MOUNT BUFFALO NATIONAL PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN National Parks Service DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA JUNE 1996 This Management Plan for the Mount Buffalo National Park is approved for implementation. Its purpose is to direct all aspects of management in the Park until the Plan is reviewed. A Draft Management Plan was published in September 1992. A total of 37 submissions were received. Copies of this Plan can be purchased from: Department of Natural Resources and Environment 57 Bridge Street BENALLA 3672 Department of Natural Resources and Environment 46 Bakers Gully Road BRIGHT 3741 Department of Natural Resources and Environment Mount Buffalo National Park Office PO Box 72 POREPUNKAH 3740 The Outdoors Information Centre Department of Natural Resources and Environment 240 Victoria Parade EAST MELBOURNE 3002 For further information on the Plan, please contact: Chief Ranger - Alpine Park Management Area NRE Bright Office Telephone: (057) 551 577 © Crown (State of Victoria) 1996 A Victoria Government Publication This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1986. Published June 1996 by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, 240 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Victoria. National Parks Service. Mount Buffalo National Park management plan. Bibliography. ISBN 0 7306 6138 5 1. National parks and reserves - Victoria - Management. 2. Mount Buffalo National Park (Vic.). I. Victoria. Dept. of Natural Resources and Environment. II. Title. 333.783099455 Cover: The Cathedral (Photo: Clyde O’Donnell) Note: In April 1996 the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (CNR) became part of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE). Printed on 100% recycled paper to help save our natural environment ii Mount Buffalo National Park FOREWORD Mount Buffalo National Park has long been This Approved Plan establishes the long-term popular with visitors. Baron Ferdinand Von management framework to protect the Mueller made the first recorded ascent of the conservation and recreation values of the Park Horn in 1853 during his first field trip as while ensuring that it plays an important role in Government Botanist. In 1856 the first tourist nature-based tourism in Victoria’s north-east. party was led onto the Plateau by the Manfield The Victorian colonial government temporarily brothers. The Park now receives between reserved 1165 ha around Eurobin Falls as a 150 000 and 200 000 visitor days per year, and ‘site for a national park’ in 1898. In 1998, is one of Victoria’s best known parks. Victoria will celebrate the centenary of Mount Visitors are attracted by awe-inspiring views Buffalo National Park and parks in Victoria. and landscapes, spectacular displays of summer This will present an excellent opportunity to wildflowers, and many kilometres of walking increase people’s awareness of the Park. tracks. Each winter a mantle of snow clothes Now more than ever before, the challenge is to the plateau, enabling visitors to enjoy downhill protect this beautiful but sensitive and fragile and cross-country skiing, tobogganing, snow environment while at the same time providing play and sightseeing. continuing opportunities for visitors to enjoy the Park. Hon Marie Tehan MP MINISTER FOR CONSERVATION and LAND MANAGEMENT Mount Buffalo National Park iii APPROVED MANAGEMENT PLAN This Approved Management Plan, prepared The Plan provides the basis for the future under Section 17 of the National Parks Act management of Mount Buffalo National Park. 1975 (Vic.), is approved for implementation. It was finalised following consideration of the 37 submissions received on the Draft Plan. Mark Stone Chris McRae Director, National Parks Service Interim Regional Manager, North East iv Mount Buffalo National Park SUMMARY Mount Buffalo is one of Victoria’s best known The Park has some of Australia’s most and most popular national parks. Along with challenging rock climbs, and is an Wilsons Promontory, it also ranks as one of the internationally recognised venue for hang State’s oldest parks, the first small reservation gliding. being made in 1898. During the snow season the Park offers Mount Buffalo National Park (31 000 hectares) downhill and cross-country skiing particularly comprises the plateau and most of the dissected suited to beginner and intermediate skiers. It foothills of Mount Buffalo, a granite massif also offers good opportunities for family snow- separated from the western side of the Great play, tobogganing and sightseeing. Dividing Range in north-eastern Victoria. The The historic Chalet operates year round, Park is 337 kilometres by road north-east of offering prestige accommodation with a range Melbourne, between Myrtleford and of recreation facilities and opportunities for its Porepunkah. guests. Motel, lodge and backpacker Massive bluffs and near-vertical granite