Victoria - Australia 2004 - page 586

GETTING THERE & GETTING AROUND There are two main access
roads to the park, the Gelantipy Road from Buchan and the Bonang Freeway
from the logging township of Orbost. MacKillop's Road (also known as Ded-
dick River Rd.) runs across the park's northern border from Bonang to a little
south of Wulgulmerang. Around MacKillop's Bridge, along MacKillop's Road,
is some spectacular scenery, and the park's best campgrounds, set beside some
nice swimming holes and sandy river beaches. The Barry Way leads through the
main township of Buchan, where you'll find some of Australia's best caves.
VISITOR INFORMATION The main place to get information on Snowy
River National Park and Alpine National Park is the Buchan Caves Informa-
tion Centre, in the Buchan Caves complex. It's open daily from 9am to
4pm (closed Christmas). Or call Parks Victoria ( & 13 19 63 in Victoria, or
03/5155 9264).
EXPLORING THE BUCHAN CAVES
The Buchan Caves ( & 03/5155 9264 ) are set in a scenic valley that is par-
ticularly beautiful in autumn, when all the European trees are losing their leaves.
Tourists can visit the Royal and Fairy caves (which are quite similar), with their
fabulous stalactites and stalagmites. There are several tours daily: April to Sep-
tember at 11am, and 1 and 3pm; October to March at 10 and 11:15am, and 1,
2:15, and 3:30pm. Entry to one cave costs A$10 (US$6.50) for adults, A$5
(US$3.25) for children 5 to 16, and A$25 (US$16) for families of five.
To reach the caves from the Princes Highway, turn off at Nowa Nowa (it's well
signposted), or if you're coming south from Jindabyne in New South Wales (see
chapter 4) follow the Barry Way, which runs alongside the Snowy River.
Want to feel like the man from Snowy River? Snowy Mountain Rider Tours,
Karoonda Park, Gelantipy ( & 03/5155 0220; fax [phone]), offers half-
day horseback rides in the Snowy River National Park for A$60 (US$39), and
full-day tours for A$120 (US$78) including lunch. Four-day trips including
camping and all meals cost A$520 (US$338). The company also arranges raft-
ing on Snowy River for A$120 (US$78) a day including lunch.
ALPINE NATIONAL PARK
333km (206 miles) NE of Melbourne, 670km (415 miles) SW of Sydney
Victoria's largest national park at 646,000 hectares (1,595,620 acres), the Alpine
National Park connects the High Country areas of New South Wales and the
Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The park's scenery is spectacular, encom-
passing most of the state's highest mountains, wild rivers, impressive escarp-
ments, forests, and high plains. Much of the park was devastated by horrific
bushfires in December 2002, but at the time of writing it was recovering
quickly. The flora is diverse; in all, some 1,100 plant species have been recorded
within the park's boundaries, including 12 not found anywhere else. Walking
here is particularly good in spring and summer, when the Bogong High Plains
are covered in a carpet of wildflowers. Other impressive walking trails include
the 5.7km (3.5-mile) route through Bryce Gorge to The Bluff, a 200m (356-ft.)
high rocky escarpment with panoramic views. Of the numerous other walking
trails in the park, the most well known is the Alpine Walking Track, which
bisects the park for 400km (248 miles) from Walhalla to the township of Tom
Groggin, on the New South Wales border. There are plenty of access roads into
the park, though some close in winter.