Yallourn North - Wirilda Environment Park
Wirilda Environment Park is a State Park located just outside the township of Tyres. The Park offers a bush setting picnic area with toilets, shelter, barbecue facilities and signage to read about the Parks history. One of the main walks from the park leads to Moondarra Dam, traversing 12.5km of steep, formed track.
Highlights include:
How to Get There
Wirilda Environment Park is located in Yallourn North, approximately 180km from Melbourne.
From Melbourne head south-east towards Warragul, then take exit towards Moe and Tyers. Travel along Brown Coalmine road and take left turn just before the Tyers River Bridge.
Follow Clarkes Road for a short distance and take a hard right turn onto the Pipeline Track towards the Wirilda Environment Park, which is sign-posted.
You will pass the homestead and Environment Centre, dip down across a wooden bridge and then straight ahead the car park where the Gippsland Water Pumping Station is situated, next to the river and picnic area.
Bushwalking
The Wirilda Track is the Latrobe Valley's best kept secret. The track follows the Tyers river past an old lime quarry and kilns until it crosses on an old pipeline. It winds through open forests and generally follows along the course of the meandering Tyers River through the Boola State Forest and Tyers Regional Park to the Wirilda Environmental Park; sometimes well above and away from the river.
There are numerous spots where you could stop for a picnic, overnight or to fish. The impressive cliffs below Peterson's lookout are a feature. Birdlife, wildlife and wild flowers abound. Keep your eye out for signs of the old pipelines one of which was made of wood!
See the tracks notes for a a 2km return walk (Walking Maps) and a 14km bushwalk (Bushwalking Victoria).
Birdwatching
Binoculars in hand, twitchers come from across the world to explore Victoria's vast wilderness, lush wetlands and marine parks. And with more than 400 species of birds to be found, it's easy to see why. So grab your walking boots and hit the trail to see these feathered friends in their native habitat.
There are 37 birds listed for being spotted at Wirilda Environment Park. Here are just some of them: Pacific koel, Horsfield's bronze cuckoo, Superb lyrebird, Satin bowerbird and many more. See the bird guide.
Camping
Sites are unpowered. There are no showers available. There are free barbecues in the park. Camping is $5 per night. One of the committee members will go down on the weekends in the morning to collect the payment and issue a receipt.
Park rules are no fires at any time, please take your rubbish home when you leave, no cutting down trees or saplings and no camping within 10 metres south of the pavilion.
Location
Pipeline Track, Yallourn North 3825 Map
Web Links
→ wirildaenvironmentpark.org.au/
→ Ollies Track - Wirilda Environment Park (Walking Maps)
→ Wirilda Track (Bushwalking Victoria)
