About Coolah Tops National Park

Coolah Tops National Park has fabulous walking opportunities. It has numerous waterfalls, expanisve views over the Liverpool Plains, a volcanic history, magnificent eucalypt forests, including large snow gums, unique grass tree stands and is one of the best places to have close-up encounters with kangaroos, wallabies and wombats. Greater gliders and possums are fun to search for with torches at night.

Make sure you read the 'Hazards' section on the Bushwalking page before you go walking.

Coolah Tops National park is situated in Central Western NSW 30 km east of the small town of Coolah.It is about 5 hours drive from Sydney and about 2 hours from Mudgee. It is accessed from the northern end of Coolah, turning east at a large pub. It is well sign posted. A couple of km down this road and it then turns off to the left. After about 10 km, there is a sign posted turnoff to the right and the tar changes to dirt road. This road follows all the way into the National Park.

The park is 13 265 ha in size and is situated on a large, high altitude plateau, rising to just over 1200 metres in some sections.Because of its higher elevation, it offers cooler walking than the surrounding lower areas which can often be in the high 30's during the warmer months. It has a high rainfall and occasional snowfalls during the winter.

The Pinnacle area, Norfolk Falls, the grass trees walk area, the Pines and Bracken Hut are are all accessible to 2WD vehicles. Please read the Hazards section for more information on car access.

The walks decribed for this area are all reasonabl short walks between 1 and 4 hours and are mostly suitable for everyone including families. Of course anyone with medical problems should use their own judgement in whether they should embark on any walk.

Overnight accommodation is available in the nearby town of Coolah. If you prefer to camp out in the park, the campsites have good basic facilities such as water, tables, wood BBQ's and pit toilets.

Car camping areas are:

1. The Barracks Camping Area on Pinnacle Rd which has all of the above facilities as well as interesting interpretive information on the history of the area. Wallabies often visit this site,

2. Cox Creek Falls - pit toilets and tables, although water is available from the creek

3. The Pines Camping Area, which is large and flat, has pit toilets and wood BBQ's, but no tables or water .It's a great place to see grazing kangaross and wombats.

4.Bald Creek Falls Camping Area is very basic with no facilities, although water is available from the creek. (See the Hazards section about this site)

Walk in camping

Rocky Creek Falls has a picnic table and water is available from the creek. This site has expanive views over the escarpment.

Huts

Brackens Hut, which is a very basic hut, can accommodate 4 comfortably and can be rented out from National Parks at $22 a night (2006 rates). Phone the Mudgee office on 02 4787 8877 for bookings.

Day Picnic Area

There is a well maintained day picnic area at Norfolk Falls with toilets, shelters and picnic tables available. No camping is allowed here.


Norfolks Falls Picnic Area, for day picnickers only.		Shelter shed, tables and tank water at the Barracks Camping Area

Old farm machinery at Brackens Hut		Brackens Hut has basic facilities and can be rented out from the Mudgee office of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.