Wyperfeld National Park
- Introduction
- Fact file
Introduction
In the state’s arid north-west, Wyperfeld is a vast park of open plains and spreading mallee eucalypts. The usually bone-dry bed of Outlet Creek (it has only fl owed three times in the last century) runs through the park and links a series of dry lakes. For at least 6000 years, the Wotjobaluk people moved through this country, searching for bush tucker along Outlet Creek. The first pastoral run was taken up in the 1840s but the harsh conditions were unsuited to most farming. Wyperfeld National Park was declared in 1921. Black box and river red gum woodlands sprawl across the wide flood plains and lakes, stunted mallee scrub extends across the park’s eastern sector, while cypress pine, bull-oak and heath cover rolling dunes in the west. After rain, desert flowers appear. In all, around 450 plant species have been recorded. Kangaroos and emus are plentiful, and there are arid-adapted species such as Mitchell’s hopping-mouse and the silky mouse. There are many reptiles – skinks, geckos, shingleback lizards and sand goannas – but surprisingly few snakes. Birds are prolific with Major Mitchell cockatoos, sulphur-crested cockatoos, red-rumped parrots, galahs and wedge-tailed eagles among the 200-plus species. Malleefowl also live in the park and waterbirds visit after rain. Favourite activities here are wildlife-watching and four-wheel driving (some tracks wind through remote wilderness). There are three self-guided nature walks: Lake Brambuk Walk, Desert Walk and Tyakill Nature Walk (brochures at the information centre; note summer temperatures can be extreme). The best cycling tracks are the Outlet Creek track and the Eastern Lookout Nature Drive and the entrance roads.
Fact file
Camping
Wonga, Casuarina, Broken Bucket; some bush camping
Location and access
450 km north-west of Melbourne via Western and Henty hwys to Hopetoun then either west on Hopetoun–Yaapeet Rd or north to Baring via Patchewollock; 40 km west or 74 km north of Hopetoun; 85 km south-west of Ouyen
Park Information
PV 13 1963
Size
358 800 ha
Where to Stay
Hopetoun/Rainbow (03) 5083 3001
Ouyen (03) 5092 1000
Campsites
Explore Australia’s National Parks
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