Australian Landscapes

Mount Howitt, Mount Magdala & Crosscut Saw, Alpine National Park

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Regional NSW in Landscape: N & W of Sydney

Waterfall Walk, Kanangra-Boyd NP — Waterfall Walk, Kanangra-Boyd NP
Sophia stopped for one last look at Kanangra Walls on our way back to the car.

Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area — Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area
Panorama of my favourite series of rock pagodas.

Wollomombi & Chandler walking tracks, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park

Ferntree Gully Reserve, near Rylstone NSW — Ferntree Gully Reserve, near Rylstone NSW
A panorama from Norm King Lookout.

Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles — Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles
Zoomed in on Tonduron Spire. It looks a bit taller from other angles, but a nice profile nevertheless.

Pipeline Track from Wolgan Valley — Pipeline Track from Wolgan Valley
Sophia adding a bit of colour at the Pagoda Lookout.

Ferntree Gully Reserve, near Rylstone NSW — Ferntree Gully Reserve, near Rylstone NSW
Looking down into Fern Gully from Norm King Lookout.

Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park — Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park
Another angle on that hairy boulder.

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP — Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP
The echidna was pretty big: Sophia's hand for scale.

Wollomombi & Chandler walking tracks, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park — Wollomombi & Chandler walking tracks, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park
I think Wollomombi Falls are usually on the left. Not much water around when we visited.

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP — Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP
This juvenile wallaby was also hanging around.

Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area — Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area
Very cool banding in the rock caused by differential erosion of ironstone (harder) and sandstone (softer).

Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles — Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles
The classic view from Grand High Tops. The Breadknife centre.

Pipeline Track from Wolgan Valley — Pipeline Track from Wolgan Valley
The camp site at the start.

Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles — Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles
A panorama from Grand High Tops. The Breadknife centre left, and Belougery Spire to the right.

Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone — Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone
Sophia, centre, looking yonder.

Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls — Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls
Looking at Crafts Wall from Mt Berry. The route takes you under those cliffs.

Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone — Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone
Looking like Angkor Wat.

Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW — Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW
The view from the summit of Mt Exmouth (1206m). Bluff Mountain in the centre, which we climbed the next day.

Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park — Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park
Some of Woolpack Rocks, from a spot just a little past the official track ending.

Ferntree Gully Reserve, near Rylstone NSW — Ferntree Gully Reserve, near Rylstone NSW
A friendly echidna provided me with my first full face shot. They usually curl up into a ball on approach, and this guy only halfheartedly did this. After this walk we drove on to the Warrumbungles in the evening and I ran over an echidna on the road, which made a very disconcerting wet splatting noise :-(

Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles — Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles
Bluff Mountain (1200m)

Wollomombi & Chandler walking tracks, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park — Wollomombi & Chandler walking tracks, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park
The Wollomombi Gorge from the end of the Chandler Walking Track.

Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles — Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles
A panorama from the summit of Bluff Mountain (1200m). Belougery Spire and Crater Bluff to the right.

Wollomombi & Chandler walking tracks, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park

Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls — Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls
Last of this sort of shot. Finally, I hear you say.

Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW — Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW
A noisy friarbird on grass tree flower spears.

Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area — Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area
Sophia in amongst it all on one of the pagodas, at our second destination less than a kilometre from the end of the fire trail at Lost City West.

Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW — Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW
A panorama from the summit.

Pipeline Track from Wolgan Valley — Pipeline Track from Wolgan Valley
Cliffs lining the Wolgan Valley.

Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park — Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park
Rock pagodas at Pagoda Lookout.

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP — Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP
Sophia at our lunch spot, backed by the Thurat Spires and Kanangra Gorge. The knife edged ridges and spurs were highlighted by the change to afternoon lighting.

Ephemeral lake walk, Broken Hill area — Ephemeral lake walk, Broken Hill area
My attempt at an artistic shot.

Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park

Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls — Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls
Mount Cloudmaker centre right, my target for the day.

Wollomombi & Chandler walking tracks, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park — Wollomombi & Chandler walking tracks, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park
A panorama from the end point of the Chandler walking track.

Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles — Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles
A panorama from the upper slopes of Bluff Mountain. Mt Exmouth at the back.

Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park — Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park
Sophia at Woolpack Rocks.

Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles — Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles
The view from Grand High Tops, with a bit of zoom.

Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park — Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park
Big boulders!

Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone — Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone
We wandered around the area below the north lookout.

Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls — Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls
I took this from Brennan Top at sunset, looking north-east. I finally felt a bit relaxed after scrambling my way up the last difficult section (a boulder filled gully). From here it was roughly an hour's easy walk across the tops back to the start. I stopped to talk to a group of young people who were camping on the cliff's edge up there. Needless to say I finished in the dark.

Wollomombi & Chandler walking tracks, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park — Wollomombi & Chandler walking tracks, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park
Where Wollomombi Falls should have been

Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls — Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls
Remote country to the south.

Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area — Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area
Very atmospheric.

Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park — Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park
The view from a high point of sorts.

Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW — Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW
Possibly my favourite shot from the summit of Mt Exmouth (1206m), combining the views with many grass trees in flower, the signature characteristics of this walk, at least in 2019.

