Visitor Guide

Situated on the western rim of the , Mount Worth State Park encompasses 1040 hectares of Mountain Ash forest and regenerating native bush. Whether picnicking on the banks of Moonlight Creek or taking a stroll along one of the many walking tracks Mount Worth is a relaxing destination for day visitors. Location and access So far nearly 135,000 seedlings have been planted and other areas directly seeded. Mount Worth State Park is situated approximately 125 kilometres south east of Melbourne. The park is reached Birdlife is abundant within the park. Lyrebirds scratch from the Princes Highway at by following the about amongst the leaf litter, while forest canopy provides Warragul Ð Korrumburra Road, and food and nesting areas for the Crimson Rosella, King McDonalds Track. Alternatively the park can be reached Parrot, Olive Whistler, Grey Butcherbird, Tawny from Darrum via the Darrum Ð Allambee Road and the Frogmouth and the rare Sooty Owl. The park is also Allambee Estate Road. Roads throughout the area are home to such animals as the Common Wombat, Swamp narrow and winding with gravel surfaces but offer Wallaby, Brush-tailed Possum, Feathertail Glider, Brown marvellous scenery with panoramic views across the Antechinus and Platypus. to the Great Dividing Range. Remnants of history Between 1860 and 1862, Surveyor George McDonald and his small team surveyed and cut a track through the thick forests of the Strzelecki Ranges from Lang Lang to Moe. Intended as a stock route, the track was rarely used due to the lack of permanent water on the ridges. Mount Worth is the highest point on the track. Common Wombat During the 1870s selectors pegged out blocks on McDonalds Track, toiled to clear a paddock and build Walking a hut out of bush timbers. The early settlers had to contend with short milking seasons, cold winters, noxious A network of walking tracks radiate from the Moonlight weeds, thick scrub and extreme transport difficulties. Creek picnic area. Raincoats and boots are a wise During the 1920s, twelve timber mills operated on the precaution as you are in a wet mountain forest with an slopes around Mount Worth to strip it of its valuable average rainfall of about 2000mm. timber. Relics of the timber industry remain in the park 1. Giant’s Circuit – 1.8 kilometres, 1 hour return. Parks Ranger including saw dust heaps, an old mill boiler and the formation of tramways used to haul timber to and from Commencing at the Moonlight Creek picnic area this the mills. trail follows the route of a timber tramway through Mountain Ash Forest and fern filled gullies. Interpretative “Victoria has all the outdoors The Warragul Field Naturalist Club and the Shire of signs provide an excellent introduction to the plants and you could wish for – mountains, Warragul were instrumental in having the park created wildlife of the park. This lovely walk includes the to protect an example of the wet forests originally forests, beaches and bushland, impressive Standing Giant, a huge Mountain Ash with widespread in the Western Strzelecki Ranges. The park a girth of 7 metres and probably 300 years old. all preserved in our parks. now encompasses 1040 hectares of reserved forest Our natural landscapes have and former dairy, potato and pig farms. 2. Moonlight Circuit – 8.5 kilometres, 3 hour return. been here longer than anyone Commencing at the Moonlight Creek picnic area, this knows, and together we can A haven for plants and animals walk combines Moonlight Creek Track and Moonlight make sure they’re here forever.” Mount Worth State Park protects a remnant of the Divide Track to form a walking circuit. It is a strenuous forests that once covered the western Strzelecki Ranges. walk suitable for more experienced walkers. The Tall wet forests of Mountain Ash, Mountain Grey Gum Moonlight Divide Track climbs steeply to the ridge and and Blackwood grow on the hills and slopes. Soft Tree- leads through regenerating Mountain Ash forest with a ferns and Rough Tree-ferns flourish within the sheltered dense understorey of Dogwood, Daisy Bush and Blackwood. Openings in the forest canopy provide views For more information gullies. The cool moist conditions support a number of rare plants including Netted Brake, Slender Tree-fern to Mount Worth and across the park to neighbouring call the Parks Victoria and Skirted Tree- fern. farmland. Moonlight Creek Track follows a trickling Information Centre mountain stream through lush fern gullies, to the sites on 13 1963 or The park also features Silver Wattle and Blackwood as of old timber mills. Seymours mill is marked by a huge visit our website at well as Daisy Bush, Dogwood and Tree Everlasting. A sawdust pile situated high above the creek. major program of planting Mountain Ash, Mountain Grey www.parkweb.vic.gov.au Gum and Manna Gum is in progress to restore pastures to forest. For further information Walking (contÕd) contact: 3. Gardiners Mill Track – 1.5 kilometres one way, 1 hour Parks Victoria return. Information Centre This walk is an extension of The Giant Circuit and takes you Warragul 13 1963 PRINCES Moe through regenerating Mountain Ash forest and along the tree Yarragon or visit our website on fern lined Clark Creek. HWY www.parkweb.vic.gov.au Trafalgar 4. Maslins Mill - 800 metres one way, 40 minutes return. Parks Victoria Office 71 Hotham Street, Commencing at the far end of the Moonlight Creek picnic Mt Worth Traralgon area this track meanders through forest of Mountain Ash and Stat Park Hallston ph (03) 5172 2111 Blackwood to MaslinsÕs Mill site. Suitable for people with limited mobility. Mirboo Nth

SOUTH South Visitor Picnicking & accommodation GIPPSLAND Information Centre, The grassy flats and tree ferns at Moonlight Creek provide a cnr Sth Gippsland Hwy & HWY Silkstone Rd, delightful setting for a picnic. Tables, fireplaces and toilets Korumburra are provided. Camping is not permitted within the park, ph (03) 5655 2233 however campsites can be found south on the park on the banks of the . These are accessible from the Latrobe Visitor Information Allambee Estate Road. Hotels, motels and caravan parks are Private property Centre Princes Hwy, to Darnum 12km available within Warragul, Korumburra and Moe. to Warragul 20km Traralgon Farm stay accommodation is available ph (03) 5174 3199 Lookouts offer panoramic in Yarragon and Allambee. views of the Latrobe River Valley, Great Dividing Range and . K

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R T to Allambee S Caring for the LD 2 km A Mt Worth k N e c C O A f f l r environment M c D e

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remembering these B

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guidelines: E to Leongatha 31km to Leongatha to Warragul 21km Maslins MO Cr e e k ON Mo o n lig h t LIGHT All native plants and animals H E MOON LIGHT T T CREE K RA C 2 K in the park are protected. Seymours

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R e L I Please keep to designated e N 4 A r K TRA K N 2 C TS C C 2 IAN IRC walking tracks to avoid D G U IT becoming lost. 1 E E Trevorrows I D S V T T I Bins are not provided within D Moonlight Creek A R

T R A Picnic Area I C E the park. Please take your D k K e

G t e E h r rubbish home. i g C 3 l 3 r n e

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Camping is not permitted in M HT IG L the park. N k n O r k i n e O La r e wi M C a r Cats and dogs are not Gardiners T

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A e Fires may only be lit in the l ar k D R C W O fireplaces provided. No fires A D Private property to be lit on days of total fire to Ferndale 4km ban (Eastern District). to Leongatha 32km to Hallston 8km to Leongatha 35km

Mount Worth State Park N Minor/unsealed road Recreational Facilities 0 0.25 0.50

Walking track Carpark Picnic area KILOMETRES Mount Worth State Park Disbaled access Cartography by Charles Walsh Sawmill site (disused) Nature Tourism Services 00/5

Fireplace Self guided walk

Information Toilets

Lookout Water MELBOURNE

May 2001