Editing Wollemi National Park

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                   = protected
| name                   = Wollemi National Park
| state                  = nsw
| iucn_category          = Ib
| image                  = (1)Capertee River.jpg
| caption                = [[Capertee River]], located within the southern portion of the national park
| image_alt              = 
| coordinates            = {{coord|32|52|26|S|150|29|32|E|display=inline,title}}
| relief                 = 1
| pushpin_label_position = left
| map_alt                = 
| nearest_town_or_city   = {{NSWcity|Lithgow}}
| area                   = 5017
| area_footnotes         = <ref name=oeh>{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkManagement.aspx?id=N0051|title=Wollemi National Park: Park management|work=Office of Environment & Heritage|publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]]|access-date=3 October 2014}}</ref>
| established            = {{start date|1979|12|df=y}}
| established_footnotes  = <ref name=oeh/>
| visitation_num         = 
| visitation_year        = 
| managing_authorities   = [[National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)|NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service]]
| url                    = https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/wollemi-national-park
}}
The '''Wollemi National Park''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|ɒ|l|ə|m|aɪ}})<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2b.c0.abc.net.au/abcpronunciation-external/Search.aspx#?S=Wollemi%20pine|title=Wollemi pine|work=ABC Pronounce|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=19 October 2005|access-date=19 July 2020}}</ref> is a [[state park|protected]] [[national park]] and [[wilderness area]] that is located in the [[Central West (New South Wales)|Central West]] and [[Hunter Region|Hunter]] region of [[New South Wales]], in eastern [[Australia]]. The {{convert|501703|ha|adj=on}} park, the second largest national park in New South Wales, contains the {{convert|361113|ha|adj=on}} Wollemi Wilderness{{spaced endash}}the largest such wilderness area in Australia<ref>{{cite book|title=Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area: Strategic Plan|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/StategicPlanNPWS.pdf#17|type=PDF|work=[[National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)|NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service]]|publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]]|date=January 2009|isbn=978-1-74122-960-8|access-date=3 October 2014|page=15}}</ref>{{spaced endash}}and is situated approximately {{convert|130|km}} northwest of [[Sydney]].

The Wollemi National Park is one of the eight protected areas that, in 2000, was inscribed to form part of the [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site|World Heritage]]{{endash}}listed [[Greater Blue Mountains Area]].<ref name=whl>{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/917|title=Greater Blue Mountains Area|work=World Heritage List|date=2014|publisher=[[UNESCO]]|access-date=31 August 2014}}</ref> The Wollemi National Park is the most north{{endash}}westerly of the eight protected areas within the World Heritage Site. The national park forms part of the [[Great Dividing Range]]. 

Due to the park's ruggedness, much of it is undiscovered by humans and the many [[canyon]]s have yet to be explored.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/-/media/OEH/Corporate-Site/Documents/Parks-reserves-and-protected-areas/Parks-plans-of-management/wollemi-national-park-plan-of-management-010139.pdf|title=Wollemi National Park Plan of Management|last=Debus|first=Bob|date=April 2001|work=[[NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service]]|language=en|access-date=2024-05-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.visitdenman.com.au/national-parks/|title=NATIONAL PARKS|date=April 2015|work=Denman CTC |language=en|access-date=2024-05-15}}</ref> The only known living wild specimens of the [[Wollemi Pine|Wollemi pine]] (''Wollemia nobilis'') were discovered in 1994.{{r|Mattila}} Special efforts were made to protect the trees when the [[2019–20 Australian bushfire season#Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury|2019-20 Australian bushfires]] burned through the park.<ref name="NPR 2020/01/16">{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/01/16/796994699/aussie-firefighters-save-worlds-only-groves-of-prehistoric-wollemi-pines|title=Aussie Firefighters Save World's Only Groves Of Prehistoric Wollemi Pines|last=Wamsley|first=Laurel|date=16 November 2020|work=NPR News|language=en|access-date=2020-01-17}}</ref>

