Wollemi National Park

Wollemi National Park New South Wales
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
Capertee River, located within the southern portion of the national park.
Wollemi National Park
Nearest town or city	Lithgow
Coordinates	32°52′26″S 150°29′32″E / 32.87389°S 150.49222°E / -32.87389; 150.49222Coordinates: 32°52′26″S 150°29′32″E / 32.87389°S 150.49222°E / -32.87389; 150.49222
Established	December 1979 (1979-12)^[1]
Area	5,017 km² (1,937.1 sq mi)^[1]
Managing authorities	NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
Website	Wollemi National Park
See also	Protected areas of New South Wales

The Wollemi National Park is a protected national park and wilderness area that is located in the northern Blue Mountains and Lower Hunter regions of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 501,703-hectare (1,239,740-acre) park, the second largest national park in New South Wales, contains the 361,113-hectare (892,330-acre) Wollemi Wilderness – the largest such wilderness area in Australia^[2] – and is situated approximately 130 kilometres (81 mi) northwest of Sydney.

The Wollemi National Park is one of the eight protected areas that, in 2000, was enscribed to form part of the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Greater Blue Mountains Area.^[3] The Wollemi National Park is the most north–westerly of the eight protected areas within the World Heritage Site. The national park forms part of the Great Dividing Range.

It contains the only known living wild specimens of the Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis), a species thought to have become extinct on the mainland approximately thirty million years ago, but discovered alive in three small stands in 1994.^[4]

The national park is bounded to the north by the Goulburn River National Park and the Bylong Valley Way; to the east by the Yengo National Park, the Parr State Conservation Area, and the Putty Road; to the south by the Blue Mountains National Park and the Bells Line of Road; to the south–west by the Wolgan Valley and the Gardens of Stone National Park; and to the west by open farmland that surround the towns of Rylstone and Kandos and the Capertee Valley.^[5]

Geology

The Colo River valley.

The Wollemi National Park is located on the western edge of the Sydney Basin. It sits on four strata of sedimentary rock; the Narrabeen and Hawkesbury sandstone and shale, the Illawarra and Singleton Permian coal measures and the Wianamatta shales. The strata at this area of the Sydney Basin have an upwards tilt to the north-west. Throughout most of the park the Hawkesbury and Wianamatta series have been eroded away exposing the Narrabeen group. The landscape of the park is dominated by deep valleys, canyons, cliffs and waterfalls, formed by the weathering of the sandstone and claystone the Narrabeen group consists of. The parts of the park that lie on the Narrabeen and Hawkesbury sandstones generally have shallow soil with low nutrient levels while areas that lie on the Wianamatta shale usually have deeper and more nutrient rich soils allowing for a greater diversity of plant life. The coal measures are visible beneath cliff lines along river valleys. This layer is generally rich in nutrients and weathers to form deep clay loams. Tertiary basalt is common in the north west of the park. Basaltic peaks include Mount Coriaday, Mount Monundilla and Mount Coricudgy, the highest peak in the northern Blue Mountains. In some locations the basalt in the core of extinct volcanoes has eroded faster than the surrounding sandstone.^[6]

The Wollemi National Park is key in maintaining the quality of many tributary rivers to the Hawkesbury River and Goulburn-Hunter River catchments. The national park incorporates rivers such as the Wolgan River, Colo River and Capertee River which arise from outside the park. The Colo River is regarded as the last unpolluted river in New South Wales because the majority of it flows through the Wollemi National Park.

Biology and ecology

Eucalypt dominated open forests comprise 90% of Wollemi National Park, with over 70 species of Eucalypt recorded. The remaining 10% of the National Park comprises rainforest, heath and grassland.^[7]

The variety of habitats within Wollemi National Park allow for large diversity in animals. 58 reptile species, 38 frog species, 235 bird species and 46 mammal species have been recorded in the park.^[8]

As well as the Wollemi Pine and Wollemi Mint Bush, the park contains populations of the rare Banksia conferta subsp. penicillata, only described in 1981. The Wollemi Stringybark is a recently discovered new species of Eucalyptus tree.^[7]

Aboriginal sites

There are many aboriginal sites within the park including cave paintings, axe grinding grooves and rock carvings. In 2003 the discovery of Eagle's Reach cave was publicly announced. This site was found by bushwalkers in 1995 but remained unknown to the wider community until a team from the Australian Museum reached the cave in May 2003. The art within this small cave is estimated to be up to 4,000 years old and it consists of up to a dozen layers of imagery depicting a wide variety of motifs rendered in ochre and charcoal. The team who recorded this site counted over 200 separate images, mainly of animals and birds but also stencils of hands, axes and a boomerang.^[9]

It is a very significant site and the remote location is being kept secret for its own protection.

