The Mountain
of Light
Before the salt and the stars, there's the climb. Kooyoora — Guyura in the Dja Dja Wurrung language — means "mountain of light": a tumble of giant granite boulders rising out of the box-ironbark forest, about two hours north of home. This is Djaara Country, walked and worked for thousands of years and handed back to its Traditional Owners in 2013. Here's what to look for as you climb it together.
Kooyoora's Djaara name, Guyura, means "mountain of light." Stand at the foot of the granite in the morning sun and you'll see why — the pale stone catches the light and seems to glow from within. A fitting first chapter for a weekend that ends under the brightest skies in the state.
The "caves" here aren't really caves at all — they're the gaps and fissures between enormous granite boulders. It's a single mass of rock that cooled deep underground over 360 million years ago, then weathered slowly into the stacked, balancing tors you'll scramble through. A natural spring still rises on the site, which is why the trees around it grow so tall.
The name comes from Frank McCallum — "Captain Melville" — a bushranger who in 1851–52 used these boulders as a hideout, watching from the summit for the gold coaches and mounted police crossing the plains below. Climb to the top and you'll understand instantly: nothing moves out there without being seen. He was caught by Christmas Eve, 1852.
Look, gently, for the deeper history. The Jaara sheltered among these rocks and drew water from wells worn into the stone; nearby scar trees still carry the marks where bark was lifted for shields and coolamons, and stone tools have been found all through the park. All of it is protected by law — so it's eyes and cameras only, and stay to the track.
The top opens to a 360-degree view across the box-ironbark country, ridgelines fading to blue. Watch the air just above the lookout: wedge-tailed eagles ride the thermals here, often gliding by at eye level. It's the perfect place to sit a while before the drive north to the Mallee.
It's a short, steep climb — roughly a kilometre to the summit, or a 3–4km loop if you take in the lookouts and the boulder fields. Wear shoes with grip (the granite turns slippery after winter rain), carry water, and keep half an eye out for a faint or leaf-covered track in a few spots. July means crisp, clear views and almost no crowds — just rug up well.
With respect: Kooyoora is one of six parks returned to the Dja Dja Wurrung under the 2013 Recognition and Settlement Agreement — living Country that holds sites of ceremony, lore and healing. We walk it as grateful guests, and leave only footprints.