View Larger Map
The Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve is a large area of protected bushland in the Yarra Valley, 50 km east of Melbourne, near the town of Woori Yallock.
The district was originally named Claxton after the proprietor of the store and post office on the Woori Yallock Creek. The name later became Parslons Bridge, after the name of the son-in-law who became carried on the post office and store. In the 1930s the name was change to Yellingbo, after the last known Aboriginal inhabitant.
The Reserve comprises three sectors, generally running north-south:
Western sector: along the Woori Yallock Creek
Central sector: along the Cockatoo Creek
Eastern Sector: along the Sheep Station Creek
It is the home of three of Victoria's emblems: the Helmeted Honeyeater, the Leadbeater Possum, and Pink Heath.
There are 285 native flora species and 230 native vertebrate species living in the Reserve.
Parks Victoria maintains a community educational centre and picnic area at its depot off Macclesfield Rd, in the eastern sector. This is the main entry, but public vehicle access to the centre is prohibited; walkers may enter via the Stile at the junction with Shields Rd. A small car park at an alternative centre is located at Parson's Bridge, at the northern end of the reserve.
There are several tracks radiating from the centre, used for fire and reserve management purposes, shared with walkers.
The reserve is maintained by Parks Vic in cooperation with the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater orghanization. The Victorian Government allocated a $5000 grant to the Friends in 2005, to assist with publication of the book "Yellingbo - a Special Place", expanding fieldwork, habitat revegitation, and attracting new volunteers.
On September 14 2007 I visited the Reserve, exploring about 4 km of tracks from the Parks Vic depot. These tracks are situated alongside the Woori Yallock Creek.
The Management Plan for the Reserve may be viewed or downloaded from
http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/resources07/07_1133.pdf
The full set of photos of my trip is at
http://worldisround.com/articles/336074/index.html
No comments:
Post a Comment