Warrumbungle-Nationalpark

The Warrumbungle National Park (English Warrumbungle National Park ) is located in the state of New South Wales, Australia, 450 km north-west of Sydney. Near the park is the town of Coonabarabran; from there leads a 35 -kilometer paved road, the John Renshaw Parkway, directly into the park. The name of the park comes from the Warrumbungle Aboriginal and means crooked mountains. The park was established in 1953 and covers an area of ​​236,21 square kilometers. On 12 July 2006 he was inducted into the National Heritage List.

Geology, flora, fauna

The park is a series of bizarre rocks of basalt. The most famous is the so-called Bread Knife ( bread knife ), the 90 m vertical projects with a thickness of two to six meters upwards. This crag and more rock towers show that 13 million years ago in the cracks and crevices of a rock formation of sandstone invaded glowing lava and cooled. Erosion and weathering processes contributed to the millions of years from the soft rock and the hard basalt rock resistance. In the park there are numerous minerals such as quartz and petrified fossils. In Coonabarabran is the mineral exhibition Crystal Kingdom, which is run by a German - Australian.

At the domestic mammal species of the park pay koalas, short -beaked echidna, Fuchskusus, Riesengleitbeutler and five kangaroo species. Especially often one meets the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, while the brush -tailed Rock Wallaby has become very rare by competition of feral goats. The other three kangaroo species are Rotnackenwallaby, Sumpfwallaby and wallaroo. There are also numerous species of birds and reptiles. More than 600 plant species have been recorded. In the park there are several good hiking trails and climbing.

In January 2013 bushfires have destroyed large areas in and around the park.

Facilities

The park is located at 1156 meters altitude, the largest astronomical observatory in Australia, the Siding Spring Observatory, picnic areas and a campground.