Flora

The high elevations of the alps are one of the few habitats without a significant tree line canopy. Vegetation at these elevations is generally restricted to alpine grasses and ground hugging herbs, but trees such as Snow Gums (Eucalyptus pauciflora) do occur and are generally stunted in size.

Alpine vegetation is often fragile and sensitive to disturbance. Parks Victoria’s Greater Alpine National Parks Management Plan (2016) defines more than 60 ecological vegetation classes and most of Victoria’s alpine and treeless vegetation is within this area. It includes alpine and subalpine grasslands, shrublands and heathlands, wetlands, rare alpine peatland and snow patch communities.

The mountain building topography also plays a heavy role in what flora can grow, as many of Victoria’s major rivers and headwaters are known from this region. The snow melt provides significant water flow to the catchments of eastern Australia (Alpine National Park accounts for more than 19% of Victoria’s annual runoff) and defines what ecological communities thrive here. With eight water basins, 22 special water supply catchments and 12 Natural Catchment Areas, the parks generate some of the most reliable and high-quality water to the state. 

As the snow begins to melt in spring and temperatures warm, an explosion of grasses, herbs and wildflowers erupt out of the ground, changing the mountainside in swathes of different colours. A staggering one third of all Victoria’s native plant species are known from the region.