The national park is bounded to the north by the [[Goulburn River National Park]] and the [[Bylong Valley Way]]; to the east by the [[Yengo National Park]], the Parr State Conservation Area, and the [[Putty Road]]; to the south by the [[Blue Mountains National Park]] and the [[Bells Line of Road]]; to the south{{endash}}west by the [[Wolgan Valley]] and the [[Gardens of Stone National Park]]; and to the west by open farmland that surround the towns of {{NSWcity|Rylstone}} and {{NSWcity|Kandos}} and the [[Capertee Valley]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks/parkhome.aspx?id=N0051|title=Wollemi National Park|work=Office of Environment & Heritage|publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]]|access-date=3 October 2014}}</ref>

==Geology==
[[File:Colo river valley.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Colo River]] valley.]]
The Wollemi National Park is located on the western edge of the [[Sydney Basin]]. It sits on four [[stratum|strata]] of [[sedimentary rock]]; the [[Narrabeen]] and [[Hawkesbury River|Hawkesbury]] [[sandstones|sandstone]] and [[shales|shale]], the [[Illawarra]] and [[Singleton, New South Wales|Singleton]] [[Permian]] [[coal measures]] and the [[Wianamatta shale]]s. The strata at this area of the Sydney Basin have an upwards tilt to the north-west. Throughout most of the park the Hawkesbury and Wianamatta series have been [[eroded]] away exposing the Narrabeen group. 

The landscape of the park is dominated by deep valleys, canyons, cliffs and waterfalls, formed by the [[weathering]] of the sandstone and claystone the Narrabeen group consists of. The parts of the park that lie on the Narrabeen and [[Hawkesbury sandstone]]s generally have shallow soil with low nutrient levels while areas that lie on the Wianamatta shale usually have deeper and more nutrient rich soils allowing for a greater diversity of plant life. The coal measures are visible beneath cliff lines along river valleys. This layer is generally rich in nutrients and weathers to form deep [[clay loam]]s. Tertiary basalt is common in the north west of the park. [[Basalt]]ic peaks include Mount Coriaday, Mount Monundilla and Mount Coricudgy, the highest peak in the northern Blue Mountains. In some locations the basalt in the core of extinct [[volcanoes]] has eroded faster than the surrounding sandstone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkGeology.aspx?id=N0051|title=Wollemi National Park: Landscape and Geology|work=Office of Environment & Heritage|publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]]|access-date=3 October 2014}}</ref>

The Wollemi National Park is key in maintaining the quality of many tributary rivers to the [[Hawkesbury River]] and [[Goulburn River (New South Wales)|Goulburn]]-[[Hunter River (New South Wales)|Hunter River]] catchments. The national park incorporates rivers such as the [[Wolgan River]], [[Colo River]] and [[Capertee River]] which arise from outside the park. The Colo River is regarded as the last unpolluted river in New South Wales because the majority of it flows through the Wollemi National Park.

==Biology and ecology==
[[Eucalypt]] dominated open forests comprise 90% of Wollemi National Park, with over 70 species of Eucalypt recorded. The remaining 10% of the National Park comprises [[rainforest]], [[Heath (habitat)|heath]] and [[grassland]].<ref name=oehvegetation>{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkVegetation.aspx?id=N0051|title=Wollemi National Park: Native vegetation|work=Office of Environment & Heritage|publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]]|access-date=3 October 2014}}</ref>

The variety of habitats within Wollemi National Park allow for large diversity in [[animal]]s. 58 [[reptile]] species, 38 [[frog]] species, 235 [[bird]] species and 46 [[mammal]] species have been recorded in the park.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkWildlife.aspx?id=N0051|title=Wollemi National Park: Native animals|work=Office of Environment & Heritage|publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]]|access-date=3 October 2014}}</ref>

The only known living wild specimens of the [[Wollemia|Wollemi pine]] (''Wollemia nobilis''), a species thought to have become extinct approximately thirty million years ago, were discovered in three small stands within deep canyons in 1994.<ref name="Mattila">{{cite web|title=Ancient World of Wollemi Pine Reveals New Treasure|url=http://www.amonline.net.au/archive.cfm?id=1287|access-date=26 July 2006|author=Mattila, Samantha|year=2003}}</ref> The location is kept secret to protect the groves from diseases and trampling.

