Grampians National Park
| Grampians National Park | |||
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| Location: | Victoria , Australia | ||
| Specialty: | Mountain landscape | ||
| Next city: | Hall's gap | ||
| Surface: | 1672.19 km² | ||
| Founding: | 1984 | ||
The Grampians National Park is a national park in the Australian state of Victoria . The name Grampians was chosen by Sir Thomas Mitchell in 1836 because the mountain range reminded him of the Grampian Mountains in Scotland . In the meantime the indigenous name of the area, Gariwerd , is often used in public and official language.
geography
The Grampians Mountains are located in the sparsely populated inner part of Victoria, around 250 km west of Melbourne and 100 km north of the Australian south coast. The closest, not very large, towns in the area are Hamilton in the southwest, Horsham in the northwest and Stawell in the east. Halls Gap is the tourist center of the Grampians . Visitors approaching the Grampians from the south, from the coast, get through the small town of Dunkeld , past Mount Abrupt , onto Grampians Road and into the interior of the mountains.
The Grampians form the westernmost part of the Australian Great Dividing Range and consist of four mountain ranges that run predominantly from north to south: the Mount William Range in the east, the Serra Range in the south and the middle, the Victoria Range in the west and Mount Difficult Range in the north. The mountain ranges drop abruptly to the east, with many steep walls and overhangs, while gentler slopes predominate to the west. The central mountain range south-east of Halls Gap is often referred to by the popular tourist name Wonderland Range .
The mountain ridges rise more than a thousand meters above the surrounding lowlands. The highest point is Mount William in the west with a height of 1167 m .
climate
With northerly winds, heat waves with temperatures above 35 ° can also occur in the Grampians in summer. In general, the climate is cooler and milder than in the surrounding area.
With annual rainfall of more than 1,000 l / m², the Grampians are significantly richer in water than the surrounding semi-arid lowlands. There is occasional snowfall in winter.
geology
The sandstone that makes up the mountain ridges was deposited at the bottom of a sea in Devonian some 400 million years ago. The sediments reached a thickness of up to seven kilometers. Around 370 million years ago, the sediments were folded and tilted, and several rift breaks formed , particularly the striking valley west of the Mount Williams Range. Volcanic activity around 395 million years ago brought magma to the surface in the form of dykes and sills , which for example emerge in the form of weathered granite hills between the Victoria and Serra ranges. Dykes and Sills can also be found in the Wonderland Range .
The area around the Grampians is a basaltic plain. The Mount Rouse , 20 km south of the Grampians in Penshurst located, and the Mount Napier 30 km south-southeast of the Grampians are evidence of former volcanic activity in that area.
flora
In the Australian spring, one encounters an abundance of flower colors in the Grampians. The Grampians are home to around 900 species of flowering plants , of which more than 20 are endemic . Some species have the word Grampians in their name (selection):
- Grampian's Thryptomene ( Thryptomene calycina )
- Grampians Bauera ( Bauera sessiliflora )
- Grampians Boronia ( Boronia latipinna )
- Grampians Bossiaea ( Bossiaea rosmarinifolia )
- Grampian's Fringe-myrtle ( Calytrix sullivanii )
- Grampians Grevillea ( Grevillea confertifolia )
- Grampians Gray Gum ( Eucalyptus alaticaulis )
- Grampian's Stringybark ( Eucalyptus serraensis )
- Grampian's Parrot-pea ( Dillwynia oreodoxa )
- Grampians Trigger-plant ( Stylidium soboliferum )
You can find a number of rare or threatened plant species in the park, for example the Mountain Bertya ( Bertya findlayi ), the Scented Bush-pea ( Pultenaea graveolens ) and the Spiral Sun-orchid ( Thelymitra matthewsii ).
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The following plant communities can be found among others :
- Subalpine, dense forests can be found in the moist, exposed high altitude regions, for example on Mount William and Mount Rosea. They consist of dense, high-growing trees and bushes, for example of Grampians Gum, Banksien species and Shining Tea-tree ( Leptospermum nitidum ). You can find blooming wildflowers like the Silver Daisy and the Mount William beard heath ( Leucopogon thymifolius ).
