What’s special

This park features the striking Mt Pilot Range and Woolshed Falls and protects box-ironbark forest that once covered much of north-east Victoria. Short or day-long walks can be made on vehicle tracks through open forest and a 25 km historic drive is marked from Chiltern through the forest and goldfields.

Best time to visit

In winter the ironbark trees are in flower, attracting the swift parrot and other birds. Avoid days of total fire ban during summer.

What to do

Drive to the Woolshed Falls (15m high), picnic at the Honeyeater Picnic Area (pit toilet), bushwalk or cycle on well-formed tracks, camp at Reedy Creek), take the 25-kilometre Tourist Drive or walk 0.5km to the Mt Pilot lookout.

Short walks include the White-Box Walking Track (8.5km, 2-3 hours) and Woolshed Falls to Beechworth via the Cascades and the Gorge Scenic Drive (6km, 2 hours).

Accessibility

Probably not wheelchair accessible.

Where

Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park is 275km north-east of Melbourne and 34km north of Wangaratta (Melway ref: 522 E6). Follow the Hume Freeway to the Chiltern turn-off.

Accommodation

Camping is available at sites along Reedy Creek. Commercial accommodation is available at Beechworth and Chiltern.

About the park

Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park was created in October 2002 to conserve and enhance what remains of Victoria’s box-ironbark forests and woodlands.

The park has a rich goldmining heritage, with gold being discovered at Beechworth in 1852. Within a short time the town became the centre of the Ovens District Goldfields. Later, in 1858, gold was discovered at the nearby.

Chiltern and Indigo goldfields, with thousands of miners taking up claims on the Woolshed and Indigo goldfields. Woolshed Creek got its name from an old shearing shed that was built near the creek.

Natural history

The park is predominantly open eucalyptus forest of red stringybark, Blakely’s red gum, grey box and mugga ironbark. Prolific spring wildflowers include wattles, orchids, lilies, bush peas and many other native species. Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park contains the highest number of mammal, bird and reptile species recorded at any box-ironbark site. More than 200 bird species have been recorded in the park including threatened woodland birds such as the regent honeyeater, swift parrot, turquoise parrot and square-tailed kite.

Eastern grey kangaroos graze during late afternoon and black swamp wallabies are often observed darting out from rocky outcrops. Tree-dwelling mammals including the tuan (brush-tailed phascogale), squirrel glider, sugar glider and feathertail glider seek out small hollows for breeding and shelter. Common brushtail and ringtail possums are also found in the park.

In January 2003 a wildfire burnt approximately 7000ha of the 21,600ha park. The natural regeneration and recovery of the native vegetation and wildlife will be a significant feature of the park landscape for some years to come.

Friends groups

Friends of Chiltern – Mt Pilot National Park
www.friendsofchiltern.org.au