The 2019/20 bushfire season has been horrific for vast areas of Australia. But if you want a close-to-home reminder of how the bush recovers after a catastrophic fire season, you’ll find the well-managed Kinglake National Park an uplifting experience. The bush here was devastated by the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. It’s now ten years in to its regeneration cycle, and you can see it going through a transition stage, with dense undergrowth now dying back and falling to the ground under the taller re-grown large tree species. The die-back forms floor compost that retains water and provides composted nutrients for the further growth of the larger trees. This mid-stage regeneration is fascinating. It’s a great reminder of the natural order of regeneration, and despite the magnitude of our summer just gone, also a visual pointer of hope to the mighty come-back we hope to see.
Mason’s Falls is just one of many parks and picnic facilities in the National Park. It has some terrific walking tracks, including wheel-chair accessible ones. There are tracks that are a decent run for the training-minded visitor. The walk to the falls is relatively easy, and well worth it for the view up the gorge to the actual falls. There are several walking loops that take in longer routes, for those who like a challenge. Most importantly, the BBQ facilities are excellent.