- High, open stringybark forests with thick undergrowth can be found on the sheltered slopes of the main mountain ranges. In addition to Messmate Stringybark ( Eucalyptus obliqua ), the species Manna Gum ( Eucalyptus viminalis ), Brown Stringybark ( Eucalyptus baxteri ) and Mountain Gray Gum ( Eucalyptus cypellocarpa ) can be found as tall trees . A variety of ferns are found as undergrowth ; and violet TYPES one can find there.
- Open red gum forests can be found on the moist, fertile alluvial soils of the stream and river plains . Here you can see moisture-loving eucalyptus species such as River Red Gum ( Eucalyptus camaldulensis ) and Swamp Gum ( Eucalyptus ovata ). In addition to various types of moisture-loving grasses and other herbaceous plants , the undergrowth includes carnivorous plants of the Utricularia genus .
- Light heather forests can be found on slopes with poor soil and rapid water seepage. Above an undergrowth of heather you will find trees of Shiny Peppermint ( Eucalyptus tenuiramis ) and Brown Stringybark ( Eucalyptus baxteri ).
- On dry, sandy soils, especially in the Victoria Valley, one encounters open, treeless heather.
Bush fire
Bushfires in Australia are part of the normal ecological cycle. A violent fire raged in January 2006. Charred tree trunks in the mountain forests testified to this event two years later. However, nature soon showed signs of regeneration. Many of the charred eucalyptus trees soon sprouted again vigorously. Some plant species even rely on the ashes or heat of a fire to germinate. The appearance of such regeneration areas is often characterized by the kangaroo-tails ( Xanthorrhoea australis ), a species of grass tree that is named for the shape of its inflorescence that it develops after forest fires or long dry periods.
During the heavy bushfires in early 2009 , the Grampians were hit by severe fires.
In January 2014 a bush fire burned an area 330 km² (according to NASA 430 km²) in the Grampians National Park, a woman was killed and two houses were destroyed. During this fire, a cloud of fire (called pyrocumulonimbus ) rose to a height of 12 kilometers, which created its own weather with lightning and squalls.
fauna
Mammals
35 species of mammals live in the park, including the koala . The shy and well camouflaged platypus also lives by the streams in the national park, but can only be observed with a lot of luck and patience.
With five species of kangaroo and wallaby ( western gray kangaroo , eastern gray giant kangaroo , red-necked wallaby , swamp wallaby ), the Grampians offer the greatest variety in Victoria in this regard. Many wallabies have got used to being close to humans. They graze on lawns in the middle of the settlements, for example on the school sports fields, and you can approach them up to a few meters away. The custom of feeding the kangaroos, which was widespread until the 1980s, is now frowned upon.
In the forest areas you can find Possum species and glide pouches , while the heather areas provide a habitat for the dormouse mice and the long-tailed mice species Pseudomys shortridgei (Heath mouse) .
Birds
Around 200 species of birds live in the park. Lories , parrots , cockatoos and Jägerlieste species are common in the forests. In a more open area you can see relatives of our wrens , Australian snapper , fan tail species and the Australian piper (from the group of Pachycephalinae). A relatively large population of peregrine falcons can also be found in the park.
The blackbird , pigeon , lark , golden finch and starling, which are also common, are neozoa from Europe .
Reptiles
The park is home to 28 species of reptiles. Skinke species are the most common . Seven species of snakes are found in the national park, including the highly poisonous brown snake and tiger otter . However, the risk of encountering these animals is low if you stand firmly on hikes. The animals feel the vibrations triggered by the steps and in turn avoid encounters with people. With a bit of luck you can spot a species of Australian snake necked turtle in the marshland .
Amphibians and fish
Eleven species of frogs live in the park and their croaks can be heard especially on damp nights during the mating season in winter and spring.
Twelve species of fish have been discovered in the park's waters. The native six species are small and inconspicuous. Among the six species of neozoa are the rainbow trout and the brown trout .
history
The indigenous people
Charred wood on old fireplaces, analyzed using radiocarbon dating , shows that Gariwerd has been inhabited by the Aborigines of Australia for at least 22,000 years. The land was rich in water and food sources, so people could live relatively comfortably. So-called Murnong roots ( Microseris lanceolata ) as well as fruits, parts of lilies and orchids and certain ferns were used as plant foods . There were plenty of bird eggs. Carnal food came from reptiles, kangaroos, and small mammals.
