east then fall gently to wide sandy plains in the west. the in plains sandy wide to gently fall then east drought and only appear after rain. rain. after appear only and drought low ranges that rise up to around 600 metres altitude in the the in altitude metres 600 around to up rise that ranges low and water-holding frog, remain buried underground during during underground buried remain frog, water-holding and Warrumbungle and Nandewar Ranges. The Pilliga features features Pilliga The Ranges. Nandewar and Warrumbungle seen in the warmer months. Frogs such as the crucifix frog frog crucifix the as such Frogs months. warmer the in seen shattered by the volcanic eruptions that threw up the the up threw that eruptions volcanic the by shattered a variety of snakes and lizards, which are more likely to be be to likely more are which lizards, and snakes of variety a was compressed and cemented into rock which was later later was which rock into cemented and compressed was kangaroos, red-necked wallabies and koalas. Reptiles include include Reptiles koalas. and wallabies red-necked kangaroos, Australian bush. bush. Australian the Jurassic period, some 150 million years ago. The sand sand The ago. years million 150 some period, Jurassic the Mammals include Pilliga mouse, eastern grey kangaroos, red red kangaroos, grey eastern mouse, Pilliga include Mammals for easy access, so it’s the perfect place to explore the great great the explore to place perfect the it’s so access, easy for of sediment were laid down in a series of lakes during during lakes of series a in down laid were sediment of honeyeaters and grey-crowned babblers. grey-crowned and honeyeaters Hundreds of kilometres of roads and management trails make make trails management and roads of kilometres of Hundreds has happened in the Pilliga forest. Vast horizontal layers layers horizontal Vast forest. Pilliga the in happened has barking owls, red-capped robins, brown treecreepers, regent regent treecreepers, brown robins, red-capped owls, barking The best thing about the Pilliga is that everyone can enjoy it. it. enjoy can everyone that is Pilliga the about thing best The The Pilliga Sandstone is the foundation of everything that that everything of foundation the is Sandstone Pilliga The find refuge in the Pilliga include glossy black-cockatoos, black-cockatoos, glossy include Pilliga the in refuge find Corporation NSW for timber production and other values. values. other and production timber for NSW Corporation Geology and Landscape and Geology species are struggling to survive. Some local birds that that birds local Some survive. to struggling are species Service (NPWS). Much of the rest is managed by Forestry Forestry by managed is rest the of Much (NPWS). Service management. In Australia some woodland birds, mammal and reptile reptile and mammal birds, woodland some Australia In reserves managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Wildlife and Parks National NSW the by managed reserves prescribed burns for hazard reduction and ecological ecological and reduction hazard for burns prescribed Today, more than half of the forest is protected in conservation conservation in protected is forest the of half than more Today, birdwatchers from all over. all from birdwatchers quite different here. NPWS and Forests NSW staff conduct conduct staff NSW Forests and NPWS here. different quite other uses. uses. other mix of birds from both eastern and western climates attracts attracts climates western and eastern both from birds of mix much less frequently, and you may notice the vegetation is is vegetation the notice may you and frequently, less much from Aboriginal life to timber-getting, mining, grazing and and grazing mining, timber-getting, to life Aboriginal from Birds are the most obvious inhabitants of the Pilliga. The The Pilliga. the of inhabitants obvious most the are Birds been shaped by regular fire. The western Pilliga forest burns burns forest Pilliga western The fire. regular by shaped been The Pilliga’s long journey through human history stretches stretches history human through journey long Pilliga’s The and animals of the eastern Pilliga forest have adapted and and adapted have forest Pilliga eastern the of animals and Wildlife the eastern parts of the forest every 10 years or so. The plants plants The so. or years 10 every forest the of parts eastern the bushland). wildfires, mostly started by dry thunderstorms, run through through run thunderstorms, dry by started mostly wildfires, parade of undergrowth and dominant tree species. tree dominant and undergrowth of parade South Wales west of the Great Divide (500,000ha of public public of (500,000ha Divide Great the of west Wales South Bush fires are a regular feature of the Pilliga story. Large Large story. Pilliga the of feature regular a are fires Bush pine forests and more open woodlands, with a shifting shifting a with