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP — Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP
Kanangra Walls. Much more impressive in real life, I found them quite hard to photograph.

Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW — Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW
I liked this long line of grass trees as we approached the summit.

Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls — Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls
Like me some grass trees. These were in the latter stages of the outward leg, between Mt Stormbreaker and Mt Cloudmaker.

Wollomombi & Chandler walking tracks, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park — Wollomombi & Chandler walking tracks, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park
This view was actually from Edgars Lookout, which is a very short drive from the main car park.

Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls — Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls
Thurat Spires in the morning. I spent time taking lots of photos in the pleasing light. I got up at 5am to make it here for an early start, so I was determined to get my money's worth. (It was a 1:45 minute drive even from Katoomba, and I don't mess around).

Pipeline Track from Wolgan Valley — Pipeline Track from Wolgan Valley
Descending back through a gully.

Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park — Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park
I liked the plants growing on this boulder, which looked a bit like hair.

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP — Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP
The impressive topography of Thurat Spires and Kanangra Valley.

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP — Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP
The view from Kanangra Walls.

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP — Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP
Dance Hall Cave. There was an actual dance hall erected here many years ago as it was a crossroads of sorts for livestock musterers and the like. There's really no civilisation for miles around even today.

Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone — Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone
These rocks were in shadow all day. I might return here one summer evening to see it all in different light.

Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW — Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW
Lots of grass trees at the summit.

Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW

Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles — Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles
A panorama from Wilderness Point, a viewpoint on our descent.

Mutawintji National Park Circuit

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP — Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP
The view from Kanangra Walls Lookout.

Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area — Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area
A photo of Sophia taking a photo of me at Lost City West.

Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone — Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone
A dam formed this very pleasant pool.

Ferntree Gully Reserve, near Rylstone NSW — Ferntree Gully Reserve, near Rylstone NSW
Looking down into Fern Gully from Norm King Lookout.

Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park — Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park
A panorama from Pagoda Lookout.

Ferntree Gully Reserve, near Rylstone NSW — Ferntree Gully Reserve, near Rylstone NSW
Inside the gully.

Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park — Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park
An Eastern Spinebill.

Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls — Mount Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls
Once off the plateau there weren't many viewpoints (Mt Berry was an exception). It was a hard slog through rough terrain on an often indistinct track. These are views from a vantage point about 10 minutes before the forested summit of Mt Cloudmaker. You can see Craft Walls roughly centre, and Kanangra Walls centre right. The start was a little beyond those. I hope it looks far away. It certainly felt it.

Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW

Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW — Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW
So many grass trees!

Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park — Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park
An Eastern Spinebill.

Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park — Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park
Sophia top left for scale.

Waterfall Walk (Kalang Falls), Kanangra-Boyd NP — Waterfall Walk (Kalang Falls), Kanangra-Boyd NP
Some of those pronounced ridges and spurs visible from over on the nearby Plateau/Cottage Rock Walk, at least in the afternoon light.

Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park

Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park — Cathedral Rock & Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park
Sophia on the summit of Cathedral Rock (~1580m).

Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone — Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone
I had to climb up one of the pagodas to get this shot. (Be careful when doing this not to put weight on the thin rock layers, which can break easily.)

Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park — Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park
Climbing up towards Pagoda Lookout.

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP — Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP
A wide panorama taking in Kanangra Walls and Kanangra Gorge.

Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles — Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles
Belougery Spire and Crater Bluff. Grand High Tops is between the two.

Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area — Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area
Sophia on the vantage point where we ate lunch.

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP

Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone — Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone
Sophia looking up at cliffs as we walked the return leg.

Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone — Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone
Looking up at cliffs from deep in the canyon.

Pipeline Track from Wolgan Valley — Pipeline Track from Wolgan Valley
The Wolgan Valley viewed from the Pagoda Lookout at the high point of the track.

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP — Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP
Kanangra Walls (left) and the Kanangra Gorge.

Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles — Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles
Crater Bluff again. I liked the colourful trees in the foreground. Quite a bit of colour in this shot compared to the usual muted hues of the area.

Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone — Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone
Views from Lost City North Lookout.

Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW — Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW
Note sure what what that distant mountain is, but it looked a little volcanic, and could have been in this area given that it was moulder by volcanic forces many centuries ago.

Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW — Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW
And still more grass trees.

Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW — Mt Exmouth via Burbie Canyon, Warrumbungles NSW
Lots of grass trees.

Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park — Pagoda Lookout Track, Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park
Great rock shapes at Pagoda Lookout.

Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area — Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area
I lost the sun at this point, but happy with the framing of this shot, with a long line of pagodas stretching back up the hill.

Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP — Plateau Walk & Cottage Rock Track, Kanangra-Boyd NP
Attractive globular seed pods (I think).

Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles — Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles
Sunrise on the drive in. You can just see the observatory popping up centre right.

Mutawintji National Park Circuit

Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles — Bluff Mountain & Grand High Tops Circuit, Warrumbungles
A panorama from Macha Tor. Belougery Spire to the left, then the Breadknife, and to the far right, Bluff Mountain.

Mutawintji National Park Circuit — Mutawintji National Park Circuit
Sophia in shot.