NEW SOUTH WALES New South Wales 48 © Lonelyplanetpublications Tops Andtherugged,Hiddenbudawangs

NEW SOUTH WALES New South Wales 48 © LonelyPlanetPublications Tops andtherugged,hiddenBudawangs. Bigstate. Bigchoice. Getstarted. Barrington destinations,suchastheWorldHeritage-listed and otherdistinctive walking towards theGreat whichincludestheBlueMountains,KosciuszkoRange DividingRange, stretch thetabletopplainsofwestern NSW.East,aspuroftheLiverpool bendsback Range in whichtoponderNSW’sdiversity ofterrain andexperience. Tothewestof‘Bungles forcompany. the talltowersofnearbySydneywithnothingbutsea-eagles youcangaze insilenceat top heathlandofunrivalledbeauty.Fromtheseoceanramparts, andsouthoftheNSWcapitalare easycoastalwalksthroughcliff in itsownright.North renown isrightonthedoorstep ofSydney,andSydneyisajollyfinedestinationforwalkers as the‘Blueys’are inaneponymouslynamedWorldHeritageArea, andsaidarea ofworld canyons ofBlueMountainsNationalPark wouldprobablyrunaclosesecond.Especially and withstunningviews. Theunder wideskies denseeucalyptforests andshady,plunging probably grabtopbilling. Here are relatively easywalksinausuallywell-watered region, aplenty andit’spossibletowalkthroughalmostallofit. ranges,isolatedremains, beachesandgorge-scarred tableland.There’s desert emptyspace oftemperatethe country’shighestpeaks,lushpockets andsubtropicalrainforest, volcanic state ofvariety.Dotted aroundthestate’s 800,000-or-so square are kilometres several of When itcomestobushwalking, New SouthWales(NSW)canrightlyclaimtobeAustralia’s

HIGHLIGHTS Of all the places to walk in NSW, the remarkable Warrumbungle Range mightbethebest WarrumbungleRange alltheplacestowalkinNSW,remarkable Of highlightsreel,On acrowdedwalkers’ thecoolupperreaches ofKosciuszkoNationalPark

TELEPHONE CODE:03 Scaling theridgessurrounding thevolcanicspires of the rockformationsof Savouring solitudeandtheextraordinary Climbing Australia’s highestpeaksin the RoyalNationalPark onthe Wandering pastsandybeaches,beautiful wind-fretted rockformationsandsoaringcliffs of Exploring theWorldHeritage–listed landscapesof the Boyd NationalParks (p80)

www.visitnsw.com.au Coast Track Kosciuszko NationalPark (p58)

Blue Mountains Warrumbungles Monolith Valley

www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au (p88) 6 and (p62) (p110) (p101) Kanangra- NEW SOUTH WALES is 49 se- The and Syd-

9228 6111; 9228 6111; % (

Port Macquarie and Blue Mountains,

. Several walking books , referred to as ‘Lands’, , referred 13 20 77; www.tourism.nsw.gov.au) % (

. The NPA Guide to National Parks Parks Guide to National The NPA are extremely useful. and Lyn John extremely are NSW Department of Lands Take a Walk in a National Park a Walk in a National Take

120 Walks in New South Wales Wales 120 Walks in New South and NEW SOUTH WALES •• Environment Environment •• WALES SOUTH NEW

For maps covering individual walks, see For maps covering For information on NSW national parks The Planning in the introduction to each walk. to each Planning in the introduction produces topographic maps at three scales – maps at three produces topographic and ranges; the coast cover 1:25,000, which slopes and central the western 1:50,000, for the for the far west. In and 1:100,000, region, been has known as past, the state mapmaker LandSouth Information New & Property and CentralWales (LPINSW) Mapping many LandsAuthority (CMA), and maps those under one of continue to be published imprints. Park Fees & Regulations & RegulationsPark Fees and camping regula- fees National park tions vary across NSW. Just under 50 of vehicle- the state’s 100-plus parks charge vary from $22 per day which entry fees, in Kosciuszko National during the winter Information Sources Information Sources Tourism NSW BUYING MAPS BUYING MAPS ), p52 maps ( of Sydney has the best range or map shops either in dedicated available shops. many outdoor gear the one of Books the state’s of coverage For the most extensive Asso- national parks, useNational Parks the guide in two volumes: ciation (NPA) to Brisbane NPA Guide to National Parks of Northern of Parks Guide to National NPA NSW NSW Southern of Tyrone Tho- the state in fair depth. explore mas’s and Wales New South 70 Walks in Southern ACT the Daly’s NSW walks: ries has four volumes covering Zone, South-Eastern ney to Port Macquarie www.lands.nsw.gov.au) and bushwalking organisations (all based organisations and bushwalking in ). p51 Sydney), see Information ( the NSW government’s peak tourism body. the NSW government’s minor town (and many Almost every major with local infor- ones) has a tourist office from the available mation that’s not readily those state organisation; to relevant larger in this chapter. listed individual walks are

East of the range, the coastal is (by strip the range, East of concen- are The walks in this chapter

Maps driving, a lot of planning to do If you’re maps road regional along the seriestake of by the National Roads & Motorist’s Asso- shows almost every ciation (NRMA), which althoughroad and track in the state, not road the topography. The descriptions of You and up to date. accurate conditions are can order online (www.mynrma.com.au /maps_2.asp) or pick them up at NRMA of- the maps to their area fices – most will have to free and probably the whole set. They’re motoring of and to the members members, in other states. organisations When to Walk year-round For the most part NSW offers exceptions. walking conditions, with a few walk- prevent snows generally Mid-winter while high ing in Kosciuszko National Park, can surface water and lack of temperatures in certain sometimes inhibit departures in mid- parks (and even close some areas) Generally, autumn and spring are summer. the most popular seasons for walking. INFORMATION INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENT Range Dividing east- dominates Great The the state of NSW, running the length ern influence on climate, a key and providing human distribution and plant and animal Dividing the Great settlement. Most of beenRange’s worn down ancient peaks have tablelands, or includ- plateaus to a series of England tableland,ing the New Blue the Mountains, the Southern Highlands and the don’t which of most Monaro Tablelands, to 1400m. By contrast, in 1200m rise above the Snowy Mountains the high peaks top Australia’s highest2000m, culminating in there’s Here point, Mt Kosciuszko (2228m). in the moraines ice age the last evidence of glaciers. by retreating left and lakes settledAustralian standards) and heavily hand. To the west, by human changed much productive and more watered the better land near the agricultural lands on rolling way to vast, empty, arid plains. give range there’s and coast, where in the ranges trated forested a higher of proportion generally and plant of diversity country and greater animal life. www.lonelyplanet.com