Danabilla, Illunie and Koorawatha Nature Reserves

Location, access and how to get there

Danabilla, Illunie and Koorawatha Nature Reserves are situated within a few kilometers of each other. They are all between 30 and 50 kilometers northeast of Young, and around 150 kilometers from Canberra GPO (1 hour 45 minutes drive). The Reserves have limited public access via public roads.

http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/

Bushwalking opportunities

Day walking is permitted in the Reserves, but access may be difficult, particularly to Illunie. Koorawatha Falls Reserve (link) adjoins and is accessed through the Koorawatha Nature Reserve.

Camping and other facilities

Camping is not allowed and there are no visitor facilities.

Features

Size
Danabilla Nature Reserve - 2,242 hectares.
Illunie Nature Reserve - 723 hectares.
Koorawatha Nature Reserve - 1,105 hectares.
Natural features

The Reserve has some significant remnant vegetation. The Illunie Range runs through Danabilla and Koorawatha Reserves with numerous peaks above 600 meters elevation and one in Danabilla above 700 meters elevation. 

Heritage features

There are at least 35 Aboriginal heritage sites which have been identified in Dananbilla, Koorawatha, Illunie and Gungewalla Nature Reserves. There are also some historical sites associated with past agricultural use.

References

Dananbilla, Koorawatha, Illunie and Gungewalla Nature Reserves Plan of Management (2009) - link

National Parks and Wildlife Service - Danabilla Nature Reserve website - link
National Parks and Wildlife Service - Illunie Nature Reserve website - link
National Parks and Wildlife Service - Koorawatha Nature Reserve website - link

Black Andrew Nature Reserve

Location, access and how to get there

The Black Andrew Nature Reserve is located immediately south of Burrinjuck Dam and is 10 kilometers northwest of Wee Jasper. Trails enter the Reserve on the west, south and east sides, but all pass through private land and require landowner permission to use. Private vehicles are not permitted on management trails within the Reserve. The nearest points of vehicular access are about 100 kilometers or a two-hour drive from Canberra GPO via Mountain Creek Road and Wee Jasper.

http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/

Bushwalking opportunities

Walking is permitted in the Reserve, though no facilities have been or seem likely to be put in place to encourage it. There are no formed walking tracks, and as noted above, access is problematic. Three management trails run through the Reserve, but they do not interconnect within the Reserve boundary and their total combined length within the Reserve is only around 12-13 kilometers.

Camping and other facilities

Camping and solid fuel fires are not permitted, and there are no visitor facilities in the Reserve.

Features

Size
1559 hectares.
Natural features

The highest peak is Black Andrew Mountain at 935 meters. MacPhersons Swamp Creek and its tributaries flow through the Reserve. There are seven distinct forest ecosystems within the Reserve and surveys undertaken in 2004 found six vulnerable species of fauna.

Heritage features

There are a number of Aboriginal heritage sites in the Reserve and an abandoned mine in the southwest.

References

Black Andrew Nature Reserve Plan of Management (2006) - link

National Parks and Wildlife Service - Black Andrew Nature Reserve website - link

Wikipedia - link