rock accommodation is available at Tatra Inn. faces soar a thousand metres above the Ovens Camping is available at Lake Catani from River valley. Magnificent views over the November to April. plateau and surrounding valleys and mountains The plan provides for the protection of the can be obtained from a number of lookouts. Park’s significant natural and cultural values as The plateau environment has been relatively well as visitor facilities and recreational isolated from external influences and species opportunities. interaction for millions of years, enabling A program to upgrade visitor facilities and ecological processes to develop relatively interpretation is being developed to celebrate undisturbed. This has led to the occurrence of the Park’s Centenary in 1998. The upgraded three known endemic species in the Park. facilities and interpretation will help to ensure a For most of the year the Park provides excellent quality experience for increasing number of opportunities for sightseeing, cycling, fishing, visitors. canoeing, picnicking, hang gliding, rock climbing and walking. Many kilometres of prepared tracks, including self-guided walks, lead walkers through its diverse environments. Mount Buffalo National Park v vi Mount Buffalo National Park CONTENTS FOREWORD iii SUMMARY v 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Location and planning area 1 1.2 Regional context 1 1.3 Significance of the Park 1 1.4 Creation of the Park 2 1.5 Legislation, LCC recommendations and guidelines 3 1.6 Park management aims 3 2 STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS 5 2.1 Park vision 5 2.2 Management directions 5 2.3 Zoning 6 3 RESOURCE CONSERVATION 10 3.1 Geological and landform features 10 3.2 Rivers and streams 10 3.3 Vegetation 11 3.4 Fauna 11 3.5 Landscape 12 3.6 Cultural heritage 13 4 PARK PROTECTION 15 4.1 Fire management 15 4.2 Pest plants and animals, and diseases 16 4.3 Soil conservation 17 5 THE PARK VISIT 18 5.1 The Park visitor 18 5.2 Visitor recreation activities and facilities 20 5.2.1 Vehicle access 20 5.2.2 Camping 21 5.2.3 Day visits 23 5.2.4 Bushwalking 24 5.2.5 Horse riding 26 5.2.6 Cross-country skiing 30 5.2.7 Oversnow vehicles 32 5.2.8 Other snow recreation 32 5.2.9 Cycling 33 5.2.10 Climbing and abseiling 33 5.2.11 Hang gliding and paragliding 34 Mount Buffalo National Park vii 5.2.12 Angling 34 5.2.13 Water based recreation 35 5.2.14 Caving 35 5.2.15 Organised and competitive events 35 5.3 Visitor information and interpretation 36 5.4 Commercial tourism operations 37 5.5 Public safety 38 6 COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND INVOLVEMENT 39 6.1 Friends and volunteers 39 6.2 Community awareness and Park neighbours 39 6.3 Schools education 40 7 OTHER ISSUES 41 7.1 Authorised uses 41 7.2 Boundaries and adjacent uses 42 7.3 Park office, depot and residences 43 8 IMPLEMENTATION 45 REFERENCES 46 TABLES 1 Park management zones 7 2 Park management overlays 8 3 Details of special protection areas 9 4 Summary of recreation activities 20 5 Management of roads and tracks 22 6 Camping areas 24 7 Day visitor recreation facilities 25 8 Walking tracks 27 9 Priority management strategies 45 APPENDICES 1 Significant flora 48 2 Significant fauna 49 3 Major environmental weeds 50 FIGURES 1 Regional locality map End of plan 2 Adjacent land tenure " 3 Management zones " 4 Visitor facilities " 5 Ski trails and tracks " viii Mount Buffalo National Park Introduction 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Location and planning area Mount Buffalo has developed a reputation as a small winter snow resort. Compared to the Mount Buffalo National Park comprises the nearby larger resorts of Mt Hotham and Falls plateau and most of the dissected foothills of Creek, it is easily accessible and has low cost Mount Buffalo, a granite massif separated from skiing and other snow recreation activities for the western side of the Great Dividing Range in beginners and families. Its downhill slopes are north-eastern Victoria. The Park is 337 particularly suited to beginners and kilometres by road north-east of Melbourne, intermediate skiers, but the snow season is south of the Ovens Highway between often shorter than at other resorts. Myrtleford and Porepunkah (figure 1). Victoria’s Alpine National Park lies 30 km east The management plan covers the 31 000 ha and 20 km south of Mount Buffalo National Park, which includes the following areas: Park. The Alpine National Park · the Mount Buffalo Reference Area (1120 (645 800 ha) contains the most extensive areas hectares); of alpine and subalpine vegetation communities in the State and offers a large range of · the North Buffalo Remote and Natural Area recreational opportunities all year round. (6500 hectares); · the commercial development areas of Tatra 1.3 Significance of the Park Inn, Cresta and Dingo Dell ski fields and the Mount Buffalo National Park is an important Chalet.