Baw Baw frog
RSOS logging
Melb. waterCool Temperate Rainforest
Cool temperate rainforest has the most extensive range in Victoria with at least a total of 17,700 ha growing in the Otways, Central Highlands, East Gippsland and South Gippsland.
This rainforest type generally exists in high rain fall, higher altitude fertile environments.
Note: The next three links go to the Museum of Victoria web site
Cool Temperate Rainforest in Victoria is dominated be either myrtle beech or southern sassafras or a combination of both.
Each region where this rainforest exists has its own unique variation with the most obvious differences being the canopy trees that make up the rainforest.
- In the Otways myrtle beech grows on its own or in combination with blackwood to make up rainforest canopy. (southern sassafras does not naturally grow in the Otways.)
. - In the Central Highlands and Strzelecki (south Gippsland), myrtle Beech is the dominant canopy species but grows in combination with southern sassafrass.
- In East Gippsland there is a total absence of myrtle beech with southern sassafras dominating the rainforest canopy.
East Gippsland
Cool TEmperate rainforest
Typical southern sassafrass dominated cool temperate rainforest of East Gippsland.
Foliage close up of a southern sassafrass, East Gippsland Cool Temperate Rainforest.
Central Highlands
Cool Temperate rainforest
Cool temperate rainforest dominated by myrtle beech at Christmas Creek on the south face of Mt Baw Baw
Cool Temperate Rainforest in the Acheron Rainforest Site of National Significance
Cool Temperate rainforest from the road in the Cement Creek Rainforest Site of State Significance.
Southern Sassafress (left) growing with a myrtle beech in the Acheron Rainforest Site on National Significance.
Huge old growth myrtle beech trees in the Acheron Rainforest Site of National Significance.
Otway
Cool Temperate Rainforest
Blackwood(left) and myrtle beech(right) grown in combination in Otway rainforest.
Old growth myrtle beech rainforest at Ciancio creek, Great Otway National Park.
Old growth myrtle beech rainforest within in Aire River Heritage corridor Great Otways National Park.
Arkins creek shown in image above is flowing through rainforest shown in image below.
Unmapped rainforest in the lower reaches of Arkins Creek surrounded by old growth forest. (Now incorporated into expanded Great Otway National Park).
Gippsland
Cool Temperate rainforest
No photos available