- Warrumbungles
The Warrumbungles is the name of a
mountain range and National Park located in northernNew South Wales ,Australia . The nearest town to the Warrumbungles is Coonabarabran. The area is easiest accessed from theNewell Highway which is the major road link directly betweenMelbourne , Victoria andBrisbane ,Queensland and cuts across inland New South Wales from the north to the south.The Warrumbungles is the remnants of a large, heavily eroded
shield volcano that was active from 18 to 15 million years ago. The first European to sight and explore the area wasJohn Oxley in1818 .The range lies between the moist eastern coastal zone and the dryer plains to the west. Due to this position the mountains have provided protection for flora and fauna suited to both habitats. There are over 120 different
bird species that have been identified on the range, includingLories and lorikeets ,rosella s andparrot s.The main features of the Warrumbungle
mountain s are a series of huge, jagged outcrops, surrounded by hilly bush and woodlandforest . The Grand High Tops is a section of the range where volcanic remnants are especially clustered. These vents and rocky formations are all named - Belougery Spire, Belougery Split Rock, Crater Bluff, Bluff Mountain,The Breadknife and Mount Exmouth. The Breadknife, a straight wall of jagged rock nearly 100 metres high, is particularly rare.There is an extensive network of nine walking tracks across the central peaks. The
Siding Spring Observatory is situated on an eastern peak. The area has littlelight pollution to disturb astronomical viewing. The Warrumbungles hosted the 2006 WorldRogaining Championships.In the centre of the range has served as an area of protection for a healthy and content colony of grey kangaroos. These animals have become fairly tame due to constant visitor attention and are easily approached.
Physiography
This area is also known as the Warrumbungle-Liverpool Basalt Ranges, which is distinct physiographic section of the larger
Hunter-Hawkesbury Sunkland province, which in turn is part of the largerEast Australian Cordillera physiographic division.ee also
*
Nandewar Range References
* cite book
last =Hutton
first =Geoffrey
authorlink =
title =Australia's Natural Heritage
edition=2nd
publisher =William Collins; Melbourne: Australian Conservation Foundation
date =1983
location =Sydney
pages =102
id =OCLC|37087681
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.