| Great Otway National Park | |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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Great Otway National Park
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| Nearest town/city | Apollo Bay |
| Area | 103 km² |
| Established | 1981 |
| Managing authorities | Parks Victoria |
| Official site | Great Otway National Park |
The Great Otway National Park is a national park in Victoria (Australia), 162 km southwest of Melbourne. It contains a diverse range of landscapes and vegetation types.
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The 103 km² park was declared in 2004 when Otway National Park, Angahook-Lorne State Park, Carlisle State Park, Melba Gully State Park, areas of the Otway State Forest and a number of Crown Land reserves were combined into one park.[1] The parks were combined after a campaign by the local community and the Otway Ranges Environment Network.
The park is a popular area for interstate and international tourists, with companies operating tours in the region. It contains three camping areas at Johanna, Aire River and Blanket Bay. The park is accessed from the east via Apollo Bay, from the north via Forrest or Beech Forest, or from the west via Princetown.[1] The park covers both coastline and hinterland in the Otway Ranges and so includes both beaches and forest, accessible via walking trails.[1] The Cape Otway Lighthouse is adjacent to the park and is open to tourists throughout the week.[1] The park and the Aire River campground are home to a significant koala population.[1]
The park has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports populations of Rufous Bristlebirds, Striated Fieldwrens and Pink Robins, as well as numerous other species.[2]
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