Activities

Phipps Cutting Picnic Area on the Bylong Valley Way is an entry point for hiking

Historical places

References

1 2 "Wollemi National Park: Park management". Office of Environment & Heritage. Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
↑ "Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area: Strategic Plan" (PDF). NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2009. p. 15. ISBN 978-1-74122-960-8. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
↑ "Greater Blue Mountains Area". World Heritage List. UNESCO. 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
↑ Mattila, Samantha (2003). "Ancient World of Wollemi Pine Reveals New Treasure". Retrieved 26 July 2006.
↑ "Wollemi National Park". Office of Environment & Heritage. Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
↑ "Wollemi National Park: Landscape and Geology". Office of Environment & Heritage. Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
1 2 "Wollemi National Park: Native vegetation". Office of Environment & Heritage. Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
↑ "Wollemi National Park: Native animals". Office of Environment & Heritage. Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
↑ "Wollemi National Park: Aboriginal heritage". Office of Environment & Heritage. Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 October 2014.

External links

"Wollemi National Park". NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Government of New South Wales.
"Wollemi National Park". Office of Environment & Heritage. Government of New South Wales.
"Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area: Strategic Plan" (PDF). NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2009. ISBN 978-1-74122-960-8.

National parks of New South Wales, Australia

Central West, North West Slopes, Riverina, and South West Slopes	Abercrombie River Belford Cataract Cocoparra Conimbla Coolah Tops Garrawilla Goobang Goonoo Goulburn River Kalyarr Mount Kaputar Murray Valley Nangar Oolambeyan Timbarra Turon Warrumbungle Weddin Mountains Yarrobil

Hunter and Mid North Coast	Bago Bluff Barakee Barrington Tops Bellinger River Ben Halls Gap Bindarri Biriwal Bulga Bongil Bongil Booti Booti Cascade Coorabakh Crowdy Bay Dooragan Dorrigo Dunggir Ghin-Doo-Ee Hat Head Junuy Juluum Kumbatine Maria Middle Brother Mount Royal Myall Lakes Nymboi-Binderay Saltwater Sea Acres Tapin Tops Tomaree Towarri Ulidarra Wallarah Wallingat Watagans Willi Willi Woko Yarriabini

New England Tablelands	Bald Rock Barool Basket Swamp Boonoo Boonoo Butterleaf Capoompeta Carrai Cathedral Rock Chaelundi Cottan-Bimbang Cunnawarra Gibraltar Range Guy Fawkes River Indwarra Kings Plains Kwiambal Mummel Gulf New England Nowendoc Nymboida Oxley Wild Rivers Single Warra Warrabah Washpool Werrikimbe

Northern Rivers	Arakwal Border Ranges Broadwater Bundjalung Bungawalbin Fortis Creek Goonengerry Koreelah Mallanganee Maryland Mebbin Mooball Mount Clunie Mount Jerusalem Mount Nothofagus Mount Pikapene Nightcap Ramornie Richmond Range Tooloom Toonumbar Wollumbin Yabbra Yuraygir

Outback NSW	Culgoa Gundabooka Kinchega Mallee Cliffs Mungo Murrumbidgee Valley Mutawintji Paroo-Darling Sturt Toorale Willandra Yanga

South Coast and Highlands	Bangadilly Ben Boyd Benambra Biamanga Bimberamala Bournda Brindabella Budawang Budderoo Bugong Clyde River Conjola Deua Eurobodalla Gourock Gulaga Jerrawangala Jervis Bay Kooraban Kosciuszko Livingstone Macquarie Pass Meroo Mimosa Rocks Minjary Monga Morton Mount Imlay Murramarang Seven Mile Beach South East Forests Tallaganda Tarlo River Wadbilliga Woomargama Yanununbeyan

Sydney and surrounds	Berowra Valley Blue Mountains Bouddi Brisbane Water Cattai Dharug Dharawal Gardens of Stone Garigal Georges River Heathcote Kamay Botany Bay Kanangra-Boyd Ku-ring-gai Chase Lane Cove Marramarra Nattai Popran Royal Scheyville Sydney Harbour Thirlmere Lakes Werakata Wollemi Wyrrabalong Yellomundee Yengo

