Editing Great Otway National Park

{{Redirect|Stevenson Falls}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                   = protected
| name                   = Great Otway National Park
| state                  = vic
| iucn_category          = II
| image                  = Lake elizabeth.jpg
| caption                = Lake Elizabeth, formed from a landslide in August 1953, it broke its banks allowing the West [[Barwon River (Victoria)|Barwon River]] to flow.
| image_alt              = 
| coordinates            = {{coord|38|46|24|S|143|33|27|E|display=inline,title}}
| relief                 = yes
| pushpin_label_position = top
| map_alt                = 
|local_map=yes|zoom=9| nearest_town_or_city   = [[Apollo Bay]]
| area                   = 1031
| area_footnotes         = <ref name=mgmtplan/>
| established            = {{start date|2005|12|11|df=y}}
| established_footnotes  = <ref name=mgmtplan>{{cite web|url=http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/313282/great-otway-np-mp.pdf|title=Great Otway National Park Management Plan|date=December 2009|department=Parks Victoria|publisher=Government of Victoria|isbn=978-0-7311-8384-5|access-date=16 August 2014|page=1|archive-date=31 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331154454/http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/313282/great-otway-np-mp.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| visitation_num         = 
| visitation_year        = 
| visitation_footnotes   = 
| managing_authorities   = Parks Victoria
| url                    = https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/great-otway-national-park
}}
[[File:PiedCurrawong GreatOtwayNationalPark.jpg|alt=Strepera Graculina on the way to Triplet Falls|thumb|Pied Currawong on the walk to Triplet Falls]]
[[Image:Otway Fly Treetop Walk 2010.jpg|thumb|right|Great Otway National Park]]
The '''Great Otway National Park''' is a national park located in the [[Barwon South West]] region of Victoria, Australia. The {{convert|103185|ha|acre|adj=on}} national park is situated approximately {{convert|162|km}} southwest of Melbourne, in the Otway Ranges, a low coastal mountain range.  It contains a diverse range of landscapes and vegetation types.

==History==
Commercial [[logging]] began in the Otway Ranges in the 1880s. After [[World War I]], with improvements to the roads and railways, logging increased massively, peaking in 1961, almost entirely stripping the Otway Ranges of its [[old-growth forest]] and causing [[land degradation]] issues, but has since been greatly reduced. The forest standing today highlights the lengthy period needed to regrow the giant trees of the past and to reproduce the ecological complexity nearing that of the original wild forest. Historically, several [[bushfire]]s have burnt through the park's predecessor reserves, shaping its ecology and plant and animal diversity. The last major fire was part of the [[Ash Wednesday bushfires]] that swept southeastern Australia in 1983.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/great-otway-national-park/culture-and-heritage|title=Culture and heritage|publisher=Parks Victoria}}</ref>

The park was declared in 2004 when Otway National Park, Angahook-Lorne State Park, Carlisle State Park, [[Melba Gully State Park]], areas of the Otway State Forest and a number of Crown Land reserves were combined into one park.<ref name="PV">{{cite web|url=https://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/great-otway-national-park|publisher=[[Parks Victoria]]|title=Great Otway National Park|date=2014|access-date=16 August 2014}}</ref> The parks were combined after a campaign by the local community and the Otway Ranges Environment Network and was officially [[government gazette|gazetted]] on 11 December 2005.<ref name="mgmtplan" />

==Features==
The Great Otway National Park is popular with Victorian, interstate, and international tourists, with a number of companies operating tours in the region. It contains three camping areas at ''[[Johanna, Victoria|Johanna]]'', ''[[Aire River (Victoria)|Aire River]]'' and ''[[Blanket Bay (Victoria)|Blanket Bay]]''. The park is accessed from the east via Apollo Bay, from the north via [[Forrest, Victoria|Forrest]] or [[Beech Forest]], or from the west via Princetown.<ref name=PV/> The park covers both coastline and hinterland in the Otway Ranges and so includes both beaches and forest, accessible via walking trails.<ref name=PV/> The park and the Aire River campground are home to a significant [[koala]] population.<ref name=PV/> The [[Cape Otway]] [[Lighthouse]] is adjacent to the park and is open to tourists throughout the week.<ref name=PV/> Migrating [[whale]]s and [[dolphin]]s such as [[southern right whale|southern right]] and [[humpback whale|southern humpback]], and [[bottlenose dolphin]]s can be observed from the coasts.

