Located in Western Victoria, Australia, the Grampians National Park is 260km from Melbourne and 460km from Adelaide. The Grampians comprise a system of rugged mountain ranges formed mainly of sandstone. The entire region is a showcase of ancient volcanoes, grain fields, heritage townships, living deserts, open forests, woodlands and wetlands. There are over 1000 different types of native wildflowers and ferns and a limited species of animals – kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, possum, potaroo, bandicoot, echidna, platypus – including 230 species of bird.
The park has a diverse and rich human history. Known by Aboriginal people as Gariwerd, which means ‘mountain range’, the region holds deep cultural resonance for Australian's Indigenous people. Jardwadjali and Djab Wurrung communities lived in and around the Grampians’ mountains and valleys for at least 3000 thousand years before the arrival of white settlers. The people of Gariwerd had a symbiotic relationship with the land and nature, which helped them grow and sustain societies, economies and lifestyles. The area is also of unique cultural significance with 80% of Aboriginal art sites in Victoria located in the park.
In January 2006 a major bushfire ignited by lightning consumed more than 130,000 hectares of national park, public land and pasture land. The Mt Lubra Fire affected approximately 47% of the National Park. 12 months later, there are sure signs of recovery and regeneration.
Sources:
Offical Visitors’ Guide – Halls Gap, Stawell, Ararat, 2006
Official Touring Map – The Grampians, 2006
Grampians National Park Vistor Guide, 2006
50 Walks in the Grampians (3rd Edition) by Tyrone T Thomas, 1986
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