Kooyoora State Park Explained

Type:protected
Kooyoora State Park
State:vic
Iucn Category:II
Coordinates:-36.6008°N 143.6928°W
Relief:yes
Nearest Town Or City:Inglewood
Area:113.5
Established:1985
Managing Authorities:Parks Victoria
Url:parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/kooyoora-state-park

Kooyoora State Park is a state park in Victoria, Australia located northwest of Melbourne, and west of Inglewood. It is a 11350ha reserve comprising box-ironbark forest and rocky granite outcrops, including the Melville Caves. Popular activities include bird watching, horse riding, camping, caving, rock climbing, fossicking, and bush walking. Facilities include walking tracks, lookouts, a campground, toilets, and a picnic ground complete with a covered shelter featuring a stone fireplace with chimney named Catto Lodge. This lodge was named after local resident Stanley Ross Catto (dec) who worked tirelessly to develop the park.

Kooyoora State Park was proclaimed in 1985. The original inhabitants of the area were the Jaara people who used the rock caves and shelters for protection from the weather. European settlers moved into the area in the 1840s and gold mining commenced in the late 1850s. The bushranger, Captain Melville is believed to have used the area as a hideout.

The native grasslands provide a food source for kangaroos and wallabies.Key tree species include Blakely's Red Gum, Yellow and Grey Box and Red Ironbark.