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NEW SOUTH WALES - Warrumbungle National Park Located 490km north-west of Sydney this 21,000 heactare park protects the Warrumbungle Range. One of the state's most popular parks it offers numerous recreational activities to all comers; adventurers, families and the elderly alike. Up to 80,000 people visit the park during the year. The main attrctions to this park are the peaks along with some unusual rock formations. The most widely known feature is the Breadknife, a 90m high wall of rock that effortlessly rises from the wooded slopes. 13 million years ago the area featured a number of highly active volcanoes continually spewing molten rock from beneath the crust. The lava hardened above the sandstone floor that had been deposited when this side of the coast was submerged below the ocean. Over time wind and rain eroded the softer clays leaving the basalt formations exposed as we see them today. The Breadkife, for example, is actually a volcanic core with the volcano removed! The park has a huge diversity of habitats and lifeforms. Over 90 species of birds and 25 species of wattle have been identified within the park's boundaries, as well as grey kangaroos, wallaroos, red-necked and swamp wallabies, and koalas. Access The parks lies 35km west of Coonabarabran, 490km north-west of Sydney. If you are travelling from Sydney it's about a 6 hour drive via Mudgee, and about 7 hours through Dubbo. All accessible roads within the park are now sealed, although the latest CMA Warrumbungles map shows them as unsealed. The 4WD tracks have been closed to vehicles. Public transport is not available. Camping There are seven designated campsites within the park: Camp Blackman - Main campground. Facilities include flush toilets, hot showers, a phone, water, picnic tables, and fireplaces. Powered caravan sites available. Camp Elongery - For schools and groups only. Pit toilets, water and fireplaces. Camp Pincham - Pack camping only. Pit toilets and water tanks provided. Closed to schools and groups for regeneration. Camp Wambelong - Pit toilets and water tanks only. Burbie Camp - Pack camping only. Not accessible by vehicle. Pit toilets and water. Hurley's Camp - Pack camping. Creek is often dry. Gunneemooroo Camp - Accessible via unsealed road from Tooraweenah. Bush camping only. Even though tap water is available, it should be boiled for three minutes before drinking. Fee: $10 per car (2 people) per night. $2 extra per person per night. $7.50 car entry fee (excluding Annual Pass), $3 motorbike entry. Payable at the Vistors Centre. Bush camping is permitted within the park away from roads. There are a couple of spots up on the Tops if you wish. Grab a permit from the Vistors Centre. Long weekends and school holidays are the peak periods, as well as Christmas and Easter. Easter alone can bring up to 10,000 people into the region. Climate For all the beauty of the surroundings the Bungles are a harsh environment. Summer temperatures can reach high 30s during the day and fall to low 20s at night. Winter nights fall below zero and the days may not make room temperature. The park gets on average around 900mm of rain a year mostly during the winter months. What little that does fall is often soaked up quickly. The creeks marked on the maps are often dry and there is no water up the top. Even if you do find water DON'T DRINK from the creeks. Always carry adequate water. Mountain terrains are famous for rapidly changing weather patterns. Fog and rain can be blown east in an hour or two (it happened to us) and can be blown back in just as quickly. And do keep in mind that the ranges have completely different weather patterns to the sheltered valley. The Tops might be enveloped in high winds, rain and thick fog, even though the campsites are fine and pleasant. Activities Bushwalking: As you would expect there's plenty of space to roam through - some 30km of marked tracks. Overview of Walks Breadknife & Grand High Tops (via Dadga Short Cut) - A closeup of the most recognisable landmark in the park. Steep climb to the top. Split Rock Circuit - 360° views of the park. A great introductory walk. Whitegum Lookout - Spectacular views of the main range. Another great introductory walk. Before you embark be fairly warned. This park is within a mountainous area and so most of the walks involve steep climbs for long periods. Remember there is plenty of time and no need to race. Climbing during the middle of the day is not recommended, particularly during the warmer months. A number of the peaks are not sheltered and if you don't wilt on the way up then you'll fry while you're up there. Instead start your walk at first light, that way you can be up the top for morning tea and see the park in full, glorious, sunlight. Rockclimbing / Abseiling: Rockclimbing and abseiling is permitted anywhere within the park except on the Breadknife and Chalkers Mountain. The Breadkife used to be a climber's paradise, but climbing was banned to protect both the formation and the walkers below. Permits are required and available from the visitors centre. Astronomy: Because the area is located so far from the large settlements on the coast the night sky provides a brilliant display. That's why they built an observatory up here. Siding Springs Observatory, with one of the largest telescopes in the world, is open to vistors from 9am to 4pm every day. Note that the road to the observatory from the highway is unsuitable for carvans. If you want to catch a glimpse of the sky for yourself try SkyWatch. The are located 2km outside of Coona on the park road. For $10 you'll get to see the exhibition and peek through their 23cm telescopes. Open daily from 2pm with nightly shows. Information Centres Visitors Centre Ph: (02) 6825 4364 National Parks and Wildlife Service Government Offices, 56 Cassilis St, Coonabaraban NSW 2357. Ph: (02) 6842 1311 PO Box 39 Coonabaraban NSW 2357