THE HIDDEN MULTISPORT GEM
QUICK FACTS
Adventure Destination Mount Kaputar National Park, NSW
Activities available Hiking, Climbing, MTB, Birdwatching
Size of location 36,816ha
Contact information NSW NPWS Narrabri Office
02 6792 7300
Permits No permits required
Maps NSW 1:25000 Topo Series Kaputar 8937-3N
Accommodation Cabins at Dawson’s Ck Campground;
Campsites at Barks Hut and Dawson’s Ck Campgrounds
With its deep valleys, dramatic cliff lines, volcanic dykes, lava terraces, and mountain peaks, Mount Kaputar National Park is nothing short of breathtaking. Described as ‘an island in the sky’, Kaputar—like its younger geological sibling, the Warrumbungles, famously known for their Breadknife formation—is part of the Nandewar Range. As our continental plate drifted 17-21 million years ago, lava spewed out of hot spots in the plains. The surrounding rock was soft and eroded quickly. But not the trachyte lava; it withstood the ravages of time. As erosion wore down everything around it, the volcanic plugs remained.
Today, the park surrounding Kaputar—away from capital cities and the limelight of international tourism—feels tucked away. It is, however, a multisport treasure. Three declared wilderness areas, comprising 75 per cent of the park, wait to be explored on foot, bike or rope. There are 13 maintained walking trails of varying difficulty and lengths. Hundreds of rock climbs beg to be ascended. And at the end of each day, campfires and hot showers in campgrounds await. There’s a week of adventure and wilderness here, just without the crowds and price tags you’d see on the NSW coast or in the Blue Mountains.
GETTING THERE
Mount Kaputar National Park is located 580 kilometres northwest of Sydney via the New England Highway and Kamilaroi Hwy/Oxley Hwy. From Brisbane it’s 624 kilometres via the Newell Highway towards Narrabri.
From Narrabri, the closest town, it’s roughly an hour east to get to the park.
