Mitchell River National Park (Victoria)

Mitchell River National Park Victoria
IUCN category II (national park)
The Mitchell River valley looking north from The Bluff Lookout
Mitchell River National Park
Nearest town or city	Bairnsdale
Coordinates	37°39′20″S 147°20′44″E / 37.65556°S 147.34556°E / -37.65556; 147.34556Coordinates: 37°39′20″S 147°20′44″E / 37.65556°S 147.34556°E / -37.65556; 147.34556
Established	December 1962 (1962-12)
Area	142.5 km2 (55.0 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Parks Victoria
Website	Mitchell River National Park
See also	Protected areas of Victoria

The Mitchell River National Park is a national park located in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. The 14,250-hectare (35,200-acre) national park is situated approximately 320 kilometres (200 mi) east of Melbourne via the Princes Highway, and approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) northwest of Bairnsdale. The northern portion of the park may be accessed via Dargo.

The park's central feature is the Mitchell River, which is the largest unregulated river in Victoria and provides a unique example of riparian ecology.

According to a Land Conservation Council Rivers & Streams Special Investigation completed in 1990, "It is an important example of the large-scale biological systems that were once widespread in south-eastern Australia." In 1992 the Mitchell River was listed as a Heritage River.

The national park surrounds the spectacular Mitchell River where it has cut its way through rock strata creating high cliffs and several gorges. The park originated as the Glenaladale National Park in 1963 following a donation of 163 hectares (400 acres) of land from Australian Paper Manufacturers Ltd. An addition of 112.7 hectares (278 acres) was made in 1986 at which time the name was changed to the Mitchell River National Park. The park was further extended in 2003 by 2,375 hectares (5,870 acres) to bring the total area to 14,250 hectares (35,200 acres).

In some of the gorges are found remnants of warm-temperate rainforest, the southernmost occurrence of this type of forest in the world. It can survive here as the steep walls of the gorges protect it from the annual drying summer winds and the bushfires that occasionally rage through the area.

There are recorded sightings of more than 150 bird species and 25 mammal species in the park. Vegetation in the park includes papery-barked kanooka trees, lilly-pillys, muttonwoods, ferns, mosses, vines, and lianas. In the drier areas, typical Australian species such as wattle and eucalypt dominate.