Chiltern Box-Ironbark National Park was established in 1997, contains species of box-ironbark forest that once covered much of north-east Victoria. The park protects rare wildlife and contains several historic goldmining sites. Short or day-long walks can be made on vehicle tracks through open forest and a 25km historic drive is marked from Chiltern through the forest and goldfields.
When pastoralists drove their cattle overland in the 1830s they found widespread forests of box and ironbark. Trees were felled for fencing and firewood and later many more disappeared to shore up mine shafts. The original forest of large, well-spaced trees and grassy floor has been reduced to closely-growing stands.
The park is the habitat of several rare or threatened species - the Regent Honeyeater, Turquoise Parrot, Peregrine Falcon, the Brush-tailed phascogale and Squirrel Glider. Winter and spring, when the ironbarks are in bloom, is the best time to see the birds. More than 150 bird species have been recorded in the area
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