Warrumbungle National Park geotrails
The Warrumbungle National Park geotrails provide an interactive adventure for visitors to this scenic park, explaining its many spectacular and iconic volcanic features.
To investigate the eroded remnants of Warrumbungle Volcano, which erupted between 15 and 18 million years ago, five geotrails follow existing walking tracks and roads to explore the prominent peaks of the park.
Visitors will learn about why the volcano is there, its eruption history and how big it grew. They’ll see evidence of huge lava flows, destructive mud flows and exploding lava domes! The rocks also reveal what was in the area before the volcano.
These geotrails result from a collaboration between the Geological Survey of NSW (Department of Regional NSW), NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (Department of Planning, Industry & Environment), Warrumbungle Shire Council, Warrumbungle Environmental Education Centre (NSW Department of Education) and local Aboriginal representatives.
NSW GeoTours app
Take yourself on the Warrumbungle National Park geotrails tour by downloading the free NSW GeoTours app on your smartphone or tablet (Android and Apple).
Key points of interest on each of the tours have been geo-tagged to pop up when you reach the site.
There are 5 tours to download, plus an introduction, with each tour tailored to meet the differing needs of visitors. They are:
- Introduction, with an overview of the geotrails and the geology
- Warrumbungle Self-drive Geotrail, including audio for 22 stops from east to west across the park
- Central Valley Geotrail, with walking tours including Warrumbungle Visitor Centre, Camp Blackman and Wambelong Nature Track
- Belougery Split Rock Geotrail, which follows the 4.6 km walking track around the lava dome
- Grand High Tops Circuit Geotrail, which follows the 15 km walking track to the Breadknife and Lughs Throne at the summit of the Grand High Tops
- Mount Exmouth Geotrail, which follows the 17 km walking track to the highest point in the national park.
Warrumbungle National Park brochure and map
The pocket-sized geotrails brochure tells the story of Warrumbungle Volcano and highlights geological features along the 5 geotrails, so visitors can identify various rock types and learn about the eruption history.
A geology map is also available, presenting a detailed look at the rocks of Warrumbungle Volcano and its eruption history. On the back of the 1:50,000 geological map is a general interest poster with a simplified geological map showing walking tracks and national park features.
You can download the brochure (PDF, 9.27 MB) or collect a free copy from the Warrumbungle Visitor Centre in the national park, the Coonabarabran Visitor Information Centre or the Department of Regional NSW at 516 High Street, Maitland. The geology map is also available for $11 or can be downloaded for free.
Three of the Warrumbungle National Park geotrails follow existing walking tracks. Another geotrail links 3 close areas in the heart of the volcano that you can walk or drive between. One driving geotrail of 40 km visits stops close to the road.