Besides the [[Prostanthera cryptandroides|Wollemi Mint Bush]], the park contains populations of the rare ''[[Banksia conferta subsp. penicillata]]'', only described in 1981. The [[Eucalyptus expressa|Wollemi Stringybark]] is a newly discovered species of Eucalyptus tree.<ref name=oehvegetation/>

[[File:Aerial perspective of Grey Gum International Cafe.jpg|thumb|Aerial perspective of the Grey Gum International Cafe, nestled between Wollemi and Yengo national parks. February 2018.]]

==Aboriginal sites==
There are many Aboriginal sites within the park including [[cave painting]]s, axe grinding grooves and rock carvings. In 2003 the discovery of Eagle's Reach cave was publicly announced. This site was found by bushwalkers in 1995 but remained unknown to the wider community until a team from the [[Australian Museum]] reached the cave in May 2003. The art within this small cave is estimated to be up to 4,000 years old and it consists of up to a dozen layers of imagery depicting a wide variety of motifs rendered in ochre and charcoal. The team who recorded this site counted over 200 separate images, mainly of animals and birds but also stencils of hands, axes and a [[boomerang]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkAboriginalHeritage.aspx?id=N0051|title=Wollemi National Park: Aboriginal heritage|work=Office of Environment & Heritage|publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]]|access-date=3 October 2014}}</ref>

It is a very significant site and the remote location is being kept secret for its own protection.

==Activities==
[[File:PhippsCuttingPicnicArea.JPG|thumb|right|Phipps Cutting Picnic Area on the [[Bylong Valley Way]] is an entry point for hiking]]
* [[Bushwalking]]
* [[Canyoning]]
* [[Canoeing]]
* [[Camping]]
* [[Abseiling]]
Ganguddy Campground is a campsite located on the [[Cudgegong River]] in the park.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dunns swamp - Ganguddy campground {{!}} NSW National Parks|url=http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/campgrounds/dunns-swamp-ganguddy-campground|website=NSW National Parks|language=en}}</ref>  The local [[Wiradjuri]] Aboriginal people know the area as Ganguddy, the alternative name is Dunns Swamp.  [[National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)|National Parks and Wildlife Service, New South Wales]] manages the location.

==Historical places==
* [[Wolgan Valley]]
* [[Newnes]]
* [[Newnes glow worm tunnel]]
* [[Zig Zag Railway]]
* [[Oil shale]] Mining
* [[Glen Davis, New South Wales|Glen Davis]]