woodlands, open more and forests pine farmlands, the Pilliga has survived as the largest forest in New New in forest largest the as survived has Pilliga the farmlands, Fire Most of the area is a complex mosaic of eucalypt and cypress cypress and eucalypt of mosaic complex a is area the of Most With low rocky hills and less fertile soils than the surrounding surrounding the than soils fertile less and hills rocky low With soil texture and moisture, fire history and human activity. activity. human and history fire moisture, and texture soil This is one of the iconic landscapes of the Australian inland. inland. Australian the of landscapes iconic the of one is This Nature of the Pilliga the of Nature Vegetation varies across the Pilliga according to changes in in changes to according Pilliga the across varies Vegetation frogs make the forest their home. their forest the make frogs and more than 350 species of birds, mammals, reptiles and and reptiles mammals, birds, of species 350 than more and Vegetation Western Way (photo: J. Whittall/ OEH) Whittall/ J. (photo: Way Western spring colour, massive river red gums line the sandy creeks creeks sandy the line gums red river massive colour, spring in just a few hundred metres. Expansive heathlands burst into into burst heathlands Expansive metres. hundred few a just in cypress pine to ironbark to scribbly gum to box and back again again back and box to gum scribbly to ironbark to pine cypress The Pilliga is full of life and richness. The forest changes from from changes forest The richness. and life of full is Pilliga The bushland. bushland. straight road cutting through a vast expanse of rolling rolling of expanse vast a through cutting road straight of highway between Coonabarabran and Narrabri - a long, long, a - Narrabri and Coonabarabran between highway of Many people first notice the Pilliga as that hundred kilometres kilometres hundred that as Pilliga the notice first people Many About the Pilliga the About Cultural heritage Look after the Pilliga Forest The local Gamilaroi (also written as Gamilaraay or Gomeroi) • Leave your pets at home if visiting National Parks Visitor Guide Aboriginal people are proud of their cultural heritage. This and Wildlife Service reserves. heritage includes a connection to the Pilliga landscape and • All plants, animals, rock formations, Aboriginal the native plants and animals within it. Stone tools, grinding sites and historic relics are protected in all National grooves, modified trees and rock art provide a strong link with Parks and Wildlife Service reserves. Pilliga forest traditional times. • Firearms and other hunting equipment are The first Europeans to see the Pilliga were John Oxley’s prohibited in all National Parks and Wildlife Service exploring party in 1818. Settlers soon followed, moving west in reserves. National Parks & other reserves search of grazing land for sheep and cattle. • Take your rubbish out with you when you leave or use bins if provided. Farming faced many problems and timber-cutting gradually • Water is scarce in the Pilliga Forest so please do came to the fore and grew into a major local industry. By 1908 not use soap or detergents in or near water bodies. there were 300 men cutting sleepers on Crown Land south of • Access to Pilliga Nature Reserve is restricted to the Pilliga-Narrabri road. vast – ancient – unique Sandstone Caves and the No 1 Break Rd. Sleeper cutting eventually ceased by the year 2000 with the introduction of concrete and steel sleepers. The number of Look after yourself cypress pine sawmills in the area also fell, so that by 2010 there • Obtain a copy of the detailed Pilliga Forest Map were just two mills taking timber from the Pilliga. before you leave the main roads. Evidence of the fascinating history of the Pilliga can be found • Carry plenty of water and food and stay with in many places, including its road network, fire towers that your vehicle in the event of a breakdown. Notify are still in use, grave sites, old sawmill sites, someone of your plans. tanks, bores, house sites, • Roads can become impassable after rain so it is historic fences, best to check road conditions before setting out. stockyards and • Watch out for kangaroos, emus and other animals, sleeper dumps. particularly at dusk and dawn. • Reduce your speed for the conditions. • Beware of sand, loose gravel, potholes, creek crossings, washouts and dust. • Be prepared for off track walking by carrying a map, navigational aid, water and food supplies and let someone know of your planned walk. • Mobile phone reception is unreliable. In an emergency dial 000 or 112 on a mobile phone with limited service. For further Information NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: Pilliga Forest Discovery Centre. (02) 6843 4011 Baradine Area Office. ph (02) 6843 4000 www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au Sculptures in the Scrub (D.