Goolengook, Forest reserve in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia
Goolengook is a forest reserve in East Gippsland covering around 9000 hectares of temperate rainforest with ancient trees near the southern edge of Errinundra National Park. The area contains three designated Rainforest Sites of Significance and is easily accessed from the Princes Highway.
This forest area developed as a conservation zone to protect a valuable woodland ecosystem in southeastern Australia. In 1996, environmental activists set up a protest camp at Goolengook bridge to block road construction and logging in the region.
The name Goolengook comes from the Bidawal language, the Aboriginal people who traditionally lived in this part of Victoria. The word ties the place directly to its first inhabitants and their deep connection to this land.
Access to the forest is best from the Princes Highway where the main entry points are located. Visitors should prepare for changeable weather and slippery trails after rain, as the area sits in a wet climate zone.
Scientists identify this area as the most suitable location in Victoria for protecting multiple rainforest types within intact water catchments. This combination of different forest types and undisturbed water sources is rare across the entire state.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
