The Warrumbungle National Park is a thirty-minute drive west of Coonabarabran. Warrumbungle means “crooked mountain” in the language of the Gamilaraay people. It is a traditional meeting place for the First Nations Australians of the region and a bushwalker’s paradise.
The unusual, jagged shapes of the Warrumbungles are the remains of an ancient shield volcano. They are a rugged and beautiful collection of volcanic plugs, domes, dikes and lava flows.
A Bushwalker’s Paradise
The park has stacks of walks to suit even the most adventurous bushwalkers. Just be sure to bring plenty of water as most of the walks take several hours and involve a fair bit of climbing. The Breadknife and Grand High Tops walk is rated as one of the best in NSW. It will take you up close to some of the park’s stunning natural features. The most famous of these is “The Breadknife”, a narrow rock pillar that is 90 metres high. Another popular destination is Split Rock, a huge volcanic dome that is much more impressive than its humble name suggests.
The Easy Way
If a long bushwalk is not your thing don’t stress, you’ll see some amazing scenery just by cruising through the park and exploring the side roads and picnic areas. Jagged mountain peaks seem to appear around every turn. Be sure to stop at Whitegum Lookout for an easy 500m walk. The reward is a panoramic view of some of the park’s best natural features.
For the Kids
A lot of the bushwalks in the park aren’t suited to small kids, but there is plenty of natural beauty on offer for the little people if you know where to look. A great place to explore is Canyon Picnic Area, on the same road as the Visitor Centre. There is a short walk that takes you down to a secluded gorge with a babbling creek running through it. On the way, the kids can scamper up a volcanic lava flow and see a breathtaking view of Split Rock. The walk continues on as a loop, but our kids were content to explore the area around the creek. They didn’t want to leave!
