Mount Eccles National Park
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Mount Eccles National Park Victoria |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Lake Surprise within the national park
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 Mount Eccles National Park
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| Nearest town or city | Macarthur |
| Coordinates | 38°05′S 141°53′E / 38.083°S 141.883°ECoordinates: 38°05′S 141°53′E / 38.083°S 141.883°E |
| Established | 7 June 1960 |
| Area | 54.70 km2 (21.1 sq mi) |
| Visitation | 40,000 (in 1993–4) |
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| Website | Mount Eccles National Park |
| See also | Protected areas of Victoria |
The Mount Eccles National Park, also the Budj Bim National Park, is a national park located in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The 5,470-hectare (13,500-acre) national park is situated approximately 270 kilometres (170 mi) west of Melbourne and approximately 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest of Macarthur.
Located within the national park is Mount Eccles, also named Budj Bim by the Gunditjmara people, is the site of the most recent active volcano in Australia. The first activity was about 40,000 years ago when Mount Eccles was formed by lava pouring out the Earth's crust. The most recent eruption was approximately 8,000 years ago. Mount Eccles is a fairly small hill surrounded by lush vegetation with a small hidden deep volcanic crater lake named Lake Surprise. It is famous for an adjacent lava tube and there are numerous lava tubes in the surrounding farm land.
The park was added to the Australian National Heritage List in 2004 as part of the Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape - Mount Eccles Lake Condah Area for its importance in Indigenous history and its geology.
Mount Eccles National Park is jointly managed by Parks Victoria and the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation via the Budj Bim Council. The Council forms part of the 2007 Native Title Settlement Agreement between the Gunditjmara and the Victorian Government bringing them together to manage the park landscape.
Lake Surprise
Entrance to lava tube near Surprise Lake (exterior)
Entrance to lava tube near Surprise Lake (interior)
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Wikipedia