Grand High Tops New South Wales, Australia
By Outdoornut22 on 20-Aug-20. Waypoint GA17546

The Grand High Tops walk is located in Warrumbungle National Park and is regarded by many as one of the best day walks in NSW. The Warrumbungle's are a spectacular national park and should be a must visiton any explorers list.

Archaeological evidence indicates that Indigenous people have occupied the Warrumbungles for at least the last 5000 years. The name 'Warrumbungle' comes from the Kamilaroi language, and is believed to mean 'crooked mountains'. This is an appropriate name describing the distinctive jagged skyline of the Warrumbungles, with its domes and spires separated by forested ridges and deep gorges and surrounded by plains and tablelands.

The Warrumbungle National Park contains the best representation of exposed volcanic features like spires, plugs, domes, dykes, sills, lava-flows, tuff layers, and horizontal and vertical columns within the main north-south volcanic line in eastern Australia.

The first European to sight and explore the area was John Oxley in 1818 on his second expedition through New South Wales.

The area was first proclaimed as a reserve in 1953. In 1967 management of the park was signed over to the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The construction of a network of walking tracks done by hand was headed by the parks first ranger, Carl Dow.

Adjacent to the park is the internationally important Siding Springs Observatory. It was opened in 1965 and took advantage of the parks very dark skies. On 4 July 2016, the park was the first within Australia to be certified as a Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association.

The Grand High Tops walk is a challenging day hike that is not for the faint hearted, but rewarding for those that expend the breath and sweat to make it to the top.

Please go prepared as the area can be very hot and dry in the summer and in the winter the conditions can change rapidly. Beware of cliff edges. Have Fun and make sure to take your camera!

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