Snowy River

Snowy River National Park encompasses approximately 87,700 hectares of spectacular mountain and river gorge wilderness in the Victorian Alps of East Gippsland, protecting the iconic Snowy River in one of the most dramatic mountain gorge landscapes in southeastern Australia. The park protects the upper catchment of the Snowy River, which flows north from the Alps through deep gorges of limestone and granite before turning south to emerge in East Gippsland. The park offers exceptional wilderness experiences for experienced bushwalkers and canoeists, with the Snowy River Canyon providing one of Australia's premier multi-day white water kayaking and canoeing journeys. The park connects to the Kosciuszko National Park across the NSW border.

Snowy River National Park supports diverse mountain and gorge fauna. Common wombats, swamp wallabies, and echidnas are abundant throughout the park. Greater gliders and common brushtail possums inhabit the tall eucalypt forest. The Snowy River and its tributaries provide habitat for platypus and the threatened Macquarie perch. Spot-tailed quolls hunt the forest margins. The park is important habitat for the powerful owl and the large forest owls. Eastern grey kangaroos and red-necked wallabies graze in more open areas. The limestone country of the river gorge supports specialized cave fauna. A diverse assemblage of native fish including river blackfish inhabits the clear mountain streams.

The vegetation of Snowy River National Park is diverse, reflecting the transition from sub-alpine woodland and heath on the plateau to tall wet sclerophyll forest in the sheltered valleys and warm temperate influences in the lower gorge. Alpine ash and snow gum characterize the highest areas. Mountain ash and alpine ash forest with tree ferns dominates the moist mid-altitude valleys. The limestone country in the upper gorge supports distinctive plant communities adapted to the alkaline soils. Warm temperate rainforest with sassafras and blackwood occurs in the most sheltered lower gorge environments. The park contains several rare and threatened plant species.

Snowy River National Park encompasses a complex geological landscape including Silurian and Devonian granite and metamorphic rocks forming the main mountain massif, overlain by Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks including the limestone formations that create the dramatic Little River Gorge near McKillops Bridge. The Snowy River has incised deeply through these rocks over millions of years, creating the spectacular gorge scenery that characterizes much of the park. The limestone country creates cave features and supports specialized limestone-adapted vegetation. Glacial features at higher elevations reflect the park's exposure to cold Pleistocene climates.

Snowy River National Park experiences an alpine to sub-alpine climate at its highest elevations, transitioning to cool temperate conditions in the valleys. Annual rainfall is high, often exceeding 1,500 millimetres in the upper catchment. Snow falls heavily on the upper plateau in winter. The river gorge sections experience more moderate conditions, though the enclosed gorge can be very cold in winter and warm in summer. Extreme weather events including flash floods can affect the gorge rapidly and dangerously.

The Gunaikurnai people have traditional connections to the upper Snowy River and its tributaries. The high country of the Victorian Alps was used by Aboriginal people during summer months for seasonal activities including the bogong moth harvest. European cattlemen moved into the high country from the 1830s, and the Snowy River valley became famous for the exploits of cattlemen immortalized in Banjo Paterson's poem 'The Man from Snowy River.' Timber operations in the surrounding forests were significant during the twentieth century.

Snowy River National Park was established in 1979 following conservation campaigns to protect the spectacular river gorge and mountain wilderness. The park's establishment was an important conservation outcome given the significant ecological and scenic values of the upper Snowy River catchment. The Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme, which diverts much of the Snowy River's flow through tunnels to generate electricity and irrigation water, has reduced the river's natural flow to a small fraction of its historical level. Environmental flows campaign outcomes have partially restored natural flows to the Snowy River.

The Snowy River Circuit is a multi-day bushwalk of approximately 60 kilometres traversing the spectacular gorge country. The McKillops Bridge gorge walk provides dramatic access to the gorge scenery. The Snowy River Canyon is one of Australia's premier multi-day white water kayaking and canoeing journeys. Dargo River valley offers walking and driving access to the mountain scenery. Backcountry skiing on the park's snowfields is accessible from the nearby Mount Hotham and Falls Creek ski resorts.

Snowy River National Park has campgrounds at Mackillops Bridge and at various sites along the river accessible by four-wheel drive. The park is accessed via the Bonang Road from Orbost or the Dargo High Plains Road from Dargo. Most internal roads are unsealed and require four-wheel drive. The nearest towns with comprehensive services are Buchan and Orbost. The park is approximately 400 kilometres from Melbourne.

The environmental flow campaign for the Snowy River has been one of Australia's most significant river restoration programs. The Snowy River Inter-Governmental Agreement of 2002 committed to restoring river flows to 21% of natural levels, with environmental benefits for the river ecology. Feral horses and deer in the high country cause significant damage to sub-alpine vegetation and streambanks and are subject to management programs. Invasive weeds are managed in accessible areas. Climate change threatens the park's sub-alpine communities through rising temperatures and reduced snowpack.