Explore Gunbower National Park

Gunbower Island is situated between Torrumbarry and Koondrook and is bounded by the Murray River and Gunbower Creek.
This 26,400 ha flood plain is the largest inland island in the world and considered one of the 10 most important wetlands in the Murray Darling Basin. About 80 percent of the area contains magnificent Red Gum and Black Box Forests and provides a home for a large range of birds, native mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
The rich natural environment of the many lakes and rivers were extremely important to the Aboriginal people. The local Baraba Baraba tribe occupied this area
for thousands of years and lived in harmony with the land, adapting to the changing conditions. They moved and utilised available resources between the flood plain and the Mallee to the west.
This area provided them materials such as timber, bark and reeds and a variety of foods including muscles, fish, yabbies, birds’ eggs, possums and important plants such as cumbungi, nardoo and yam daisies. Evidence of Aboriginal occupation can be found in the various scar trees, cooking mounds and middens.
Prior to European settlement large areas of the island flooded regularly and the forest was a sparsely populated woodland. The first commercial use of the Red Gum forest was for cutting railway sleepers for the expanding railway network. In the early years timber was sourced close to the river banks and hauled to the Murray River with bullock or horse teams and transported by barges to Echuca or Swan Hill. As the timber industry developed, more sustainable practices were introduced where usage involved single tree selection which maintains the forest canopy. More recently additional restrictions have been introduced that limit the area available for loggin. River regulation over time has resulted in a significant reduction in flooding frequency; however, there are several programs that aim to increase water flow through the forest and preserve the important environmental value.

Fauna

The wetlands of Gunbower Island support a unique array of water birds, wildlife and aquatic plants and animals, with over 170 bird species recorded. It also contains 24 reptile species, a variety of fish and approximately 200 plant species. Kangaroos and emus are very common throughout the forest, with koalas being a bit more elusive. Campers will almost certainly hear calls from mopoke and barking owls, a variety of frogs and a range of woodland and water birds. Gunbower Island is an ideal destination for nature lovers and campers. Poplular activities include fishing, bushwalking, camping, canoeing or simply driving through the track network sight seeing.