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

Young Nature Reserve

Location, access and how to get there

Young Nature Reserve is located 15 kilometers southeast of Young, around 145 kilometers from Canberra GPO (2 hours drive). The Reserve is surrounded by private land and is not open for public use.

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

Bushwalking opportunities

Given the small size and limited features of the Reserve there seems little to attract bushwalkers, even if access was allowed.

Camping and other facilities

Obviously, camping is not allowed and there are no visitor facilities.

Features

Size
453 hectares.
Natural features

The Reserve has some significant remnant vegetation.

Heritage features

None known.

References

Young Nature Reserve Statement of Management Intent (2014) - link

National Parks and Wildlife Service - Young Nature Reserve website - link

Jindalee National Park

Location, access and how to get there

Jindalee National Park is located 10 kilometers north of Cootamundra. It comprises two separate parts on each side of Berthong Road. At its nearest accessible point it is around 155 kilometers from Canberra GPO (1 hour 50 minutes drive). Access to the Reserve is via Berthong Road or Burley Griffin Way. Information on the Park is scant since a Plan of Management has yet to be published.

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

Bushwalking opportunities

Walking is allowed in the Park, but there is little of interest apart from the forest itself. There are only a few kilometers of management trail within the Park, and no walking tracks are known.

Camping and other facilities

No information on camping or other facilities has been found. Check with the National Parks and Wildlife Service Tumut office (02 6947 7000).

Features

Size
1,076 hectares.
Natural features

Jindalee National Park is relatively small and with no real features apart from the forest. There are no high peaks or gullies, although a number of small watercourses run out of the Park on all sides.

Heritage features

No information is available.

References

Jindalee National Park Statement of Management Intent (2014) - link

National Parks and Wildlife Service - Jindalee National Park website - link

Tumblong State Conservation Area

Location, access and how to get there

Tumblong State Conservation Area (SCA) is located 30 kilometers northwest of Tumut, around 180 kilometers from Canberra GPO (2 hours drive away). There is no public vehicular access to the Park and it can only be accessed by walking through private property, for which landowner permission is required.

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

Bushwalking opportunities

Day walking is allowed, but note access issues.

Camping and other facilities

Camping and solid fuel fires are not allowed. There are no public use facilities within the SCA.

Features

Size
746 hectares.
Natural features

There are no distinct peaks in the SCA, which is located on the northeastern side of a ridge. Altitude range within the SCA is from 300-588 meters. Six distinct forest ecosystems have been identified within the SCA.

Heritage features

Survey work has identified one Aboriginal heritage site, but further sites may still be discovered. There are no significant historical sites in the SCA.

References

Tumblong State Conservation Area Plan of Management (2008) - link

National Parks and Wildlife Service - Tumblong State Conservation Area website - link

Mudjarn Nature Reserve

Location, access and how to get there

The Mudjarn Nature Reserve is located 15 kilometers north of Tumut off Brungle Road, about 180 kilometers from Canberra GPO (2 hours drive). There is no public vehicular access to the Reserve. Pedestrian access is complicated. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service tells me that there are Crown road easements going into the Reserve off public roads (presumably Brungle Road), but no track exists along these easements. The easements can be located on the relevant parish map, but then they would then have to be located "on the ground". They advise seeking landholder permission prior to attempting to access the Reserve.
Note that the 2008 Plan of Management for Mudjarn noted plans to work with Tumut Council to provide car parking and pedestrian access from Brungle Road, but this has not happened yet.

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

Bushwalking opportunities

Walking is permitted in the Reserve, but note access issues above. There are no walking tracks and only one management trail along the eastern side of the Reserve. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service tells me that walking in the Reserve is difficult due to the density of the callitris pines.

Camping and other facilities

The Reserve Plan of Management notes that it is used for camping, but makes no mention of whether this should be allowed. There are no visitor facilities in the Reserve. 

Features

Size
591 hectares.
Natural features

The highest peak is Pine Mountain Peak at 691 meters. A number of small creeks drain out of the Reserve. It has a heavy cover of callitris pine and kurrajong that give it a distinctive dark appearance.

Heritage features

There are a number of recorded Aboriginal heritage sites and a number of historical sites including mine sites and old post and rail fences.

References

Mudjarn Nature Reserve Plan of Management (2008) - link

National Parks and Wildlife Service - Mudjarn 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