Alpine National Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Alpine National Park | |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category II (National Park) | |
  | |
| Nearest town/city: | Omeo |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 6,474.15 km² |
| Managing authorities: | Parks Victoria |
| Official site: | Alpine National Park |
The Alpine National Park is a national park in Victoria (Australia), northeast of Melbourne. It covers much of the higher areas of the Great Dividing Range in Victoria, most of Victoria's skiing, the subalpine woodland and grassland of the Bogong High Plains, and Victoria's highest point, Mount Bogong.
The majority of the park was affected by a large bushfire in early 2003, the largest since fires in 1939. Most facilities for tourists were relatively unaffected. Fires are a periodic feature of most Australian ecosystems.
Unusually for an Australian national park, agricultural activity is conducted in the park, with quotas of cattle controversially allowed to graze on the High Plains during the summer months. In May 2005, the Victorian state government announced plans to end this grazing; the federal government has in turn publicly floated the idea of using national cultural heritage powers (on the basis of the cultural place given to the mountain cattleman, notably through The Man From Snowy River) to override the state decision.
The park's eastern and north-eastern boundary is along the border with New South Wales in some parts; on the other side of the border is the Kosciuszko National Park.
Alpine National Park is divided into six sections:
- Wonnangatta-Moroka
- Mount Buller-Mount Stirling
- Mount Hotham-Mount Feathertop
- Bogong High Plains
- Wombargo-The Cobberas
- Tingaringy
[edit] Attractions
This area is very popular in summer for bushwalking and mountain biking. The major drawcards are the cooler alpine weather and the stunning scenery created by the highest peaks in Victoria. The largest walking trail through the park is the Australia Alps Walking Track but many shorter walks are popular for peak bagging and the scenery and wildflowers. In winter much of the area is accessible on skis, the snow being the drawcard. Both Mount Hotham and Falls Creek, two ski resorts, are close to or inside the national park and bring tourism business. Other areas such as the Bogong High Plains and Mount Bogong bring backcountry skiing enthuisiasts.
