Tuesday 30/10/2023 Teddington Reservoir Campground – Upper Teddington Reservoir
Kara Kara National Park, VICTORIA
Dja Aja Wurrung and Barengi Gadjin Country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
In a nearly deserted Teddington Reservoir Campground we found the local wildlife to be our only company. Flocks of screeching corellas flying overhead or chatting in surrounding treetops left us in no doubt as to who ruled here. There were also plenty of other birds such as rosellas, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and willy wagtails who made visits.
Max elevation: 324 m
Total climbing: 64 m
Total descent: -58 m
Average speed: 4.01 km/h
Total time: 00:49:17
Long-billed Corellas (Cacatua tenuirostris) above Teddington Camping Area
Arriving in the late afternoon I only managed a short walk around a bone-dry Upper Teddington Reservoir before dinner. After dark I headed off up the road hopeful of spotting an owl, but after fifteen minutes I noticed my headlamp seemed to be fading. After turning around and starting back, it quickly faded to nothing. With the moon not yet up I was forced to rely on my iPhone. It seemed the charging cable I had used to recharge to headlamp didn’t connect to it properly!
Wednesday 1/11/2023 Teddington Road – Stuart Mill Road – Centre Road – Fisherman Hut Track – Teddington Road – Teddington Hut
Kara Kara National Park, VICTORIA
Dja Aja Wurrung and Barengi Gadjin Country
This morning was very cool so we waited until 9:00am before starting our planned mountain bike ride. Before leaving Sue spotted a very cute marsupial mouse but it was far too evasive when the camera was brought out. Today, our route would turn out to be Teddington Road – Stuart Mill Road – Centre Road – Fisherman Hut Track – Teddington Road – Teddington Hut.
Max elevation: 536 m
Total climbing: 398 m
Total descent: -391 m
Average speed: 9.74 km/h
Total time: 02:18:26
Having not been mountain biking in years this proved to be a challenge as our skills were not what they once were. Centre Road in the National Parks brochure is described as Centre Road Tourist Drive and has several steep sections with lots of loose stones and gullies, forcing us off our bikes multiple times. With no views out through the trees and having already climbed over 300m vertically we decided to cut our tiny adventure short and return to camp via Fisherman Hut Track. It still took us nearly two hours to ride 15km.
Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) – Research Grade – at Teddington Campground
The Box Ironbark vegetation along our route consisted of forest and open woodland. Very dominant today were the yellow wildflowers, mainly paper daisies which were seen over large areas along the way. Apart from a couple of eastern grey kangaroos we saw no other wildlife.
The local flora, fauna, geology, history and some other walks (ChatGPT)
Local Flora
The local flora of Kara Kara National Park is a diverse mix of woodland, grassland, and wetland vegetation. The woodland is dominated by Eucalyptus species, such as the red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), the river red gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis), and the box gum (Eucalyptus microcarpa). The grassland is dominated by native grasses such as kangaroo grass (Themeda australis), wallaby grass (Danthonia spp.), and spear grass (Stipa spp.). The wetland vegetation includes reeds, sedges, and rushes, as well as some aquatic plants such as water lilies and bulrushes.
Local Fauna
The local fauna of Kara Kara National Park is also diverse, and includes a variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Some of the common mammals include kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, echidnas, and bats. Some of the common birds include emus, kookaburras, parrots, honeyeaters, and wrens. Some of the common reptiles include snakes, lizards, and turtles. Some of the common amphibians include frogs and toads.
Geology
Kara Kara National Park is located in the Murray-Darling Basin, which is a large sedimentary basin that covers much of eastern Australia. The park is underlain by a variety of sedimentary rocks, including sandstone, shale, and limestone. The park also contains some volcanic rocks, such as basalt and tuff.
Indigenous History
The Aboriginal people of Australia have lived in the area now known as Kara Kara National Park for thousands of years. The park is on the traditional land of the Wiradjuri people. The Wiradjuri people used the land for hunting, gathering, and fishing. They also used the land for ceremonial and spiritual purposes.
White History
The first Europeans to visit the area now known as Kara Kara National Park were explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell in 1824. The area was first settled by Europeans in the 1830s. The park was established in 1971.
Walks
Kara Kara National Park has a number of walking trails, ranging in difficulty from easy to difficult. Some of the popular walks include:
The Kara Kara Creek Walk: This is an easy 2.5 km walk that follows Kara Kara Creek. The walk passes through woodland, grassland, and wetland vegetation.
The River Red Gum Walk: This is a moderate 4 km walk that winds through a river red gum forest. The walk offers views of the Murray River and the surrounding countryside.
The Box Gum Walk: This is a challenging 6 km walk that climbs to the top of Box Gum Hill. The walk offers stunning views of the park and the surrounding countryside.
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