THIS relatively new national park in the
NSW central tablelands was gazetted in
1995 and features some of the steepest
4x4 tracks in the state, three rivers
(keep an eye out for platypus), a mix of
mountain gum forests and more open
timber, gold rush relics, and fantastic
camping options.
The park is about 40km southwest
of Oberon, itself around 2.5 hours from
Sydney, and the steep tracks and more
remote (and scenic) attractions are only
accessible via 4x4 vehicles with low-range
gearing. The park’s renowned steep tracks
can be a bit confronting for some, so if
you’re keen to ease your way into it then
the western access point on Arkstone
Road gives access to the lower sections of
the park. If you want to get straight into
it, the eastern entry via Felled Timber
Road is the go.
We’d opt for the easier loop, which
starts low in altitude and, over the course
of two days, finishes at the highest point
of the park at more than 1000 metres.
Not only does it give you a chance to
ease into it, but you get to spend the first
night at what we reckon is the park’s best
campsite: The Beach. Yep, as the name
suggests, you can camp right near the
Abercrombie River on a cleared sandysection that’s
reached after a
steep descent
from the
Abercrombie
Fire Trail.
There are
five unmarked sites at the nice, compact
campground, and it provides a perfect
introduction to the park’s attractions. The
campground is basic with drop toilets and
fire rings, and you must bring your own
water or boil any taken from the river.
However, it’s also comfortable and shady,
with plenty to keep you occupied. The
water below the campground is usually
shallow, but if you walk upstream for 10
minutes you’ll find a deeper waterhole for
swimming or fishing, with trout found in
this waterway. Exploring the waterway for
elusive specks of gold is another way to
keep the young’uns busy.
The next day is a big one in regards to
the mountainous landscape and the steep
tracks you’ll traverse as you loop around
the park’s southern border and then start
driving north. Rejoining Abercrombie
Fire Trail, your first stop is Silent Creek
Campground. With eight sites and with
its larger expanse of grassy flat areas and
plenty of shade-giving trees, it’s the betterABERCROMBIE
RIVER NP
ABERCROMBIE
RIVER NP
Best time of year: Spring
and autumn. Summer can be
very hot and winter very cold.
More info: All campgrounds
in the national park are free.
For the latest on park notices
and track conditions, including
which tracks don’t allow
camper trailers, see: http://www.
nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-
a-park/parks/abercrombie-
river-national-park1222
EXPLORE CAPITAL CITY ESCAPES, SYDNEY
http://www.4X4australia.com.au