Mallacoota and Croajingalong NP
Introduction
Croajingalong National Park
Mallacoota
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22km south from Genoa & sited at the ocean outlet of the Genoa River
approx. 6-7hr drive from Melbourne excluding breaks in off-peak periods.
surrounded by the Croajingalong National Park
not far from Cape Howe, the most easterly part of Victoria and Gabo Island
Easter: Festival of the Southern Ocean and Iron Man event
a major destination for the hoards of Grey Nomads off-season from Feb onwards and should be high on the list for tourists in off peak season
has a very rich bird life including lyrebirds on Karbeethong Rd
surf and lake fishing / lake boating / golf
Mallacoota Inlet
a great spot for those with boats for estuary boating and fishing or families to enjoy the beach
does not appear to be troubled by March flies in summer
the inlet beach is accessible from Bastion Point
Bastion Tip Beach
Betka Beach
one of Australia's nicest beaches with estuary swimming for the kids, interesting rock formations along a long stretch of beach
does not appear to be troubled by March flies in summer and has good picnic and toilet facilities
Quarry Beach
Secret Beach
Shipwreck beach:
gravel road from Mallacoota
remote sandy beaches amongst interesting rock formations, heathlands and inland, cool eucalypt forests
March flies in summer - wear clothes covering arms and legs!
nearby attractions
World War 2 underground bunker
walk up Genoa Peak for great views
Wilderness overnight coast walk to Wingan Inlet (camp site booking required)
Double Creek nature walk
Gipsy Point
see also:
Gabo Island
154ha island 14km from Mallacoota, accessible by air or charter boat
significant sea bird colonies including the largest known breeding colony of Little Penguins
accommodation available at lighthouse keeper's residence
swimming and snorkeling in Santa Barbara Bay
accommodation:
camping and caravans
Banksia Mudbrick holiday flats ph: 5158 0044
Adobe mudbrick flats 1-3BR, 78acres rainforest; panoramic views lake, ocean, mountains; wood fire; birds
Melaleuca Grove 2BR units ph: 5158 0407
Mallacoota houseboats 6 berth; ph: 5158 0775 9am-6pm M-F
Blue Waters 4x1BR cottages; lake views; private deck; bbq; ph: 5158 0261
Karbeethong Lodge - 11BR historic guest house on waterfront with spectacular views. ph: 5158 0411
Mallacoota Hotel Motel - 20 units; ph: 5158 0455
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Gipsy Point inland from Mallacoota on the Genoa River before it becomes estuary lakes:
Gipsy Point Lodge - guest house + meals, licensed restaurant, bush setting ph: 1800 063 556
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a brief history
Captain John Stevenson, a whaler was granted a grazing license in 1841
other early pastoralists took up most of the prime land by the 1850's
1858-1862, the 47m high Gabo Island lighthouse constructed with its distinct pink granite
Mallacoota began on the eastern side of the inlet when John Augustus Dorron selected land a built a home, farm and Lakeview Hotel buildings in 1882 when it became popular with tourists arriving by sea
a modest gold rush started in 1890s but the only successful mine was the Spotted Dog Mine on the eastern side of the inlet
in the early 1900's, Edwin James Brady established a writers camp at Captain Stevenson's Point and Henry Lawson was one of the writers to attend
in 1921 a road trafficable by motor vehicles was established from Gipsy Point to Mallacoota West (the current site of “Mallacoota”)
the RAAF set up an underground bunker coastal surveillance system at Mallacoota during WWII
geology
Bastion Point has Ordovician rocks from 500mya well before Antarctica broke away from Victoria, these layers of sedimentary rocks have become folded which is well demonstrated at Geology point and nearby Quarry Beach
in the late Silurian period (400mya), a base formed of granites and graniodorites - the Bega Batholith which extends from Quarry Beach to Bombala in the north, Gabo Island in the east, and the Snowy River to the west
above this granite base lies Devonian period sediments (350mya) with variable mineralisation ranging from younger hard red granite of the Howe Range and Gabo Island, and the soft coarse grey granites of the coast from Sand Patch west to Wingan Beach
Genoa Gorge reveals Eden volcanics and late non-marine freshwater lake Devonian sediments with fossils including early tetrapod footprints discovered in 1972.
Mt Victoria and Mt Carlyle on the Victorian-NSW border have caps of later marine sediments which have been uplifted.
the narrow coastal plains are covered in Tertiary sediments (10-70mya)
the massive sand dunes of Cape Howe, Sandpatch Pt and Pt Hicks are quaternary deposits
Mallacoota Inlet itself is a submerged river valley with sedimentary filling over the last 3000-6000 yrs following the end of the last Ice Age which resulted in the formation of Bass Strait and flooding of these coastal valleys to form a tidal estuary which at times gets blocked off from the sea due to the high rates of deposition of sand in the region aided by refraction of the waves around Bastion Point which result in lower energy beach forming waves in contrast to the destructive waves on the lee side of the point which cause shoreline cliffing and then a low energy longshore flow parallel with the beach
Mallacoota Inlet (when the estuary is not blocked)
Betka Beach, Mallacoota
Gabo Island lighthouse as seen from Mallacoota
Quarry beach and its geologic forms
Secret Beach
Galah
Rosellas
Hooded Plover
Sooty Oyster Catcher
Dove