Mallee scrub, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park

Mallee scrub, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park

Our holiday in Victoria

September 2007

There are two main features of the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park in north west Victoria. The lakes ecosystem complete with magnificent River Red Gum eucalyptus trees is the part that attracts most visitors to the park. This is only one of the attractions of this national park.

By far the greater part of the park is mallee scrub, an environment unique to Australia. I grew up in the Murray Mallee district of South Australia, so it is like home to me. This environment has a unique range of plants, insects and other fauna. When the mallee is in flower, the scrub can come alive with thousands of honeyeaters and other birds.

The mallee tree is of the eucalypt family of trees. There are many species of mallee, most typically have multiple trunks all growing from a stump, or lignotuber.

Mallee scrub, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park