Warrumbungle National Park
| Warrumbungle National Park | |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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| Nearest town/city | Coonabarabran |
| Coordinates | 31°17′32″S 149°0′29″E / 31.29222°S 149.00806°E |
| Area | 236.21 km² 236.21 km2 |
| Established | 30 October 1953 |
| Managing authorities | National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales) |
| Official site | Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water |
Warrumbungle National Park is located in central northern New South Wales, Australia, 550 km northwest of Sydney. Outside of the Sydney metropolitan area parks, it is the most-visited national park in New South Wales.[citation needed]
The official name is Warrumbungle National Park, based on the geographical name Warrumbungle Mountain Range. This range is sometimes shortened to the Warrumbungles, and thus the park name is often heard in the plural. The comic strip Warrumbunglers may also have played some part in this usage.[citation needed]
The park lies within the Pilliga Important Bird Area, so identified by BirdLife International because of its importance for a range of woodland bird species, many of which are threatened.[1]
Warrumbungle National Park was added to the Australian National Heritage List in December 2006.[2]
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[edit] Access
The nearest towns to the park are Baradine, Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Gulargambone, and Tooraweenah. Access via Coonabarabran to the east is by 27 km of sealed road called the John Renshaw Parkway which was built in 1966.[3] Via Coonamble to the west access is by a 57 km long road with some gravel.[4]
[edit] Features
Located within the large area of Southeast Australia temperate savanna grasslands the park incorporates the most spectactular part of the Warrumbungle mountains, a region of past volcanic activity with unusual lava formations. Some of the most well-known rock formations include Bluff Mountain, Mount Exmouth (tallest mountain in the park), The Breadknife, Split Rock, Fans Horizon and Crater Bluff.
There are many scenic bushwalks and both rock climbing and abseiling are popular.[4] The park preserves habitat for a koala population numbering in the hundreds.[citation needed] It is also home to the Australian Astronomical Observatory, which has one of the largest optical telescopes in the southern hemisphere.[citation needed]
[edit] Facilities
There are four main campsites. All camping in the park is only permitted after obtaining a permit. There is a visitors centre for bookings and keys to a number of huts. The park also caters for large school groups. There are free electric barbecues available however firewood is not supplied or to be collected within park grounds.
[edit] History
The area was first proclaimed as a reserve in 1953.[4] In 1967 management of the park was signed over to the National Parks and Wildlife Service.[3] The construction of a network of walking tracks done by hand was headed by the parks first ranger, Carl Dow.[3] The park was added to the list of the National Heritage in December, 2006.[5]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "IBA: Pilliga". Birdata. Birds Australia. http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
- ^ "Warrumbungle National Park". Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/warrumbungle/information.html. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
- ^ a b c "Warrumbungle National Park: Culture and history". Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water. http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkHeritage.aspx?id=N0035. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
- ^ a b c Hema Maps (1997). Discover Australia's National Parks. Milsons Point, New South Wales: Random House Australia. pp. 132—133. ISBN 1975992472.
- ^ Wild magazine, July-Sept, 2007
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