The Den of Nargun

Activities & Attractions

The Den of Nargun

The Den of Nargun

The Den of Nargun is a short drive from Paynesville and has something for everyone.

Its aboriginal history is connected to the Kurnai tribe, the original inhabitants of our beautiful region. Women of this group used the area for initiations and learning ceremonies.

The Den itself is about a 20 minute walk from the carpark, set in a shaded rainforest gully, with the yellow wood tree and the Kanooka plant being seen at their most westerly extremes. The Den of Nargun is a shallow cavern that hides behind a slight drizzle of a waterfall in Dead Cock Creek.

  • ● Interpretive signage sharing Gunai/Kurnai stories.
  • ● Rainforest gullies alive with lyrebirds and tree ferns.
  • ● Combine with the Gorge Walk and lookout picnic tables.
The Den of Nargun
Duration
1 Hour 30 Minutes
Location
Mitchel River National Park
Distance
5km
Grade
Level 3

This walk features the Bluff Lookout with views of the Mitchell River Gorge, deep green pockets of warm temperate rainforest and Woolshed Creek. As you walk through the rainforest gully, stepping stones lead you into the Den itself. Tradition has it the Nargun lives there; a fierce being, half human and half stone.

The best way to absorb the eerie atmosphere of the Den of Nargun is from a safe distance. The Gunai/Kurnai people and Parks Victoria ask you to respect this special place by not entering the cave.

Distance from Paynesville
49 Minutes

How to Get There

From the Princes Highway (A1), turn off at Lindenow Road (C602) west of Bairnsdale. Turn left into Dargo Road (C601) then right into Wallers Road at the National Park sign. The Den of Nargun is 4km further on.

Access Information

Access to the Den of Nargun is easy enough by conventional cars, but take it slow as the road is a little washed out in places.

There is a picnic ground at the beginning of the loop walk, well appointed with picnic tables and some sheltered-gas barbeques, fire places, and amenities.

History & Background

A Nargun, according to Gunai/Kurnai tribal legends, a fierce half-human half-stone creature that lived in the Den of Nargun, a cave under a rock overhang behind the small waterfall.

Aboriginal legend describes the Nargun as a beast entirely made of stone except for its hands, arms, and breast. The fierce creature would drag unwary travellers into its den. Any weapon directed against it would be turned back on its owner.

Use the map above to get directions to this experience.

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