How OWRNP Has Changed Over Time
From 1818, when the explorer John Oxley and his party arrived here from England, and discovered the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park (OWRNP) to now, it has changed hugely.
Right at the start, before John Oxley discovered and renamed OWRNP, it was inhabited by the Dangaddi aborigines, who lived in the Northern Tablelands. OWRNP and the land around it is divided into different regions and names, the names are mostly based on the landform that it is. These regions are divided into Tablelands, Gorges, Camps, Huts, Yards and Mustering Points. We don't know much about OWRNP's first occupants, as the English took over so early, but there is evidence that they were here, such as carvings on trees and small huts made of sticks and bark. The Dangaddi people are now living in the lower part of the Murray River, as a result of the park changing, and new discoveries being made.
Later on, in the 1840's cattle began grazing around the Murray River Gorges, because the grass was lush, thick and green. There became so many cows that settlers had to build mustering points (where cows are controlled and moved to different places) at Top Creek, the Middle Yards, Kunderang, Oven Camp, Youdales Hut, Green Gully, Yarrowhich River and the Front Tablelands. These are now all significant points at OWRNP. Recently, rangers restored the Middle Yards Hut, which used to be part of the 32,000 hectare East Kunderang cattle station, based along the Macley River.
In the late 19th Century, mineshafts were built, in hope that Victoria’s luck with gold would strike them. It didn’t, and now the shafts are old and abandoned, making perfect places for animals to live and hide.
OWRNP was logged from 1930-1935, leaving acres of land bare and unearthed. This was going to continue, but the loggers were forced to stop, when farmers and graziers that owned the land needed it. The forest became dry and bare, and it was slowly dying. Logging has now completely stopped, because in 2002 it became listed as a World Heritage Park. This means that OWRNP, including all of its flora and fauna are now protected, and is now recognised as an important part of Australian History.
All of OWRNP used to be rainforest. But because of droughts and fires, it is now classed as a dry rainforest. (Also known as bushland.) Now, most of OWRNP is bushland, but areas are still classed as rainforest, and are quite dense.
There are 14 main waterfalls in OWRNP, which rush down from the very top of the mountain, right into the Macley River, one of the lowest parts in OWRNP. The waterfalls are consistently flowing, so after a few years the rocks wear away and the waterways change and flow in different directions. Another thing which can determine how the water flows is if plants grow in different places, or if erosion moves the soil around, causing the water to change the way it flows.
Oxley Wild Rivers National Park has changed so much from 1818 to now, and it makes you think, what changes could the future hold?
By Grace