parknotes
Broken-Boosey State Park
Visitor Guide
The Broken-Boosey State Park is a unique linear park bordering the Broken, Nine Mile and
Boosey Creeks. It is one of the few remaining remnants of high quality Grey Box Woodland on
Victoria's northern plains, which have been largely cleared for agriculture.
Plants and animals
Brolgas
“The first selector at Numurkah, arriving in 1873,
described the site as 'a nice circular plain, wellgrassed, the creek having a nice flow of water
abounded with all species of water-fowl"
(Bossence 1979).
Enjoying the park
The Broken-Boosey State Park is a great place to
visit with family and friends. Visitors interested in
native flora and fauna will enjoy the many plant
and animal species that are found here.
Enjoy a scenic drive, bushwalking, have a picnic
or a quiet fish.
Dip Bridge, where the Boosey and Broken Creeks
join, creates a wider and deeper creek system
that is popular with fisherman and day visitors.
Roads into and through the park are mainly
unsealed, but suitable for two-wheel drive
vehicles. However, due to the clay base, many of
the roads become extremely slippery when wet.
Drivers are advised to adhere to formed roads
even when wet as the edges can become very
soft often resulting in vehicles becoming bogged.
River Red Gum, Grey Box and Yellow Box are the
dominant tree species.
The Boosey Creek is only a few metres wide in
parts, but expands into large deep holes along
some of its bends. Wildlife such as ducks,
Pelicans, Cormorants, Purple Swamphen and
Water Rats can be seen here. Even the hard to
see Platypus is reported to be a resident.
The park is bounded by open farmland, with
grazing, dairying and crop production the major
industries.
In the surrounding open country Brolgas, Curlews,
Wedge-tailed Eagles, Kangaroos, Goannas,
Brown and Black snakes and even the odd Koala
can be seen.
Within the creek Yellowbelly, Murray Cod and
Catfish can be found.
On the southern outskirts of Katamatite several
sites within the park contain significant flora
species such as Leafy Templetonia, Minnie Daisy,
Lignum and more than seventeen other regionally
significant plants. The Wunghnu Common, now
part of the park, has excellent examples of intact
Grey Box Woodland, including Waterbush,
Spreading Eutaxia and Leafy Templetonia.
Be fire ready and stay safe
Many parks and forests are located in high fire risk
areas. On days of forecast Code Red Fire
Danger this park will be closed for public
safety.
If you are already in the park you should leave the
night before or early in the morning for your own
safety.
Closure signs will be erected and rangers will
patrol where possible, however you may not
receive a personal warning that the park is closed
so check the latest conditions by calling 13 1963
or visit www.parkweb.vic.gov.au.
For up to date information on fires in Victoria or
general fire safety advice call the Victorian
Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667.
Formoreinformation call theParks VictoriaInformationCentre
on131963orvisitourwebsiteatwww.parkweb.vic.gov.au
For further information
Parks Victoria
Information Centre
Call 13 1963
or visit the
Parks Victoria website
www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Greater Shepparton Visitor
Information Centre
534 Wyndham Street
Shepparton 3632
Freecall: 1800 808 839
Echuca-Moama Visitor
Information Centre
2 Heygarth Street
Echuca 3564
Freecall: 1800 804 446
Caring for the
environment
Help us look after your park
by following these guidelines:
Please take rubbish away with
you for recycling and disposal
All native plants and animals
are protected by law.
Please do not disturb them
Dogs are permitted on formed
roads and tracks in the park,
and must be kept on a leash
Firearms are prohibited
Fires are not permitted
in the park, however gas
barbecues can be used. No
fires, including gas barbecues,
may be lit on a day of Total
Fire Ban. Broken-Boosey
State Park is in the North East
Total Fire Ban District
It is your responsibility to
know if it is a day of Total
Fire Ban. If in doubt call the
Victorian Bushfire
Information Line
on 1800 240 667
Park closures - Be prepared to
leave early as extreme
weather may cause the
closure of some park areas
for public safety
Collection of firewood is
prohibited from the park
Be self-sufficient with drinking
water. Carry it in and/or know
how to make untreated water
safe for drinking
History
There are many reminders of past Indigenous
inhabitants within the park. Cultural surveys to
date have recorded numerous Indigenous sites
including canoe, shield and coolamon scarred
trees along the entire creek line suggesting the
creek was used as a pathway on a regular basis
by the Yorta Yorta and Bangerang people. The
creek was also an important source of food and
drinking water.
In 1848, Hamilton Hume settled the Yarrawonga
run comprising 85,000 acres including the area
now known as Tungamah. By 1850, squatting
runs spanned the entire creek system and more
than 60,000 sheep and 4,500 cattle grazed along
the creeks. The natural creek lines were altered
with the construction of weirs, channels and
levees. The Tungamah Stock and Domestic |
Water Supply System has been operating for over
100 years. This was recently replaced with a
piped system that will return the creek back to
natural flows.
With the establishment of agriculture, many large
trees were cleared for fencing and firewood.
The Broken-Boosey State Park was proclaimed,
along with several other new Victorian parks, in
2002 to conserve and enhance what remains of
the Box-Ironbark forests and woodlands of
northern Victoria.
Nearby parks to visit
There are many swamps in the area with a wide
variety of birds and wildlife. Kinnairds Wetland,
near Numurkah, has bird hides, signed walks,
picnic shelters and carparking.
Barmah National Park, situated on the Murray
River flood plain north of Nathalia, comprises the
largest River Red Gum forest in Victoria. The
complex ecology of the forest is closely linked to
the Murray River and its flooding regime, creating
a diverse natural habitat for a variety of wildlife,
particularly waterbirds.
Warby-Ovens National Park - Extending north
from the town of Glenrowan is a steep scarped
range known locally as the Warbys. The
combination of excellent viewing points along the
ridge, pleasant picnic spots and an outstanding
variety of birdlife and wildflowers makes a visit
well worthwhile.
Reef Hills State Park is an area of 2013ha of
mixed eucalypt forest near Benalla. The forest is
an important remnant of the original vegetation
of the northern plains of Victoria and is valued
by naturalists for its wide range of plant and
animal life.
Conservation Management
Network
While the park and the nearby Natural Features
Reserves at Tungamah, Nathalia and Numurkah
contain much of the high quality vegetation in the
region, a significant amount of this vegetation is
on private land. The Conservation Management
Network provides an avenue for private
landowners and government agencies to work in
partnership to manage the environment.
The Network provides communication links
between managers of remnant vegetation. This
linking enables the sharing of management
knowledge and co-ordinated actions, works and
funding.
The Network helps improve and protect the
important values of some highly fragmented
conservation areas. It focuses on protecting
ecosystems and threatened species across both
private and public land.
Membership is open to all people with an interest
in Conservation Management.
Contact the Department of Sustainability and
Environment's Customer Service Centre on 136
186 for more information on how you can be
involved.
Facilities
Motel, bed and breakfast, camping and caravan
park accommodation is available in nearby towns.
There are great camping options in the nearby
Natural Feature Reserves at Tungamah, Nathalia
and Numurkah,and Youarang.
How to get there
Broken-Boosey State Park is approximately
240km north-east of Melbourne along the
Goulburn Valley Highway, past Shepparton on the
Benalla-Tocumwal Road.
Some roads may be subject to seasonal closure.
Vehicles, including motor bikes, may only be used
on formed open roads. Drivers must be licensed
and vehicles registered and roadworthy.
Healthy Parks Healthy People
Visiting a park can improve
your health, mind, body and
soul. So, with over four million
hectares of parkland available
to Victorians, why not escape
to a park today!
December 2010
Printed on Australian-made, 100% recycled paper