What's around Warrabah National Park in the New England region, NSW. Exploring Warrabah NP with Woolgoolgaoffroad
- Woolgoolgaoffroad
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
If you were to google the word Gorge as a noun, the meaning would be;
"a narrow valley between two hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls & a stream running through it".
Well I reckon Warrabah National Park ticks all these boxes, it’s remote, you need to be self sufficient, there’s plenty of activities and it helps if you have a 4wd to get there. Warrabah National Park is located on the western slopes of Australia's Great Divide where it was declared in 1984 and covers nearly 5000 hectares along 20 km of the Namoi River. My trip started at the small town of Manilla, 80km north of Tamworth. Manilla has basic facilities like a mechanical workshop, supermarket and the last stop to fuel up.
Head north from Manilla across the Namoi River turn off onto the Fossickers Way. The first 15km is a narrow sealed road wandering past hobby farms and old buildings, as soon as you hit the dirt the farms grow in size to huge pastoral stations and crop growing areas beside the Namoi River, you’ll soon go over the Nandewar Ranges, which was first seen in 1818 by explorer John Oxley. There are several turns towards Warrabah, but these are well sign posted along the way.
Entering the park you’re greeted by information boards on the ecology, camping locations and other important park info and if you haven’t booked online, it might be wise to go back to where there’s phone service as it’s a bit sketchy around the campgrounds. The main campground sits right on the Namoi River with plenty of sites for tents and camper trailers along with composting toilets, firewood bins and bbq’s.
The Namoi River has formed an impressive gorge, where it cuts through the Nandewar Range, where huge Granite Boulders line the river where it burbles away creating pools where you can fish for Yellow belly, Murray Cod, Redfin and Carp.
There’s a vast range of animals that frequent the river from little willy wag tails, shags, lizards and snakes, if you are a morning person Platypus can be spotted in the deeper pools. The park lies on the rugged Nandewar Range, part of a belt of granite that extends 200km towards Queensland, this part of the Nandewar Range has woodlands that form an important corridor for travelling wildlife with large areas of Grassy White Box trees, their survival is threatened in other parts of northern NSW through land clearing and bushfires.
Out here you need to come prepared for any season, stinking hot days and chilly nights down around zero is a common occurrence even in summer, winter temps are cold all day and bitter through the nights. Another option for those with a proper 4wd and offroad trailer is to head to the remote Gum Hole camping area, 4wd only and just 3km away from the main campground. It’s steep and narrow passing between huge granite boulders and along the ridge line before dropping down to Gum Hole.
The camp grounds at Gum Hole are great where some sites have their own bbq fire pit and table, at the southern end there’s a composting drop toilet. There are no bins as this keeps the vermin away and keeps the park clean. Camping at Gum Hole gives you privacy away from the main grounds and allows you to explore more of the ruggedness of this area.
There are several walks from the camp ground along the river bank into the gorge in both directions, but the best walk is the downstream. This takes you along the steep sided gorge walls where 20 metre high rock formations open up giving you some fantastic views.
Keep an eye out for just how high the Namoi River can rise in flood times, with debris high in the trees and the piles of drift wood that’s been left high and dry. This is a great area to throw a few lures around to try your luck in the deep pools or in summer try riding the rapids.
Most walkers with a medium fitness level can follow the river, where rock hopping can be combined with swimming. If you are willing to climb to some of the higher peaks, the views are very rewarding into more of the ruggered areas of Warrabah and along the Namoi.
After kicking back for several days, breathing the clear mountain air and just chilling out, the alternative way out of the park is to head east and explore more of the tablelands that surround the Nandewar Range. Heading back out past the main campground and out of the park for 10km, turn left onto Glenbarra Trail just near the big old shearing shed.
Keep an eye out for two graves that date back to 1898 when a little girl, Sarah Abbott passed away when she was only 4 years of age, other family members are buried here too.
Just nearby, old buildings and yards overlook the Namoi River, where it’s reported that squatters moved to this area in the mid 1800's beyond the limits of settlements to start a new life, they were attracted here for the prime sheep grazing land and found gold in nearby Rocky River, swelling the areas population.
The Glenbarra Trail heads down to the Namoi River with a much larger crossing where you might need to check the water flow and depth, if any rain has been around the river can be 100 foot wide. The Glenbarra Trail forks after here, so swing left after the Namoi crossing.
As you wander along through the localities of Balala, Retreat and Kingston there’s a number of old buildings sitting in the paddocks, they have been placed on the Register of the National Estate as Heritage Listed buildings. The Glenbarra Trail turns into Balala Retreat Trail and you know that civilisation isn't too far away as sheep stations give way to boutique horse studs, wineries and cropping areas. Brushgrove is where the dirt ends, there’s nothing more here than a quaint restored school building that was in service from 1954 to 1964.
At Uralla you’ll be pleasantly surprised with cafes, pie shops and several micro-brewery’s, it’s a beautiful historical town lined with old gas filled faux street lights and around town there’s a heritage building walk viewing over 50 buildings dating back to the mid 1880’s.
Bushranger Captain Thunderbolt ( aka Frederick Ward) who roamed the Uralla area in the 1860’s is buried in the old Uralla Cemetery, and there’s many references to him around town. To the south there’s a rock from where Thunderbolt ambushed travellers, today it’s more of a graffiti rock than part of our history.
In town there’s roads bearing his name & an exhibition at McCrossin's Mill Museum highlighting his time in the area, including his death on 25 May 1870, shot and killed by Constable Alexander Walker during a highway robbery. However, locals claimed that it was his uncle, William Ward - posing as Thunderbolt, who was killed at the time & not Fred Ward.
Another must do when in Uralla is head to Gostwick Church, along Gostwick Road, 10 mins out of Uralla. The chapel was dedicated in memory of Major Clive Collingwood Dangar M.C., who died in WW1, grandson of Henry Dangar who emigrated in 1821, assistant surveyor to explorer John Oxley who covered most of the New England area surveying new land and exploring river systems. The gothic style chapel is a stunning example of english architecture, fitted out with an oak interior & roof shingles. The land surrounding the ivy-covered chapel is lined with massive oak trees & is popular with photographers all year round.
The New England region has so much to offer with it’s diverse yearly seasons and multiple National Parks. Warrabah is a great example where visitors can spend time relaxing beside the Namoi River, explore the nearby rugged Nandewar Range, then spend time around Uralla with its unique charm and bushranger history. Exploring Warrabah NP with Woolgoolgaoffroad
WHERE IS WARRABAH NP
Warrabah NP is between Uralla and Manilla on the New England Tableland in NSW. Bisected by the Namoi River with dramatic gorges and granite boulders. A solitude place that’s perfect for nature-lovers, but was once the area for Bushrangers. Limited phone service in the park.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
There are two camping areas with basic facilities. Warrabah is the perfect place to spend time on the river in the warmer months, there are hiking trails through the park, plenty of wildlife to spot and fishing is allowed. Suitable for offroad campers and 4wd’s. Camping spots need to be booked online through NSW NP website.
AROUND URALLA
Uralla is considered a boutique town between Tamworth and Armidale, with breweries, heritage walking trail and plenty of old shops to wander through. It’s also home of bushranger, Captain Thunderbolt who roamed the area in the 1860’s, Uralla is a tourist spot for his history where visitors can view museum pieces that relate to him, visit his rock hideout, gravesite and monuments.
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