Be Bushfire Smart

Barmah State Park (7,900 ha) and Barmah State Forest (21,600 ha) are on the Murray River flood plain between Echuca and Tocumwal, about 225 km north of Melbourne. Together they make up the largest River Red Gum forest in Victoria. Equally, the area could be called a wetland as much of it is frequently flooded.

The best times to visit are late spring, summer and early autumn.

• Visit the Tourist Information Centre in Echuca for information on river tours.
• Take the 60 km (two hour) self-drive tour to sites of historical interest in the Forest, including the Muster Yard, Punt Paddock Lagoon, Cornalla Landing and Green Engine.
• Follow the walking tracks, varying in length from four to seven km, signposted near the Dharnya Centre. Walking is most enjoyable on cool, sunny days, but tracks in the forest can be impassable after rain.
• See 500-year-old river red gums in Barmah Forest.
• Try canoeing or fishing on the Murray River.

There are developed picnic and camping grounds with toilets, barbecues and picnic tables at Barmah Lakes and Ulupna Beach. Bush camping is permitted elsewhere.

Motels, hotels, and caravan parks are available in Echuca, Moama and Nathalia.

Barmah Forest, on the Murray River east of Echuca, is part of the world’s largest River Red Gum forest. The area has a rich and continuing Indigenous heritage. Descendants of the original people still live in this area and are involved in sharing their heritage and managing the natural environment.

The name Barmah is said to be a corruption of the Aboriginal name for the area - Paama, meaning a meeting place for ceremonies and ritual.

Barmah’s history spans thousands of years of Aboriginal hunter-gathering and ‘firestick’ farming displaced by European settlement with its pastoral runs and grazing to produce wool for a hungry English market.

Large-scale timber production, which began in the late 1880s, decimated the forest’s magnificent red gums for timber for wharves and railway sleepers in Australia, India and elsewhere. In addition, the forest’s natural cycle of regeneration based on regular flooding in winter has been interrupted by changes in the Murray’s flow patterns to ensure summer irrigation for farms.

Other industries based around the forest and its resources included charcoal making, fishing and, curiously, a thriving 19th century trade in leeches for medicinal use in Australia and overseas.

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 varied environment supports 219 species of birds as well as numerous mammals, reptiles and amphibians. The forest is on a major flightpath for migratory birds as well as being an internationally significant wetland breeding ground for waterbirds. Platypuses can sometimes be spotted in quiet backwaters.

The oldest River Red Gums in Barmah Forest are probably over 500 years old. They often grow to 30 metres, some reaching 45 metres. More than 80 per cent of the forest is covered by these sturdy trees, whose trunks develop a gnarled, rock-like character. They tend to grow out and branch more heavily than other trees. Old rotted limbs and hollows in the trees are nesting places for birds and animals.

• Campsites must be 20 metres from any river, creek or billabong.
• Satisfactory toilet facilities must be provided (chemical toilets are recommended).
• Fires are permitted in properly constructed fire places or a pit at least 30 cm deep.
• Please take all rubbish away with you.
• Keep to roads and tracks open to public vehicles.

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• Avoid resting, picnics or camping under or close to River Red Gum trees. They may drop heavy branches at any time without warning. Find out more about how to avoid tree risks here.
• After rain, check the condition of tracks with the rangers before walking in the forest.

Barmah State Park is between Barmah and Strathmerton in north central Victoria, 220 km from Melbourne. Access the park from the Moira Lakes Road or Barmah-Picola Road, or via the Murray Valley Highway from Echuca and/or Strathmerton.

Barmah Lakes

This informal camping and picnic area is on the banks of the lake. There are no formal paths around the campsite, but the ground is fairly flat. Access to the water is generally good, as the slope is gentle. There is no designated accessible toilet.

Ulupna Island

There is a section at the western end of Carters Beach on Ulupna Island where a vehicular path leads directly onto the foreshore camping and picnic areas, and onto the beach. This area in particular has been assessed here. The facilities are very basic, consisting of a couple of picnic tables and pit toilets.

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