==Climate==
The Wollemi area features an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfb'') with mild to warm summers, cool to cold winters and generally steady precipitation year-round, though with a peak in the first few months of the year.
{{Weather box
|location = Nullo Mountain AWS (1,130 m AMSL; 1991–2020)
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 37.3	
|Feb record high C = 37.4	
|Mar record high C = 32.0	
|Apr record high C = 27.7	
|May record high C = 21.0		
|Jun record high C = 16.8		
|Jul record high C = 17.3	
|Aug record high C = 20.6		
|Sep record high C = 26.4	
|Oct record high C = 28.1	
|Nov record high C = 34.2
|Dec record high C = 36.5	
|year record high C = 37.4	
|Jan high C = 	24.3	
|Feb high C = 22.8	
|Mar high C = 20.1	
|Apr high C = 16.9	
|May high C =	12.9	
|Jun high C = 9.7	
|Jul high C = 9.3	
|Aug high C = 10.9	
|Sep high C = 14.3
|Oct high C =17.5	 
|Nov high C = 	20.0	
|Dec high C = 22.5	
|year high C = 16.8	
|Jan low C = 13.8	
|Feb low C = 13.2	
|Mar low C = 11.5
|Apr low C = 8.6		
|May low C =  5.7	
|Jun low C = 3.5	
|Jul low C = 2.5
|Aug low C = 3.0	
|Sep low C = 5.6	
|Oct low C = 7.9	
|Nov low C = 	10.1
|Dec low C = 11.9	
|year low C = 8.1		
|Jan record low C = 4.4		
|Feb record low C = 3.8		
|Mar record low C =2.5	
|Apr record low C = -0.8
|May record low C = -2.2	
|Jun record low C = -3.4		
|Jul record low C = -3.6	
|Aug record low C = -4.1	
|Sep record low C = -3.7	
|Oct record low C = -1.1
|Nov record low C = 0.2	
|Dec record low C = 1.8	
|year record low C = -4.1	
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm =100.8	
|Feb precipitation mm = 99.4	
|Mar precipitation mm = 	108.3	
|Apr precipitation mm = 55.6
|May precipitation mm = 53.7		
|Jun precipitation mm = 75.5	
|Jul precipitation mm = 63.4	
|Aug precipitation mm = 53.8		
|Sep precipitation mm = 69.8	
|Oct precipitation mm = 71.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 98.7	
|Dec precipitation mm = 90.6		
|year precipitation mm = 950.0	
|Jan precipitation days =11.6
|Feb precipitation days = 12.5
|Mar precipitation days =13.9	
|Apr precipitation days = 11.7	
|May precipitation days = 12.4	
|Jun precipitation days =16.1	
|Jul precipitation days = 14.9	
|Aug precipitation days = 10.8	
|Sep precipitation days = 10.4	
|Oct precipitation days = 9.5	
|Nov precipitation days = 12.1		
|Dec precipitation days = 11.0
|year precipitation days =146.9
|unit rain days     = 1mm
|humidity colour=green
|Jan afthumidity = 56	 
|Feb afthumidity = 64	
|Mar afthumidity = 64
|Apr afthumidity = 62	
|May afthumidity = 68	
|Jun afthumidity = 74	
|Jul afthumidity = 71	
|Aug afthumidity = 60	
|Sep afthumidity =56	 
|Oct afthumidity = 54
|Nov afthumidity = 58	
|Dec afthumidity = 56	
|year humidity =62	
| Jan dew point C = 11.5	
| Feb dew point C = 12.7		
| Mar dew point C = 10.9	
| Apr dew point C = 7.5	
| May dew point C = 5.5	
| Jun dew point C = 3.8	
| Jul dew point C = 2.7	
| Aug dew point C =1.8
| Sep dew point C =3.5	
| Oct dew point C = 5.1		
| Nov dew point C = 7.9	
| Dec dew point C = 9.4		
| year dew point C =  6.9		
|source 1 = Bureau of Meteorology<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_062100_All.shtml
| publisher = Bureau of Meteorology |title = Climate statistics for Nullo Mountain|accessdate = 27 April 2022}}</ref>
|date= April 2022
}}

==See also==
{{stack|{{portal|New South Wales|Environment}}}}
* [[Protected areas of New South Wales]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/Wollemi-National-Park|title=Wollemi National Park|work=[[National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)|NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service]]|publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]]}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks/parkhome.aspx?id=N0051|title=Wollemi National Park|work=Office of Environment & Heritage|publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]]}}
*{{cite book|title=Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area: Strategic Plan|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/StategicPlanNPWS.pdf|type=PDF|work=[[National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)|NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service]]|publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]]|date=January 2009|isbn=978-1-74122-960-8}}

{{National Parks of New South Wales}}
{{Blue Mountains topics}}
{{Suburbs of Singleton Council}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National parks of the Hunter Region]]
[[Category:Forests of New South Wales]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1979]]
[[Category:Rock art in Australia]]
[[Category:1979 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Singleton Council]]
[[Category:Great Dividing Range]]
[[Category:Blue Mountains (New South Wales)]]
[[Category:Central Tablelands]]
[[Category:Sclerophyll forests]]