OUR NORTHERNMOST and most distant
(allow around 6.5 hours) destination in this
group is one of the state’s largest parks,
and it lives up to its ‘wild’ title with a
mix of high ridgelines, deep gorges, free-
flowing rivers, towering waterfalls and
an abundance of native fauna and flora.
Add in fishing, bushwalking, photography,
swimming and canoeing opportunities
and it’s a no-brainer as a destination. The
off-roading ain’t bad, either, with steep,
technical low-range-only tracks leading to
beautiful campgrounds such as Riverside
(located right next to the Aspley River)
and Youdales Hut (beside the waters of
Kunderang Brook). There are a total of
nine campgrounds in the park. Or, for
those who don’t want to ‘rough it’ too much
for their overnight digs, there is the option
to stay at a restored historical homestead
inside the park.
Oxley Wild Rivers National Park can be
accessed at various points running south
from Walcha along the Oxley Highway.
Access is a bit tricky, owing to the park
being part of the Kunderang Wilderness
Area and thus having no real ‘through’
track. The park comprises two separate
sections, which means that, if you’re
keen on camping at Riverside (and we’d
highly recommend that), you have to do
a bit of out-and-back driving on what is
one of the park’s steepest tracks – Moona
Plains Road. This road tracks east from
Walcha and takes you past the Budds Mare
campground via a gated access road that
crosses private property (hence the gate).
Budds Mare is a great campground, but
we recommend dropping into low range
to tackle the super-steep 700m descent to
Riverside campground. It’s so nice there
you won’t want to drive back up the hill.
It may seem a bit rich for National Parks
to charge a considerable fee for camping
at this site, but when you consider that
camping numbers are controlled, there’s a
river right beside you that offers fishing,
swimming and canoeing, and there are
plenty of amenities (toilets, tables, gas
and barbecue facilities), it’s a small price
to pay. Yep, a full day and night here is a
must, with the return up the steep access
road the perfect farewell to Riverside and
an exhilarating start to your second day in
this immense park.
If you didn’t check out the amazing
Apsley Falls on the way in, definitely take
the short detour on your way out along
Moona Road, before cutting through
from the falls to the Oxley Highway for a
quicker way to the park’s southern access
point of Kangaroo Flat Road.
The Tia Falls side-trip walk is a must
along the way, offering sweeping views
across the falls and the numerous deep
gorges. From the Kangaroo Flat Roadturn-off, follow
this northeast
for around
20km before
it becomes
Mooraback
Road and
diverts briefly
into neighbouring Werrikimbe NP, passing
the camping area of the same name. The
track soon re-enters Oxley Wild Rivers NP,
dropping into another steep descent that
takes you way down to the historic site of
Youdales Hut and Stockyards.
The access track is steep and low-range-
only, and there’s a creek crossing (do
yourself a favour, check for water levels
before tackling this track) before you reach
the open areas surrounding the hut. The
slab-side hut showcases the perseverance
of early settlers as they chased their
dreams in this rugged mountainous area.
The hut is well-preserved and it’s worth
spending a bit of time checking it out, as
well as the nearby stockyards.
Youdales Campground (permit and
access key is required – you can only camp
in the campground, not in the hut) is near
the historic site and, nestled beside the
bubbling waters of Kunderang Brook, is
another brilliant place to doss down for the
night. The campground is located between
Kunderang and Werrikimbe wildernessOXLEY WILD RIVERS NP
1188 http://www.4X4australia.com.au
EXPLORE CAPITAL CITY ESCAPES, SYDNEY
Expansive, canyon-
esque scenery is the
order of the day.