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WANDERING THE WARRUMBUNGLES
App for little-known national treasure DALLAS SHEWRRINGHAM HAVE always wondered why the Warrumbungle Ranges are not more famous. They vault up out of the endless plains in north western NSW, providing an amazing sight from a distance and are even more amazing up close. And when you are sitting in amongst them with dozens of kangaroos grazing away without a care in the world, it takes your breath away. The trails within this park are outstanding. Shady walks along lazy creeks bubbling along followed by sudden vistas of dramatic landforms like the Breadknife and Belougery Split Rock. I guess the lack of coverage is the fact that we have a nation with outstanding rock features like Uluru with modern five-star resorts, live shows, unique dining and an airport. The Warrumbungles have none of that…and that’s what makes it so special. Pitch your tent or pull up your caravan and you become part of a landscape of whispering trees and brilliant nights. In fact, the nights are so clear that the Warrumbungles is the home of an international observatory which is used by ‘star experts’ from around the world. But it is the stunning landform that is the real star attraction. Now visitors can now journey into an ancient volcano in Warrumbungle National Park with the help of a digital geotrail that provides a first-hand look at the molten lava, fire fountains and mud flows which once covered a large part of north west
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The picturesque Warrumbungles.
NSW up to 18 million years ago. Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said the Warrumbungle geotrail included fascinating findings from a new scientific paper prepared by the Geological Survey of NSW and revealed for the first time, a detailed history of the region’s violent volcanic past. Mr Barilaro said the trail could be
easily downloaded through a user-friendly mobile app and was one of five in a network of digital geotrails allowing visitors to experience some of the most spectacular landscapes regional NSW had to offer. “Our geological scientists have uncovered the shape, size and lava flows of what we can determine was a shield volcano that existed after the dinosaurs became extinct and before humans walked the
earth and now people can experience it first-hand,” Mr Barilaro said. “Thousands of visitors come to Warrumbungle each year to enjoy the site’s natural beauty and star gazing opportunities and through this new geotrail, we can now explore the remains of the huge volcano that gave rise to the local landscape. Continued on page 29
WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS APRIL 2021
