Fishing in Mount Buffalo National Park

Mount Buffalo National Park sits on the high plateau of Victoria's Alps, northeast of Melbourne, where the country rises sharply above the Ovens Valley.

The waters here are cold, clear, and mountain-fed — headwater streams draining off basalt and granite before dropping into the valleys below. This is trout country, and it has been for a long time.

The Buffalo River is the main watercourse associated with the park and its surrounds.

It holds mostly brown trout averaging around 450 g, with fish to 2 kg present, along with abundant river blackfish, redfin, rainbow trout, mountain galaxias, Murray spiny crayfish, and the occasional Macquarie perch in the deeper pools.

Trout spawn naturally in the river and are not stocked. Macquarie perch were stocked between 1987 and 1991, and trout cod between 1991 and 1993 — both species are now fully protected in these waters and must be returned immediately if caught.

Golden perch stocked into Lake Buffalo since 2002 may move upstream into the upper Buffalo River. The upper reaches can experience low flows in summer and may dry up in severe drought years.

Lake Buffalo sits downstream of the park proper, accessible via Buffalo River Road about 22 km southwest of Myrtleford. It holds redfin, golden perch, brown and rainbow trout, Murray cod, and river blackfish. It fishes well from a boat or canoe.

The feeder streams above the lake — including reaches of the Buffalo River and smaller tributaries — tend to offer more technical fishing for those willing to move away from the reservoir.

The rivers and creeks in this part of the High Country are particularly suited to fly fishing. Access to the Buffalo River valley runs along a road up the valley, with a dedicated fishing access point and picnic area at Nug Nug.

Check current Victorian fishing licence requirements and any park-specific rules with Parks Victoria before you go.

Regulations around protected species like Macquarie perch and trout cod are not negotiable — these populations are fragile, and the rules exist for good reason.