Little Desert Nature Lodge

Property Description

Come and enjoy a peaceful retreat at the Little Desert Nature Lodge. Located on the edge of the pristine Little Desert National Park, the Lodge offers comfortable facilities, warm hospitality and a memorable environmental experience.

Little Desert highlights include:

¿ Whimpey¿s 4WD Tours

¿ The rare and elusive Malleefowl or `Lowan¿ bird

¿ Stunning Wildflowers

¿ Abundant Birds & Wildlife

¿ Bushwalking & Nature Trails

¿ Excellent Accommodation & Camping Facilities

¿ A Unique School's Environmental Education Program

Little Desert Nature Lodge is an accredited tourism operator. This means that when you visit the lodge you are entitled to expect:

professional customer service

accuracy in advertising

sound environmental practices

compliance with health and safety standards

an appropriately licensed and qualified operator

Accredited operators have a commitment to professionalism and ethical conduct in all areas of their business. You can choose an accredited operator with confidence.

**PLEASE NOTE**

Although we do have accommodation, the Lodge is not a Motel, but an Environmental Centre created for education about the Little Desert Region and the Endangered Malleefowl.

Locality

The Little Desert Nature Lodge is located on the edge of the Little Desert National Park in western Victoria. Access is from the sealed Nhill-Harrow road, approximately 16 km south of the town of Nhill. Being situated roughly halfway between Melbourne and Adelaide, it is an ideal stop-over point for road-weary travellers. The lodge is also an excellent base from which to explore the surrounding region¿s many attractions including world class rock-climbing at Mount Arapiles, the spectacular scenery of the Grampians, Coonawarra wineries, Naracoorte Caves, Wyperfeld National Park and so much more.

Property

Native Flora Garden

A major project being undertaken at the Little Desert Nature Lodge is the development of a Native Flora Garden. The garden is an area of about 30 hectares of natural and planted bushland, which has been fenced off to exclude grazing animals (like rabbits). We are licensed to collect seeds, cuttings and whole plants from the Little Desert National Park to enable propagation of a range of indigenous plant species. This includes a number of the beautiful orchids as well as endangered species such as Westringia crassifolia, found in only two sites in Victoria.

The garden includes an 11 ha area that was revegetated in 1992 by direct seeding. This area was originally a cleared paddock covered mainly with Evening Primrose (an exotic weed from South Africa). The plant species that have been revegetated include typical food plants of the Malleefowl (acacia spp.), and therefore provides an enriched habitat for this endangered bird species. In 2002 some of our captively bred Malleefowl were introduced into the area.

Wildflowers

The Little Desert abounds with native flora, with over 670 species recorded. Different species of plants can be found flowering throughout the year.

In Autumn, honeyeaters and other nectar feeding birds are attracted to flowering banksias:

Desert Banksia

Silver Banksia

During Winter, low heath plants proliferate:

Flame Heath

Brush Heath

Cranberry Heath

Pink Heath

Common Correa

Highlights of a spring wildflower tour include:

Blue Tinsel Lily

Fringe-myrtle

Golden Pennants

Phebalium

Violet Honey-Myrtle

Golden Wattle

Scarlet Bottlebrush

Wonderful winter and spring orchids can also be found, just to name a few:

Waxlip Orchid

Banded Greenhood

Heart-lipped Spider-orchid

Green-comb Spider-orchid

Daddy Long Legs

Hooded Caladenia

Pink Fingers

Blue Fairies

Slaty Helmet-Orchid

Leopard Orchid

Scented Sun-orchid

Fax

Copier

Wireless Internet

Whiteboard

Data Projector

Car parking is available close to rooms. Property is situated 16km South of Nhill and away from highway.

Check in at reception

Children Welcome

Bushwalking

Birdwatching

Four Wheel Drive Tour (min 6 pax)

Spotlight Walk

Malleefowl Aviary Tour

Malleefowl Sanctuary Tour

Relaxation

16 kilometres south of Nhill on the Nhill - Harrow Road (turn off at the Nhill Racecourse)