Caves and rock overhangs at the foot of the steep slopes were often used as accommodation. Rock carvings in these caves testify to the spiritual life of their inhabitants. The Grampians are home to more than 100 indigenous rock carvings, making them the most dense in Victoria.
The Jardwadjali and Djab wurrung aborigines lived in this area .
Settlement by European immigrants
In 1836 Major Thomas Livingstone Mitchell discovered the mountain range and named it the Grampians. Edward Eyre, who drove cattle to Adelaide overland , also explored and described the area. Both men reported of rewarding natural resources that had to be exploited and harvested.
Their favorable report soon attracted settlers into the country. At first these were squatters , who mostly lived on flocks of sheep that they let freely graze on what they saw as ownerless land. In 1860 the land was finally divided into smaller areas that were sold at low prices. With these settlers, grain cultivation came to the region. However, grazing rights continued to exist in some cases until 1984 and were only revoked with the establishment of the national park.
The Jardwadjali and Djab wurrung aborigines who lived there resisted the colonization of their land. This led to conflict and numerous massacres of Aborigines in the years from 1840 to 1849, which resulted in the deaths of about 300 and, according to estimates, more than 1,000 Aboriginal people.
Furthermore, the clearing of the land by the immigrants resulted in the impoverishment of natural foods for the indigenous people. The settlers also brought infectious diseases with them, such as smallpox , which decimated the local population. They abducted another part of the population to remote reservations and missions. Around 1900, only a small group remained of the Aborigines, who were originally estimated at 4,500 to 9,000 people.
Economy and industry until 1914
Another branch of the economy flourished in the 19th century. A number of sawmills started operating; Railways transported the wood from there to the coast. In 1872, however, 51 km² of forest were placed under protection as state forest. This protected area was greatly enlarged in 1875, 1884 and 1907 respectively. Most of the sawmills eventually fell victim to the great forest fire of 1939.
In 1870 the rabbits, which had been introduced into Australia some 10 years earlier, began to become a nuisance. In 1872, the stonemason Francis Watkins opened a quarry on Mount Difficult, and in 1875 a railway line was built to this quarry.
In 1897 the McKenzie River was dammed to Lake Wartook. This created the first reservoir for the purpose of water supply in Victoria.
During the economic depression of 1900, the Grampians were the site of the last Australian gold rush after gold was found at Halls Gap in 1897.
Tourism and nature protection
The Grampians also gained tourist importance in the 19th century. In 1868 Thomas' Guide for Excursionists from Melbourne appeared , which described the Grampians as a land of great beauty. From 1870, Halls Gap became a popular destination for day trippers from Ararat , Stawell and Melbourne. The first planned hiking trails were created in 1914. In that year most of the Grampians were also designated as a protected area. During the economic depression of the 1920s and 1930s, some roads were built into the Grampians, also for job creation purposes. This made it easier to access the area and created the basis for further tourism.
As planned, Zumsteins was set up as a tourist resort near McKenzie Falls . Walter Zumstein had initially successfully operated a beekeeping there from 1910 . Returning there after his military service in the First World War, he cleared the bush forest as planned from 1919 and planted around 140 exotic trees, many of which are still standing today. He built huts for tourists, dug a swimming pool without the help of machines, built tennis courts and planted meadows to attract kangaroos. The place became a popular holiday destination. Because of water pollution, Zumsteins was closed in 1992 and rededicated to a place for day visitors.
In 1984 the Grampians were granted national park status. The visitor center was opened in 1988 and the Brambuk Living Culture Center immediately behind it in 1990 . In 1991 a dual naming system came into force, which established the traditional names of the Aborigines as equally valid names for 49 places and objects in the region.
Cultural sites
Just south of Halls Gap, the Brambuk Living Cultural Center offers a glimpse into the life of the local indigenous people, the Kooris, through exhibitions, film screenings, theater performances and presentations . The architecture of the building, designed by the architect Gregory Burgess , has received a number of awards. Brambuk refers to the white cockatoo in the Kooris language. The building is modeled on its shape, with its wings spread out.
Of the around 100 rock art sites, four are open to visitors and can be reached by car or bus, namely Manja and Billimina in the western Grampians and Ngamadjidj and Gulgurn Manja in the north. The drawings show abstract patterns or representations of people who often have a spiritual meaning. For example, they represent images of the ancestors. In Gulgurn Manja and Manja there are images in which the hands were used as a painting tool, or in which prints of hands are the subject of the work. Manja means hand . At the other two sites, the paintings are linear drawings, mostly in a single color, white or red.