Glow worms (''[[Arachnocampa|Arachnocampa otwayensis]]''),<ref name="Baker 2010">{{Cite journal| volume = 55| issue = 1| pages = 11–43| last = Baker| first = Claire H.| title = A new subgenus and five new species of Australian glow-worms (Diptera: Keroplatidae: ''Arachnocampa'')| journal = Memoirs of the Queensland Museum| date = 2010}}</ref> which are the [[Bioluminescence|bioluminescent]] larvae of small flies known as [[fungus gnat]]s, can be seen at night along the stream banks and walking tracks, particularly at [[Angahook-Lorne State Park]], [[Beauchamp Falls]], [[Hopetoun Falls]], [[Stevenson Falls]] and [[Melba Gully State Park]].<ref name="Baker 2010"/>

===Important Bird Area===
The park has been identified by [[BirdLife International]] as an [[Important Bird Area]] (IBA) because it supports populations of [[rufous bristlebird]]s, [[striated fieldwren]]s and [[pink robin]]s, as well as numerous other species.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |title=IBA: Otway Range |access-date=2011-09-12 |work=Birdata |publisher=Birds Australia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706102341/http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |archive-date=6 July 2011 }}</ref>

==Climate==

The area has a very wet temperate [[oceanic climate]] (''cfb'').

Climate data for the Otway Ranges are sourced from Weeaproinah, at an elevation of {{convert|492|m|}}; operating between 1965 and 2012. The Otway Ranges feature a cold rainforest biome with extreme winter rainfall, which owes to its highly exposed location in the far south-west of the state. Heavy snowfalls occur on the higher peaks each year, such as Mount Cowley at {{convert|670|m|}}; wet snow can also fall nearer to sea level on rare occasions.

It has the greatest amount of precipitation days in mainland Australia (219.4<ref>{{Cite web |title=Climate statistics for Australian locations |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_090083_All.shtml |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241203054552/http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_090083_All.shtml |archive-date=2024-12-03 |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=www.bom.gov.au}}</ref>), narrowly beating out [[Mount William (Mount Duwil)|Mount William's]] 215 days, though the latter site has only nineteen years of record.

{{Weather box
|location = Weeaproinah (1965–2012, rainfall to 1901); 492 m AMSL; 38.64° S, 143.51° E
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan record high C = 39.4
|Feb record high C = 39.0
|Mar record high C = 35.9
|Apr record high C = 28.5
|May record high C = 22.8
|Jun record high C = 16.2
|Jul record high C = 16.4
|Aug record high C = 20.3
|Sep record high C = 25.4
|Oct record high C = 28.1
|Nov record high C = 32.0
|Dec record high C = 36.5
|year record high C = 
|Jan high C = 20.0
|Feb high C = 20.6
|Mar high C = 18.3
|Apr high C = 15.0
|May high C = 11.9
|Jun high C = 9.6
|Jul high C = 8.8
|Aug high C = 9.8
|Sep high C = 11.4
|Oct high C = 13.7
|Nov high C = 16.0
|Dec high C = 17.9
|year high C =
|Jan low C = 10.8
|Feb low C = 11.5
|Mar low C = 10.5
|Apr low C = 8.8
|May low C = 7.2
|Jun low C = 5.4
|Jul low C = 4.5
|Aug low C = 4.7
|Sep low C = 5.4
|Oct low C = 6.6
|Nov low C = 8.1
|Dec low C = 9.4
|year low C = 
|Jan record low C = 3.8
|Feb record low C = 4.1
|Mar record low C = 3.0
|Apr record low C = 1.3
|May record low C = -0.1
|Jun record low C = -0.5
|Jul record low C = -0.5
|Aug record low C = -0.6
|Sep record low C = -0.6
|Oct record low C = -0.5
|Nov record low C = -0.1
|Dec record low C = 3.2
|year record low C =
|Jan precipitation mm = 87.8
|Feb precipitation mm = 85.8
|Mar precipitation mm = 111.7
|Apr precipitation mm = 154.6
|May precipitation mm = 197.1
|Jun precipitation mm = 211.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 226.3
|Aug precipitation mm = 233.9
|Sep precipitation mm = 199.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 174.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 139.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 113.3
|year precipitation mm = 1936.7
|Jan precipitation days = 12.8
|Feb precipitation days = 11.8
|Mar precipitation days = 15.6
|Apr precipitation days = 18.1
|May precipitation days = 20.7
|Jun precipitation days = 21.5
|Jul precipitation days = 23.4
|Aug precipitation days = 23.1
|Sep precipitation days = 21.1
|Oct precipitation days = 19.8
|Nov precipitation days = 16.7
|Dec precipitation days = 14.8
|year precipitation days = 
|source 1 = [http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_090083_All.shtml Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Weeaproinah]
}}

