Reef Hills

Reef Hills State Park encompasses approximately 2,630 hectares of box-ironbark woodland in the Strathbogie district of northeastern Victoria, near Benalla. The park protects significant areas of mature grey box, red box, and ironbark woodland on the ranges and slopes northwest of the Strathbogie Ranges, providing important habitat for threatened woodland birds and other wildlife in the northeastern Victorian agricultural landscape. The park is part of the broader conservation landscape of the Victorian highlands and contributes to wildlife habitat connectivity between the ranges and the Murray River lowlands.

Reef Hills State Park supports threatened woodland birds in its mature box-ironbark woodland. The park provides winter foraging habitat for the critically endangered swift parrot and is important for other threatened woodland birds including diamond firetails, brown treecreepers, and varied sittellas. Common wombats, eastern grey kangaroos, and echidnas are regularly encountered. Squirrel gliders and sugar gliders use the abundant tree hollows. The park's woodland bird diversity reflects the presence of mature, hollow-bearing eucalypts.

The vegetation of Reef Hills State Park is dominated by grey box, red box, and narrow-leaf ironbark woodland, representing nationally threatened ecological communities. Old-growth trees with abundant hollows are the most ecologically significant component. The understorey varies from grassy woodland to shrubby communities with wattles and hop bush. Spring wildflower displays include native orchids.

The park is underlain by Ordovician and Silurian sedimentary and metamorphic rocks typical of the Victorian highlands. Red and yellow clay soils derived from the weathered sedimentary rocks characterize the box-ironbark country.

The park experiences a warm temperate continental climate. Summers are hot with temperatures frequently exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. Annual rainfall averages approximately 550 millimetres. The autumn and winter flowering of eucalypts is the most important season for threatened woodland birds.

The Taungurung people have traditional connections to the Benalla district. European pastoral settlement of the region occurred from the 1840s, with extensive woodland clearing for agriculture.

Reef Hills State Park was established to protect the significant box-ironbark woodland in the Benalla district. Management focuses on threatened woodland bird conservation and woodland habitat maintenance.

Informal walking tracks through the woodland provide birdwatching opportunities. The park is particularly rewarding during autumn and winter when eucalypts are in flower and threatened birds are actively foraging.

The park has limited visitor facilities. Access is from Benalla via local roads. Benalla provides visitor services.

Conservation priorities include protecting old-growth hollow-bearing trees, managing invasive weeds, and maintaining woodland bird habitat. Fox control programs support native wildlife. Co-management with Taungurung Land and Waters Council.