Protected areas of New South Wales

Blue Mountains topics

Towns, suburbs and localities	Bell Berambing Bilpin Blaxland Blackheath Bullaburra Clarence Faulconbridge Glenbrook Hartley Vale Hazelbrook Katoomba Kings Tableland Lapstone Lawson Leura Linden Little Hartley Medlow Bath Megalong Mount Irvine Mount Riverview Mount Tomah Mount Victoria Mount Wilson North Katoomba Shipley Springwood Sun Valley Valley Heights Warrimoo Wentworth Falls Winmalee Woodford Yellow Rock Yosemite

Mountain peaks and ranges	Banks Bell Bindo Boyce Erskine Hay Irvine Narrow Neck Plateau Kings Tableland Piddington Solitary Trickett Wilson York Bell Explorers

Tourist attractions	Evans Lookout Hartley Jenolan Caves Katoomba Scenic World Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum Perrys Lookdown Three Sisters Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum Zig Zag Railway

Valleys	Grose Valley Jamison Valley Kedumba Valley Megalong Valley Wolgan Valley

Waterfalls	Kanangra Falls Katoomba Cascade Katoomba Falls Leura Cascades Leura Falls Linda Falls Victoria Falls Wentworth Falls

History	1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains Clarence Tunnel Glenbrook Tunnel Lapstone Zig Zag Lithgow Zig Zag

National parks	Blue Mountains Gardens of Stone Kanangra-Boyd Nattai Thirlmere Lakes Wollemi Yengo

Rivers and creeks	Bargo Bedford Capertee Colo Coxs Du Faur Erskine Grose Hollanders Jenolan Jooriland Kedumba Kowmung Little (Oberon) Little (Wollondilly) Macdonald Nattai Nepean Tonalli Wingecarribee Wolgan Wollangambe Wollondilly Blackheath Blue Gum Bowens Breakfast Bungleboori Burralow Cedar Galong Glenbrook Glen Erskine Govetts Koondah Linden Megalong Nayook Ovens Pulpit Hill Putty Queen Victoria Wentworth Werriberri Wollemi Woodford

Miscellaneous	Fantastic Aussie Tours Greater Blue Mountains Area (World Heritage Site) Hydro Majestic Hotel Cascade Dams Greaves Creek Dam Lake Medlow Dam Woodford Creek Dam

Disasters	1999 Glenbrook rail accident 2001 Black Christmas / Warragamba bushfires 2013 bushfires

Towns, suburbs and localities of Singleton Council, Hunter Region, New South Wales

Towns, suburbs and localities	Abbey Green Appletree Clearing Appletree Flat Baxter Junction Belford Big Ridge Bowmans Creek Box Tree Clearing Branxton Bridgman Broke Bulga Camberwell Carrowbrook Caswell Clydesdale Combo Comleroi Dalwood Darlington Dawsons Hill Dellhurst Doyles Creek Dunolly Dural Dyrring Elderslie Falbrook Fern Gully Fern Hill Fordwich Garland Valley Glendon Glendon Brook Glendonbrook Glennies Creek Glenridding Goorangoola Gouldsville Gowrie Greenland Gum Tree Hole Hambledon Hill Hebden Howes Valley Howick Hunterview Ingar Jerrys Plains King Junction Kings Cross Lambs Creek Lambs Valley Leconfield Lemington Liddell Loders Creek Long Point Lower Belford Lucernia Maison Dieu Mcdougalls Hill Middle Falbrook Milbrodale Minimbah Mirannie Mitchells Flat Mount Olive Mount Pleasant Mount Royal Mount Thorley North Rothbury Nundah Obanvale Owendale Paynes Crossing Pokolbin Putty Radfordslea Raspberry Clear Ravensworth Redbournberry Redmanvale Reedy Creek Rixs Creek Rothbury Roughit Scotts Flat Sedgefield Singleton Singleton Heights Singleton Military Area Singleton South St Clair Stanhope Three Ways Wambo Wambo South Warkworth Wattle Ponds Westbrook Whittingham Wollemi Wylies Flat

Other places and points of interest	Hunter River Lone Pine Barracks Wollemi National Park

Authority control	GND: 4464303-2

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