== Fungi ==

{{More citations needed section|date=August 2020}}
The Great Otway National Park is extremely rich in fungal diversity. Although hundreds of species of flora and fauna are listed in the [http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/313282/great-otway-np-mp.pdf Great Otway National Park Management Plan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331154454/http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/313282/great-otway-np-mp.pdf |date=31 March 2012 }}, there is only a single reference to fungi. The reference is to the fungal pathogen, ''Chalara australis'' that affects myrtle beech. However, the great majority of fungi in the Park perform beneficial ecological roles. In fact, most fungi perform positive rather than negative roles. Even parasitic fungi – often regarded only negatively – are a vital part of healthy ecosystems, regulating ecosystem functions.

As primary recyclers of organic matter, saprobic fungi break down fallen branches and leaf litter, making vital nutrients available to other organisms. Other fungi form symbiotic relationships with other organisms. Although rarely acknowledged, the great majority of plants in the [http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/great-otway-national-park Great Otway National Park] (indeed in the world) form mutually beneficial [[mycorrhiza]]l relationships with fungi.

Given the great diversity of plants, specialist habitats and micro-climates in the park, a great diversity of fungi, including lichens, is also expected to occur there. Two hundred and seventy-eight species of fungi are listed in the [http://www.ala.org.au/ Atlas of Living Australia]. This is likely to be only a fraction of the total number of fungal species that grow in the Park.

Despite their essential roles in underpinning terrestrial ecosystems, fungi are barely recognised as a vital part of Australia's biodiversity. Although Australia has national and state level biodiversity conservation strategies and has ratified international conventions, most overlook fungi. There is currently no statewide biodiversity strategy for managing biodiversity in Victoria and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20150407084109/http://www.colacotway.vic.gov.au/Files/9387_ENVIRO_STRAT_fin_web.pdf Colac Otway Shire Environment Strategy] makes no reference to fungi. There is however, a great deal of interest in fungi among the local community. The [http://soln.org/ Southern Otways Landcare Network] have been actively involved in learning about and surveying the Park's fungi in recent years and produced a guide to one hundred of the more easily recognisable fungal species found in the park.

The Australian citizen-science organisation, [http://fungimap.org.au/ Fungimap] is also documenting and mapping the distribution of fungi including those that occur in the Great Otway National Park.

One of the tiniest yet conspicuous species found in the wetter parts of the park is the ruby bonnet (''[[Mycena viscidocruenta]]''). The ghost fungus (''[[Omphalotus nidiformis]]'') grows on trees and is another easily recognisable species, especially at night when it glows a pale green. The rosette fungus (''[[Podoscypha petalodes]]'') often appears in funnel-shaped rosettes at the base of trees and among leaf litter and is widespread throughout the park. The flame fungus (''[[Clavaria miniata]]'') grows singly or in groups on soil.

<gallery>
File:Clavaria miniata CLA4199.jpg|''[[Clavaria miniata]]'' (flame fungus)
File:Omphalotus nidiformis OMP 9722.jpg|''[[Omphalotus nidiformis]]''
File:Mycena viscidocruenta MYC6796.JPG|''[[Mycena viscidocruenta]]''
File:Podoscypha petalodes POD0137.jpg|''[[Podoscypha petalodes]]''
</gallery>

==See also==
{{stack|{{Portal|Australia|environment}}}}
* [[Great Ocean Walk]]
* [[Maits Rest]]
* [[Protected areas of Victoria]]
* [[Triplet Falls]]
* [[Strzelecki Ranges]]
* [[Redwoods of the Otway Ranges]]
* [[List of national parks of Australia]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Great Otway National Park}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
*[https://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/great-otway-national-park Great Otway National Park]
*[http://www.oren.org.au Otway Ranges Environment Network]
*[http://www.otwaysaccommodation.com.au Otways Accommodation]

{{Great Ocean Road}}
{{Protected areas of Victoria|NP}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Parks of Barwon South West (region)]]
[[Category:National parks of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 2005]]
[[Category:Otway Ranges]]
[[Category:Forests of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Important Bird Areas of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Environment of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Southeast Australia temperate forests]]
[[Category:Sclerophyll forests]]