Kooyoora State Park is a beautiful state park located in the northwest of Melbourne, Australia, in close proximity to Inglewood.
Expanding over 11,350 hectares of land, this park is a natural haven comprising of box-ironbark forest and rocky granite outcrops. It was proclaimed in 1985 and named after the prominent Mount Kooyoora (372m), which sits in the centre of the park.
The Jaara people, who were the original inhabitants of this area, used the rock caves and shelters for protection from the weather. According to historical records, European settlers arrived in the area during the 1840s, and gold mining commenced in the late 1850s. It's believed that the infamous bushranger, Captain Melville, used the area as a hideout.
The native grasslands in the Kooyoora State Park are an excellent source of food for kangaroos and wallabies. The park is home to various bird species, including the endangered swift parrot, which makes it a perfect place for bird watching. The key tree species in the park are Blakely's Red Gum, Yellow, and Grey Box and Red Ironbark.
If you love adventure, then Kooyoora State Park is just the perfect destination for you. Popular activities in the park include horse riding, bushwalking, camping, caving, rock climbing, and fossicking. You can take a peaceful walk in the park on any of the available walking trails, which take you through the box-ironbark forest, rocky outcrops, and give fantastic views over the landscape, especially Melville Caves. For a complete camping experience, visitors can utilize the spacious and free campground,