PARK WATCH Article March 2025 |

Prue Thwaites from Friends of Errinundra takes us to a park rich in natural wonders

Nestled in the remote and rugged terrain of far East Gippsland, Errinundra National Park includes the Errinundra Plateau, the southern-most extension of the Monaro Tablelands. Rising to an average height of 1,000 metres, the plateau receives around 1,000 mm of annual rainfall, creating a cool, damp environment that nurtures its ancient forests and rich biodiversity.

For thousands of years, the Traditional Owners of this land have cared for its forests, waterways and wildlife. The area was an important meeting place, with people travelling along ancestral trails to the Snowy and Bogong High Plains to take part in the annual Bogong Moth feasts – a key cultural and food-gathering event.

Following years of determined campaigning to protect the area from logging, Errinundra National Park was established in 1988, recognising significant natural, cultural and recreational values. Its diverse tree-dwelling animals, mix of rainforests and tall wet eucalypt forests and many undisturbed water catchments, are considered highly valuable for conservation.

When the park was created, fire had been absent from the plateau for more than 150 years. Bushfires in 2014 and 2020 affected large areas of the park’s rare Cool Temperate Mixed Forest. Despite this, key parts remained untouched, providing a vital refuge for threatened wildlife.

Conservation groups, including VNPA, have long advocated for Errinundra’s protection. Through initiatives like Forest Forever camps, VNPA has helped people connect with the park’s rich biodiversity and natural heritage. But advocacy continues, with calls to expand the park’s boundaries to permanently protect more of its unique ecosystems.

There’s concern that support and resources for the park may be reduced even further, increasing the risk of threats like invasive weeds and decaying infrastructure.