Snowy
River National Park features dramatic
gorges and powerful rapids formed by the
descent of the Snowy River. Apart from
gorges and southern slopes, this park
is in a rain-shadow area forming the southern
border of the Monaro Tableland. Consequently,
many species more typical of inland New
South Wales and Victoria are found here.
Errinundra National Park is much wetter
- inaccessible from June to October in
most years - and features some of the
most ancient forests in Australia, a matter
of controversy as employment in the remote
areas east of the Snowy is mainly dependent
upon timber milling. Croajingolong National
Park between Marlo and Mallacoota features
extensive coastal heathlands and tea tree
scrub, as well as the only major area
of warm temperate rainforest in Victoria.
The 4,193 km2 of privately owned land
is mainly red gum plains, coastal plains,
mountain plateaux and fertile river valleys.
The
climate of Gippsland is temperate and
generally humid, except in the central
region around Sale, where annual rainfall
can be less than 600 millimetres (24 inches).
In the Strzelecki Ranges annual rainfall
can be as high as 1500 millimetres (60
inches), whilst on the high mountains
of East Gippsland it probably reaches
similar levels - much of it falling as
snow. In lower levels east of the Snowy,
mean annual rainfall is typically about
900-950 millimetres (35-37 inches) and
less variable than in the coastal districts
of New South Wales. Mean maximum temperatures
in lower areas range from 24°C (75°F)
in January to a pleasant 15°C (59°F)
in July. In the highlands of the Baw Baw
Plateau and the remote Errinundra Plateau,
temperatures are very pleasant in summer,
ranging from a maximum of 18 °C (64°F)
to a minimum of 8°C (46°F). However,
in winter, mean minima in these areas
can be as low as -4°C (25°F),
leading to heavy snowfalls that often
isolate the Errinundra Plateau between
June and October.
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