Bogong Moth
Agrotis infusa
Alps
Ancient mountain-top islands
Change each year from snowy worlds to colourful summer places.
Animals which live here have special tricks for surviving these extremes,
the Mountain Pygmy Possum hibernates beneath the snow
The Victorian Alps extend from the plateaus of Lake Mountain and Mt Baw Baw to peaks such as Mt Feathertop and the headwaters of the Murray River. A rich mosaic of heathland, grassland and alpine bog communities grow above the tree line. Snowgum woodlands grow at slightly lower altitudes. Many species and ecological communities are found only in the alps. Some are at risk of extinction, such as the Baw Baw Frog, Alpine Water Skink, Mountain Pygmy-possum and Stirling Stonefly. The Victorian Alps remain largely intact and protected in National Parks, but climate change is a threat to species that can survive only in alpine habitats.
Animals from Victorian alps
Baw Baw Frog
Philoria frosti
Gang-gang Cockatoo
Callocephalon fimbriatum
Mountain Pygmy-possum
Burramys parvus
Explore the Victorian environments
Dry forest
There are many types of dry forests in Victoria including stringybark, red gum, grassy woodlands and the remnants of the once great box–ironbark forests.
Coastal wetlands
Victoria’s coastal wetlands are significant places for wildlife, with many listed in international conventions to protect the habitat of migratory birds.
Alps
The Victorian Alps extend from the plateaus of Lake Mountain and Mt Baw Baw to peaks such as Mt Feathertop and the headwaters of the Murray River.
Grasslands
When the first Europeans arrived in Victoria there were grasslands on the vast, undulating western plains, on the northern plains and in Gippsland.
Mallee
The Victorian Mallee in the north-western corner of the state has a mosaic of vegetation types adapted to low rainfall and sandy soils.
Research and actions helping our environment
Find out about the issues affecting our special places and the plants and animals that live in them, and discover some ways you can help.