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Weddin Mountains National Park

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Overview

Weddin Mountains National Park is a national park in the Central West of New South Wales.

Wikivoyage guide · 9 sections

▸Introduction89 chars

Weddin Mountains National Park is a national park in the Central West of New South Wales.

▸Visitor information12 chars

Park website

▸Get in230 chars

The park is around 85 km from the nearest major town, Cowra. Head west onto the Mid-Western Highway (B64) for 61 km, and then turn left onto Black Piney Range Road. Continue on that road, and you'll arrive at the park after 20 km.

▸See874 chars

1 Seaton's Farm historic site, Northern Boundary Trail, Bimbi. While relics from the Great Depression in the 1930s often symbolise poverty, suffering and hardship, this one historic site resembling an old farmer's house instead is the exact opposite. There are several second-hand items used on this farm on display, and you're more than welcome to have a picnic around this area. (updated May 2022)

2 Eualdrie lookout. You'll need to hike 6 to 7 hours on a 9-km grade 5 walk from Basin Gully, but the views and vegetation seen from this hike is well worth it if you're into bushwalking and are also interested in flora. (updated May 2022)

3 Ben Halls Cave. This was one of the many hideout spots used by 19th-century bushranger Ben Hall. You can't enter the cave, due to the risk of collapse and erosion, but the views around it are an interesting sight. (updated May 2022)

▸Do762 chars

Berthas Gully walking track takes you through Berathas Gully along the west of the mountains. The walk is 3 km (1.9 mi) (return), but is rated as a Grade 4 walk on the AWGTS scale, and thus takes 2-3 hours to do.

Eualdrie walking track located in the northeast of the park is a 4.8-km walk (return), taking you through an old logging trail. It is also rated as a Grade 4 walk on the AWGTS scale.

For a shorter walk, Lynchs loop trail in the northwest of the park is a 2.5 km (1.6 mi) loop trail, and the trail is well-developed.

The longest trail, which pretty much sums up all of this park but in one loop trail is Weddin Gap to Black Spring loop trail. The trail is 23.5 km, and takes half a day to complete, but you're allowed to camp overnight along the way.

▸Buy, eat and drink53 chars

Unfortunately none in Weddin Mountains National Park.

▸Lodging54 chars

There is no lodging in Weddin Mountains National Park.

▸Camping73 chars

Holy Camp. (updated May 2022)

Ben Halls campground. (updated May 2022)

▸Backcountry56 chars

You're allowed to camp along some trails if you need to.

Facts

Rank

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Coordinates

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia848 words

Introduction

National park in Australia Weddin Mountains National ParkIUCN category II (national park)The Weddin Mountains rise from the surrounding flat land - view looking south from the Euraldrie roadWeddin Mountains National ParkLocationNew South WalesCoordinates33°58′19.9″S 148°01′23.2″E / 33.972194°S 148.023111°E / -33.972194; 148.023111Area83.61 km2 (32.28 sq mi)Established12 November 1971 (1971-11-12)Governing bodyNational Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales) Weddin Mountains is a national park located in New South Wales, Australia, 291 kilometres (181 mi) west of Sydney. It is a small, crescent-shaped range, with a high point some 750 metres (2,460 ft) AHD, running roughly north south with steep cliffs on the eastern side sloping more gradually down to the plain in the west. Weddin mountains is a small patch of remnant vegetation which escaped clearing due to its ruggedness. Many aircraft pass overhead on their way from Sydney to Adelaide, is part of the Lachlan Fold system and is Wiradjuri country.

History

More in sights0

[edit] Bushrangers[edit] Ben Hall, who plundered the Forbes-Grenfell area in the 1850s used the Weddin Mountains as a refuge. He holed up in a cave on the north-west side of the park with his gang, which included Johnnie Gilbert and Frank Gardiner. It is rumoured Ben Hall buried a treasure here that has not yet been located. Seaton's Farm[edit] There is a walk around 'Seaton's Historic Farm', which is now part of the national park. Seatons Farm is how one man and his wife turned every bit of wire into something useful. Jim Seaton hand made 3 km/1.8 miles of kangaroo proof fence by hand, with posts of local saplings, which are rot and vermin proof. The property was occupied in the late 1920s and during the Depression it was set up as a farm. Times and the land were hard and the buildings represent this. The sheds have walls made from flattened corrugated iron so that it stretched further. One of the sheds is full of old wire, iron sheets, bottles, everything you can imagine. All the old machinery is still there, sitting where it was when the family sold the property to the Government in the 1980s. A unique place, showing how the less well off farmers did it in the early and mid 1900s.

Access and facilities

[edit] Weddin Mountains National Park is most often approached from Grenfell. Travelling west from Grenfell on the Mid Western Highway there are sign posts to Holy Camp and Ben Halls Cave. The Google Earth route from Grenfell guides drivers along Euladrie road which ends at a farm two kilometres from the park with farmland in between. Ben Halls Cave[edit] Near Seaton's Farm is Ben Halls camping and picnic area with well designed fireplace/barbecues, large enough to permit the use of camp ovens, your own barbecue or for an open fire as well as having its own BBQ plate. It is a short walk from here to Ben Halls Cave. Holy Camp[edit] Holy Camp. Picnic and basic camping ground. Holy Camp is 19 kilometres (12 mi) south-west of Grenfell, Coordinates 33°53′52″S 148°00′10″E / 33.897857°S 148.002901°E / -33.897857; 148.002901. The last 3.8 kilometres (2.4 mi) are dirt road. It is one of the entrances to the park with a pit toilet, parking area, picnic tables and fireplaces. Camping is allowed. There is a small water tank filled from the toilet roof but don't rely on it. From here it is possible to walk to Eualdrie and Peregrine lookouts. There is much wildlife in and around the carpark including lace monitors and skinks by day and brushtail possums and owlet nightjars by night. Walks[edit] Signboard in Holy Camp advertising walk Looking northeast from Peregrine Lookout above Holy Camp. Euraldrie Trig above Holy Camp The Eualdrie walking trail leads from Holy Camp and is advertised as a 2.6-kilometre (1.6 mi) 2.5 hour return trip passing through Peregrine Lookout which takes 1.5 hours return. This was tested as 30 minutes to Perrigrine lookout, 23 minutes more to the Cairn at the summit and 40 minutes return. Peregrine Lookout is south of the carpark and from there the path turns back on itself as it proceeds upwards so that the cairn at the summit is a little north of the carpark. The path appears to continue past the cairn at Euradrie Trig (height 750 m) and can be followed down to Ben Halls Cave.