Traveller safety information

Lake Eildon National Park is in the northern foothills of Victoria's Central Highlands, 150 km north-east of Melbourne. Situated on the shores of Lake Eildon, the park protects 27,750 ha of rugged hills with open woodlands through to dense forest. It is very scenic, and offers the opportunity to experience an array of wildlife, natural and historic features and a wide range of recreational activities.

• The park has excellent access to the lake for all types of water activities including boating, skiing and fishing, as well as protected areas for swimming.
• Camping is popular, particularly in summer.
• There is a range of walking tracks and nature trails through a variety of settings, as well as areas suitable for mountain bikes, trail bikes and four wheel driving. (Please remember that trail bike riders must be licenced and trail bikes must be registered.)
• Remains of historical features in the park reflect early gold mining activity and European settlement. Merlo Homestead, an original homestead now submerged under the lake and only visible in times of drought, is one such feature.
• Hunting of sambar deer by stalking is permitted in designated areas but restricted to the open season. For further information check the regulations.

Campsites

A new online booking system has been implemented by Parks Victoria to ensure campers can book and pay for a Candlebark or Lakeside campsite prior to their visit to the Lake Eildon National Park. Some Devil's Cove sites can also be booked online for Easter. See maps for Candlebark, Lakeside or Devil's Cove for site locations.

Any campsite bookings for Fraser Camping Area must now be made online. See Fraser Area campground maps for site locations.

Jerusalem Creek Camping Area
Basic facilities (70 sites) with boat hire and kiosk located nearby.

Online booking is now required for camping in Areas 1, 5 and 6. See Jerusalem Creek campground maps for site locations

There are also a number of remote camping areas accessible by boat or walking. Other lakeside camping is available to the north of the park in the Delatite Arm Reserve.

Fraser Store
Located at the entrance to the Fraser Camping Area, the Fraser Store will be opening on 26 December 2008. The Parks Victoria managed store will act as a focal point for visitors during peak periods, providing a range of goods and services to make your stay more enjoyable.

The store can provide portable fireplaces and information about the park and local attractions. It will also stock a range of convenience items including ice, bread, milk, drinks, snacks and papers. Revenue from retail sales generated by the Store will be retained at Lake Eildon National Park to be reinvested in improving visitor services.

Aboriginal people had an intimate knowledge of the geography, flora and fauna of their land, all of which had spiritual significance. The Aborigines of this area suffered greatly from the effects of European settlement, but Aboriginal communities and people are now actively involved in park management and in recovering their heritage.

Squatters took up land in the area in the 1840s and ran sheep and cattle. Later in the century came selectors who established smaller farms and grew crops as well as grazing animals. The remains of homesteads and fences submerged by the waters of Lake Eildon can still be seen when the lake level is low.

The original Fraser National Park was established in the 1950s in association with the development of Lake Eildon, which was first constructed in the 1920s and enlarged in the 1950s to store water for irrigation and hydro-electricity. The damming of the Goulburn River at Eildon submerged much of the farmland and forest in the Upper Goulburn and Delatite Valleys and created a water storage with a capacity six times larger than that of Sydney Harbour.

Former farmland on the lake’s western shore became a national park, and indigenous trees and shrubs slowly regenerated on the cleared land. Later, extensive areas of forest south of the lake were protected as Eildon State Park, which was then joined to Fraser NP to create Lake Eildon NP.

Aboriginal Traditional Owners

Parks Victoria acknowledges the Aboriginal Traditional Owners of Victoria - including its parks and reserves. Through their cultural traditions, Aboriginal people maintain their connection to their ancestral lands and waters.
Further information is available from Aboriginal Affairs Victoria AAV and Native Title Services Victoria

The park is home to a considerable diversity of animals and is particularly well known for its populations of Eastern Grey Kangaroos and prolific birdlife. Wallabies, koalas, wombats and echidnas are also seen. Common birds include kookaburras, rosellas, King Parrots, Gang-gang Cockatoos, Wedge-tailed Eagles and a variety of water birds. The park is also an important home for a number of significant species including large forest owls (Powerful and Barking Owls), bats and the endangered Spotted Tree-frog and Tuan or Brush-tailed Phascogale.

A notable feature of the park is its relatively large areas of herb-rich forest, dry grassy woodland and undisturbed old growth forest, not well reserved elsewhere in the area. These forests are dominated by a diversity of eucalypt species including stringybarks, peppermints, Red Box and Candlebark, and a host of understorey species such as Silver Wattle, Blackwood and burgan (melaleuca). Orchids and wildflowers are also prolific in season.

• All native plants and animals are protected.
• Camp in designated areas only.
• Take rubbish away with you.
• Fires may be lit only in fireplaces provided. Campers are encouraged to bring their own firewood.
• Dogs are permitted only in the Jerusalem Creek Camping Area. Dogs and other pets are not allowed in any other areas of the park.
• Firearms are prohibited (except in designated areas during the hunting season).

• Carry water during summer when bushwalking, especially on high ground.
• When camping in forest areas, be aware of the hazard of falling limbs.
• Be aware of extreme fire conditions in summer. No fires may be lit on days of total fire ban, this includes gas stoves, BBQ’s and gas lights.

Primary access to the park is from the Goulburn Valley Highway via Alexandra (Melway ref: 610 V7).

Candlebark Campground

Camp sites in the Candlebark Cove area are generally free of obstructions and on firm ground. There is a designated accessible toilet and shower facility.

Lakeside Camping Area

This large camping area is on a sloping site near the lakeside. The steep sections of path and uneven ground surface reduce overall accessibility. There are few accessible facilities or features to aid movement around the site. Site 6 is one of the more accessible.

Forsyth's Flat Picnic Area

This picnic area has tables and chairs both under shelter and in the open, and gas barbecues are available. Paths are firm, although not always over level ground. A boat launching ramp (accessed by separate road east of Forsyth Flat) gives the best access to the water. The Parks Victoria pontoon may be available to assist with access to boats - ask in advance.

Jerusalem Creek

Jerusalem Creek has a picnic and camping area with basic facilities. There are some good camping sites with firm and fairly flat ground, but a number of obstacles such as vegetation and leaf litter must be negotiated when moving around the site. There are no accessible toilet facilities.

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• Cathedral Range State Park
• Howqua Hills Historic Area
• Mount Samaria State Park