Little more than an hour drive from Melbourne takes you to one of the state's richest wildflower habitats.

The Brisbane Ranges National Park is about 80km west of Melbourne between Geelong and Bacchus Marsh or Ballan. Popular areas of the park are accessible from the Geelong-Ballan Road and the Staughton Vale Road out of Anakie.

Set in a low range of mountains dissected by rocky gullies, the unusual geology of Brisbane Ranges National Park has preserved plants that have long since vanished from the region, together with a correspondingly diverse bird population as well as Koalas, Wallabies and Kangaroos.

A major bushfire began on 21 January 2006 and burnt over 40 percent of the Park. Some of the Koalas and other native wildlife escaped, others were rescued and many died. The native vegetation is still regenerating and it is very interesting to see the diversity of wildflowers returning each spring.

The very popular Brisbane Ranges Wildflower Show is held every second year - in October.

The Friends of the Brisbane Ranges provides opportunities for people to meet socially as well as helping and learning about the environment, ecology, flora, fauna, and history of the Brisbane Ranges National Park and Steiglitz Historic Park.

New members are welcome - check out our latest Newsletter to see all our activities.

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~fobr

Reg No A0032647M
ABN 30 120 139 564
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