Long Forest Nature Conservation Reserve, Nature reserve near Melton and Bacchus Marsh, Australia
Long Forest Nature Conservation Reserve protects 600 hectares of woodland with exposed rocky areas and rolling hills set in semi-arid terrain. The vegetation varies across the landscape, adapted to the local conditions and topography.
The area was mapped as Barren Forest Hills in 1839 and served as a firewood source for the surrounding region. In 1985, it received protected status and transformed into a nature reserve.
This land holds deep meaning for the Wurundjeri people, whose cultural connection to the country remains strong and visible in how the landscape is cared for. Walking through the reserve, you sense this ongoing relationship with the terrain and its natural rhythms.
Access is available through multiple walking tracks starting from parking areas at Happy Valley Track and Canopus Circuit. Bring your own water and supplies, as the reserve has no toilets, drinking water facilities, or services.
The reserve holds the only Bull Mallee population south of the Great Dividing Range, making it botanically rare. It also supports around 400 plant species and 160 bird species, creating a hotspot of natural diversity.
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