Tours and viewpoints
With paths and hikes of all levels of difficulty, from short walks over well-kept paths to hikes lasting several days through impassable terrain, the park caters to many needs. The park administration maintains and looks after more than 200 km of hiking trails and walks.
A very popular hike leads from Wonderland Car Park above Halls Gap up to the Pinnacle viewpoint and back to the starting point in a loop. The tour leads through a picturesque canyon, the Grand Canyon , through a shoulder-wide rock passage, Silent Street , through light mountain forests and over rough slopes with large, bizarre boulders up to an exposed rock needle above the vertical wall. The vantage point is, however, well secured with a railing. In the season dozens of tourists choose this trail every day. You have to calculate a good half a day for it. If you choose the longer option and walk all the way from Halls Gap, past the pools of Venus Bath , you can expect a whole day.
Boroka Lookout and Reeds Lookout, which are also not far from Halls Gap, are directly accessible by car via paved roads. The spectacular rock overhangs of the Balconies , also known as the Mouth of Death , can be reached via a simple short walk within 20 minutes from Reed's Lookout . In the past, daring tourists used to stand on the balconies above the abyss and have themselves photographed there. However, access is now blocked. You can only look at the Mouth of Death from the side - standing on an exposed rock slab secured with railings.
From Zumstein's picnic area , two paths lead to McKenzie Falls . The water falls in several stages over a dyke made of deep black basalt . The indigenous name of the falls is Mihunang wirab , which roughly means "black fish floating on the surface of the water".
A path for hikers with a head for heights is the Briggs Bluff , which leads from Roses Gap in a five-hour circuit along the cliff edge of Mount Difficult . It should only be tackled on days with good visibility.
Even in the rock chaos of Mount Stapylton and the Hollow Mountains in the far north of the mountains, experienced, mountainous hikers will find worthwhile destinations. Mount Zero , standing alone, is the last northern outpost of the mountain range and offers wide views over the lowlands.
A similar experience is offered as the southern corner post of the mountains, Mount Abrupt , located above Dunkeld, which rises from the plain with an abrupt steep slope.
At the highest mountain of the Grampians, Mount Williams , you can drive almost to the summit by car on a dead end road. The last part is closed to cars, but the wide gravel path that leads in serpentines to the summit is not very far and easy to walk.
A well-maintained mountain bike is also a good means of transport in the unspoilt, but not pathless terrain. The tour from Zumsteins to Wonderland , which also takes you past McKenzie Falls and the Pinnacle , and the multi-day tour from Zumsteins to the Victoria Range are popular . However, these tours are demanding and should only be undertaken by well-trained and experienced drivers after carefully researching the conditions.
literature
- Moon, Ron and Viv: The Great Atlas of the Australian National Parks (German edition; English: Discover Australia - National Parks ). Cologne 2000: Könemann. Pp. 50-53. ISBN 3-8290-4876-9 .
- Fuchs, Donatus: Australia National Parks. Munich 1999: Bruckmann. Pp. 62-67. ISBN 3-7654-3511-2 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ ABC News: Lightning starts new bushfires in Grampians . Retrieved March 28, 2009 .
- ↑ Grampians Fire, Australia , January 18, 2014, NASA. Retrieved January 16, 2020
- ↑ Grampians bushfire creating its own weather as more than 100 bushfires rage across south-east Australia , January 17, 2014, on Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved January 16, 2020
- ↑ G. Coulson: Habitat selection in the gray kangaroos Macropus giganteus Shaw and M. fuliginosus (Desmarest) (Marsupialia: Macropoidae) in Grampians National Park, Western Victoria. In Australian Mammalogy, 1984 online
- ↑ Ian D. Clark, pp. 145-167, Scars on the Landscape. A Register of Massacre sites in Western Victoria 1803-1859 , Aboriginal Studies Press, 1995 ISBN 0-85575-281-5 Information condensed from descriptive reports from historical sources
Web links
- Grampians (History of the Grampians in English)
- Grampians National Park , Victoria National Parks Administration website (in English)
- Parks Victoria Education Resources: The Grampians ( Memento June 23, 2011 on the Internet Archive ) (in English)
- Management Plan for Grampians National Park (PDF)
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