Journey to Australia’s first Dark Sky Park

Ever fancied camping in a volcano? Well, it’s possible, and you won’t need factor-3000 sunscreen to do it. What’s more, your campsite comes with a free window into the galaxy, courtesy of the stargazing capital of Australia.

Welcome to Warrumbungle National Park, a series of rugged volcanic peaks set within Australia’s first declared Dark Sky Park. Seventeen million years ago, the land here shuddered and rumbled as a giant volcano spewed magma from the Earth’s crust. Today, evidence of these violent eruptions can still be seen in the eroded lava tubes and domes that make up the spectacular Warrumbungle mountain range.

Located 33km west of Coonabarrabran, in east-central NSW, Warrumbungle is an impressive relic of the past, rising dramatically from the desert plains. Arrive in the late afternoon (the park is about six hours’ drive north-west of Sydney) and the ranges are cast in a golden hue, harking back to the days of their fiery formation.

A sealed road winds roughly east-west through the park, delivering visitors to a choice of two campsites. But we suggest first popping in to the Warrumbungle Visitor Centre, where you can learn about the best local walking paths, natural attractions and stargazing sites.

Top things to see and do

First on your hit list should be a visit to Whitegum Lookout. Located just inside the national park, the lookout is an easy 500m walk from the carpark on a sealed, wheelchair-accessible path. Have your camera ready to snap a selfie as the ranges rise in a dramatic panorama across the horizon.

Warrumbungle is furrowed with walking trails, ranging from short, gentle strolls on flat terrain, to arduous uphill treks through the mountains. If you have the stamina, the Breadknife and Grand High Tops Walk is considered one of Australia’s best day walks. The 14.5km, five-hour loop entails a steep climb but you will be rewarded with gobsmacking views of the Breadknife, an aptly named 100m high column that pokes out of the mountains like a dagger.

You can’t scale the Breadknife, but you can climb to the top of Belougery Split Rock at the northern end of the park. This moderate-to-challenging hike will take you up onto the top of an ancient lava dome that forms one of the park’s most distinctive peaks. Pack adequate water for this 4.6km loop, keep your eyes peeled for wedge-tailed eagles, and be prepared for some scrambling near the top.

If you still have some fight in your legs, tackle Mount Exmouth summit. This little amble is a 17km trek to the park’s highest peak, and not to be taken lightly. The Warrumbungles’ signature walk takes five to seven hours. But you’ll be rewarded with a 1206m perch at the summit and 360-degree view across the entire park. If you don’t have the stamina for Mount Exmouth, Burbie Canyon Walking Track is a gentle 2km track through a sandstone gorge, bristling with wallabies and suitable for kids.

Stargazing utopia

Did we mention Warrumbungle has some pretty epic stargazing? So epic, in 2016 the area was declared the first Dark Sky Park in not only Australia, but the Southern Hemisphere. A combination of low humidity, high altitude and zero light pollution makes this volcanic outpost host to one helluvu nightly sky show. So good, there’s an observatory and world-class astronomy research facility nearby. Siding Spring Observatory, located atop Mt Woorut, is open to the public seven days a week and runs day and evening tours. Drop in to learn about the observatory’s work probing the cosmos for ‘dark energy’ and extraterrestrial life.

Where to camp

The park has two NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service-managed campgrounds. The largest, Camp Blackman, is suitable for all camping set-ups, with 30 powered and 79 unpowered sites sites set amongst bushland, twitching with kangaroos and sulphur-crested cockatoos. The campground has barbecues, toilets, hot showers and campfire rings (BYO firewood).

Camp Wambelong is a smaller, unpowered bush campground set on the banks of Wambelong Creek, with striking views of Belougery Split Rock. All types of campers are catered for here, but there are no marked sites or showers. The campground has barbecues, toilets, picnic tables and campfire rings and is the starting point for the Belougery Split Rock, Burbie Canyon and Mount Exmouth trails.

While you’re here

Don’t miss a side trip to Pilliga National Park, an hour north-east of Warrumbungle. Here, you can explore more than 2,000km of public trails criss-crossing half a million hectares of forest, see the Sculptures in the Scrub rock formations, and view ancient Gamilaraay rock art at the Sandstone Caves.

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