs home to goannas and countless tiny birds.
Then there are the forests that straddle both sea and land, great ribbons of green mangrove that send up roots above the high-tide mark to breathe while still mostly submerged underwater, home to thousands of crabs that emerge at low tide. These are the places where you take a glimpse into the life and home of the birds, marsupials, insects, reptiles, plants and fungi that make up these incredibly intricate, interwoven environments. Sadly, we have lost almost 90 per cent of our forest in Victoria, so what is left is truly precious. Be mindful of this when you travel and do what you can to conserve these special places.
Errinundra’s mountain mystique: Rainforest wonders above Orbost
Up in the hills above Orbost, in far-east Gippsland, is an ancient mountain wonderland. Often cloaked in mist, the forests of the towering shining gums and gnarled mountain plum pines grow amongst a canopy of tree ferns and great expanses of moss-covered rocks. It is one of the last extents of cool-climate rainforest in the world and home to several species of possums and gliders. Some Podocarpus, or mountain pine, species have been growing here for millions of years, giving parts of the forest an eerie Jurassic feel. The area is generally always wet – the source of seven different rivers – so wear sturdy waterproof boots.
Anglesea’s ecological riches: Biodiversity along the Great Ocean Road
Down the Great Ocean Road, in the low hills around Anglesea, is a 7000ha reserve managed by Parks Victoria, protecting one of the most ecologically diverse landscapes in the country. Here the soil is poor, and the manna gums and stringybarks grow small and stunted, but the conditions are perfect for the native heaths, grass trees, banksias, grasses, and wildflowers that carpet the ground. Well-made paths intersect this country, giving walking access to the low forest where koalas graze in the treetops and swamp wallabies hop about their solitary trails. Come late winter and spring, the forest floor erupts with life as the wildflowers bloom. Some are tiny greenhood orchids; some are trigger orchids whose petals entrap pollinating insects at the lightest touch; there are orchids with the aroma of chocolate, while some banksia flowers ooze nectar that tastes like honey.
Wyperfeld Malee magic: Seasonal colours & life
In the height of summer the Mallee gets hot. The bush is still, and when the storm clouds build it’s time to get out, as a single lightning strike can set the forest alight. Mallee trees are very short eucalypt trees, so adapted to fire that they have no trunk, just short straight limbs, no more than 5m tall that grow directly from the root. When winter rains come in from the west, the sand dunes become a blaze of colour with myriad wildflowers and bushes bursting into bloom. One great place to experience the harsh beauty of the Mallee is Wyperfeld National Park in the north-west of the state between Ouyen and Nhill. When the Wimmera River flows into ephemeral Lake Hindmarsh, a chain of lake beds fills, transforming the park. Come for the great camping, birdwatching, and night skies.
Hattah-Kulkyne desert glows: Outback beauty & heritage
Hattah-Kulkyne in Victoria’s north-west is as close as we get to outback in Victoria without crossing the border. Up here in the Mallee the horizons are massive, the colours kaleidoscopic and the night skies jet black and punctuated with a billion blazing points of light. Hattah-Kulkyne National Park covers some 48,000ha of country, and is the traditional home of the Latje Latje People. Hattah-Kulkyne includes many culturally significant sites, including scar trees where canoes and shields were cut from bark generations ago, as well as middens. Much of the park is covered in rolling red and yellow sand dunes cloaked in mallee gum and Murray pine. Around the waterways is a thin ribbon of ancient river red gums. The lakes are fed by creeks leading to the Murray River and rise and fall depending on the flow of the river, flooding every several years. These vast bodies of freshwater in the middle of a quite arid landscape create valuable habitat to huge numbers of birds. The shorelines of the lakes are often lined with red-capped plovers, while the endangered Mallee emu-wren can be seen in the grasses nearby. At night the haunting call of the boobook fills the still air. Sunsets can be extraordinary, lighting the whole forest with different hues that change from orange to red to mauve.
Pick up a copy of Undiscovered Victoria from the team at One Hour Out. Published by Hardie Grant Explore, it is available where all good books are sold. RRP AU $45.00
This article was originally published under the title Undiscovered Victoria in Issue 35 – Embrace Your Vulnerable . You can purchase previous issues and enjoy more enchanting content here.
