WARRUMBUNGLES NATIONAL PARK - 10 TO 17 OCTOBER 2022

 10 OCTOBER

COONABARABRAN

We woke at 7am and were out the door and on our way to the Warrumbungle’s by 8:30am.

It was a long drive! We stopped at Denman for coffee. A nice-looking town.

At Coonabarabran, we decided to stay the night in a local caravan park.

It was close to town, so we had a pub feed for dinner.

11 OCTOBER

WARRUMBUNGLES

A crap sleep for me. The park was so close to the highway and trucks crossing the bridge and motoring up the hill woke me heaps of times.

We booked a powered campsite at Blackman 3 and drove 30km to the Warrumbungles. 

Along the way, we bought firewood and we stopped at Whitegum Lookout. It was a 500 metre walk with a variety of wildflowers each type clumped together as we walked along. The end of the track was a great view over parts of the Warrumbungles.

Next, we drove to the start of the Burbie Canyon Walk. An easy 2km return walk with about four creek crossings. The scenery was pretty and quiet.

12 OCTOBER

We woke early and drove to the start of the High Tops Walk. It was a long and steep hike of about 13km. The track was along brick and gravel paths, steps and natural rock formations. There were great views along the way and sensational views at the top. At the top, we rested for a while to appreciate our hard-earned effort. On the way back, Jacinta had a fall and injury her knee and around her mouth. Luckily, she felt okay enough to get back to the carpark. It was a mammoth effort on her part.

Back at camp, we decided that her injury needed to be seen by medical professions tomorrow.

The afternoon was drinking wine and beer and enjoying a campfire. The area was regularly visited by birds. The apostle birds were so tame – jump on your foot, hop into the van. Ha-ha 😊

13 OCTOBER

A good night’s sleep even though Jacinta’s leg woke her once in pain.

After breakfast, we drove into Coonabarabran for a number of reasons:

1 hospital to check Jacinta’s fall injuries – tape for the cut of the knee, the knee being sore and swollen was still fine and for the face/front tooth injury see a dentist.

2 at the dentist, we could only book an appointment for tomorrow at 12:15pm.

3 across the road for a quirky café and second breakfast and coffee.

4. chemist for cold packs and voltarem rub

5 and finally, a store at a clothing store for sturdier walking/biking pants for me.

Back at camp, we rested and decided for no decisions until after the dentist verdict.

I had a bike ride on the trail which started near our camp site. It was a great ride with great views across the ranges, two creek crossings and a long descent ride back to the camp.

The rest of the afternoon was resting.

14 OCTOBER

After breakfast, we drove to Coonabarabran for Jacinta’s dental appointment. She got the all-clear so we booked another three nights at the Warrumbungles. Next, we topped up on alcohol, water, petrol and food.

On the way back, we visited the Siding Astronomical Observatory. Interesting and a great view.

Back at camp we met Elona and Grant, who lived also on the Central Coast. We had drinks and chat around the campfire.

15 OCTOBER

A good sleep.

We woke to blue sky and a cool morning.

We drove to Belougery carpark for the start of the Belougery Split Rock hike. Jacinta walked part of the way, but it was a bit much for her injured knee. She returned to the van, and I followed the track. The track became rockier and steeper as I progressed with great view across the valley. Eventually, I reached the stairs to the summit. The stairs only went a short distance then it was a footholds and careful rock climbing to the top. What a view! The descent was difficult to the stairs. I followed the loop track back to the carpark. It was harder on this track being I thought steeper and undulating.

After dinner, we had a few drinks by the campfire with Elona and Grant.

16 OCTOBER

We said our goodbyes to Elona and Grant, who were off to Lightning Ridge.

We started a hike to Tara cave but didn’t get too far as there was a creek crossing which was too high.

We drove to the Canyon Picnic Area near Camp Blackman and did a shortened hike of the Wambelong track. It followed the creek for a short while to the edge of the canyon. The water in the creek was too high to cross so we doubled back and took another path which led to the top of the canyon. The hike was fun passing through different vegetation and having great views across the area from the summit.

We stopped at the visitor’s centre to get information on our next possible destinations.

Back at camp we had lunch and decided to go the Pilliga Forest next. We booked for two nights camping.

Later in the afternoon, I had a bike ride along the XXX trail near our camp site. It was fun and not as wet as the other day. Still, I managed to cover myself in splats of mud.

Showers and a campfire dinner to finish the day.

AUSTRALIA - Warrumbungles - Belougery and Split Rock Track - HIKE - september 2008

Belougery Split Rock – 2 hours

The track follows a gradual ascent until the turn off for Split Rock. The trail becomes steeper and steeper winding its way quickly to the top. An outcrop of rocks is reached and after a short distance a gate with warning signs and a series of 15 steps leads to the steep rock climb to the top of Split Rocks. The climb is indicated by yellow markers embedded into the rock. There are about three false spots where it appears that the top has been reached. The top which is covered in boulders and flowers is eventually reached. The view is excellent, taking in the camp area which seems a stones throw away, the western plains and rest of the Warrumbungle. Truly, the highlight of this walk, is sitting on this pinnacle, solitary, on the throne of the world with the sounds of insects and the wind while viewing the changing shadow of the world below as the sun rises higher over the eastern mountains. The return track was steep and rough, passing through a variety of different types of landscapes. At points, the track passed sheer rock walls, wind-hewned caves, shady areas of grass trees and open expanses of rocks.

AUSTRALIA - Warrumbungles - Fan Horizon Trail - HKE - september 2008

Fan’s horizon – 2 hours

It is steep ascent along a track with the buzz of insects. The track is mainly log steps. At times there are rock hewn steps amongst boulders. It eventually levels out and the walk follows a ridge. Many lizards were seen at this point. The first lookout is Fan’s Horizon, which was named after Fanny Gould 1902 to 2004. It is a panoramic view of sharply-cut mountains with greenery filling the bare rock gaps. The greenery is various dark shades of green laced with the yellow blossoms of wattles. Sit for awhile and enjoy the silence, the stillness of the wind and the murmur of insects and birds.