MOUNT ELEPHANT

Derrinallum, Victoria, Australia.

Mount Elephant is a perfect breached scoria cone that last erupted somewhere between 5,000 and 20,000 years ago. It dominates the 3rd largest Volcanic Basalt Plain on Earth and can be seen for 60 kilometres in all directions. The Mount is located 1 kilometre west of the township of Derrinallum, on the Hamilton Highway an easy one-hour drive from major regional centres such as Geelong, Ballarat, Warrnambool and Hamilton.  It is also a comfortable two-hour drive from Melbourne.

At the end of Year 2002 Jack Borbidge a former local resident gave a substantial bequest to the Mount, we are grateful for his generosity.  The Walking track from the new car park to the small crater has been named the Jack and Millie Borbidge Track in their honour.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS - Visitor Information and Interpretation facility

The Mount Elephant committee is currently developing a business plan and writing applications to source funds for a new building. The new building will provide visitor information, picnic and BBQ facilities both undercover and in the open, meeting rooms, storage space for tools and a whole lot more. The building will be designed on sustainable principles collecting water on site, using solar and wind power and be made from materials that blend into the landscape and generally add to the visitor experience on the Mount. This is an exciting development and should really improve the visitor experience on the Mount.

OPEN DAYS

The Mount is open on the 1st Sunday of each month, 1.00pm – 4.00pm. Visitors are always welcome at other times contact Gert Stammberger 55962192, Lesley Brown 55970243 or 0409535914 to make arrangements. We look forward to opening more often in the near future. Entrance is via the Hamilton Highway 1km west from Derrinallum.

TREE PLANTING

In 2005 there were 7,000 trees and 40,000 grasses planted on Mount Elephant along the road and up the north east face. In 2006 there were 2500 trees and 3000 grasses planted and in 2007, 2500 trees were planted and 600 grasses. In 2008 1000 trees were planted behind the pines in a rabbit proof enclosure. The group has also commenced fencing off the worst rabbit infected areas on the mount to try and exclude them from all planted areas in the coming years. Myxamatosis arrived on the mount this winter and has significantly reduced the rabbit population which should help ongoing management. The following or

We would like to thank the following project participants over these years

           Mount Elephant Community Committee members
           Lismore Primary School
           Derrinallum Secondary School
           International Student Volunteers
           Conservation Volunteers
           Landmate Crews (Prison crews)
           Green Corps Crews
           Local community members
           Other most welcome visitors and paid contractors who support the work on the mount

We would also like to thank the following project partners,
          The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
          The Department of Sustainability and Environment
          Corangamite Shire
          The Federal Governments Enviro fund program
          The State Governments Second Generation Landcare program
          The Lismore Land Protection Group

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Mount Elephant Community Management Committee are:

Gert Stammberger
Geoff Henderson
Val Lang
Lyn Stammberger
Chris Lang
Lesley Brown

Laweton French
Jane French
Norma Grant
Janine Davis
Charles Brown
John Hale
Karen O’Keefe, Rod Eldridge – Lismore Land Protection Group