Budawang Range | |
---|---|
Budawangs | |
Highest point | |
Peak | Mount Budawang |
Elevation | 1,129 m (3,704 ft) [1] AHD |
Coordinates | 37°29′S150°00′E / 37.483°S 150.000°E [2] |
Dimensions | |
Length | 53 km (33 mi)SSW / NNE |
Geography | |
Location of The Budawangs in New South Wales | |
Country | Australia |
State | New South Wales |
Region | South Coast |
Range coordinates | 35°17′S150°10′E / 35.283°S 150.167°E [3] |
Parent range | Great Dividing Range |
The Budawang Range, commonly called The Budawangs, a rugged mountain range within the Budawang National Park and the Morton National Park, are part of a spur off the Great Dividing Range and are located in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.
The highest mountain in the range is Mount Budawang that has an elevation of 1,129 metres (3,704 ft) above sea level. [1]
Commmencing between the headwaters of the Clyde and Endrick rivers, The Budawangs extend in a generally south southwest direction for about 53 kilometres (33 mi) to Mount Budawang about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) southeast of Mongarlowe. The range consists of mountains and escarpments, generally at an elevation of 334 metres (1,096 ft) AHD , forming most of the western watershed of the Clyde River. [3] [4] The range comprises a series of hills extending generally west northwest from the north end of Budawang Range near Sassafras for about 21 kilometres (13 mi) to above the junction of the Shoalhaven and Endrick rivers. The Pigeon House Range forms the watershed between the northeast waters of Endrick River and those flowing north into the Shoalhaven River. A prominent range bearing west northwest forms the watershed separating the Endrick and Shoalhaven River systems. [5] The Budawang Range is located approximately 190 kilometres (120 mi) south-southwest of Sydney. [4]
The range defines part of the boundary between the New South Wales South Coast and the Southern Tablelands.
Much of the land within the range has been declared a wilderness area and are popular with bush walkers due to their terrain and unique features. [6]
The Budawangs are generally considered to contain peaks located with the Budawang Range, the Pigeon House Range, the Currockbilly Range, and the Wirritin Range. [6] [7] The major recorded peaks are: [8]
Other features within the range include the Monolith Valley, The Seven Gods Monoliths, Clyde River Valley, Hidden Valley, and Ettrema Gorge.
[ citation needed ]
The earliest human occupants of The Budawangs were three Aboriginal tribes; the Budawang people who live between Conjola and Duras, the Wandandians who inhabit land to the north of Pigeon House Mountain (Balgan), and the Walbanjas who live south of Pigeon House.
There are archaeological records of Aboriginal presence in the area dating back to around 11,000 years ago. Nearby coastal deposits have been dated at around 20,000 years old, so occupation in the Budawangs may well be older than current evidence suggests. Archaeological evidence found in the area includes occupational deposits in rock shelters, open campsites, and axe grinding grooves often found on rocks by the sides of creeks in the area. Art sites and rock arrangements also exist in the Budawangs though they are quite rare - the best of these is on Quilty's Mountain.
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There are several grazing farmlands surrounding the national parks region both in the east and the west of the range. Logging began in the Budawang area in the early 1900s, it continues to this day in areas that remain outside of the national parks, such as state forests.
The Australian Army operated an artillery range on the Tianjara plateau between 1943 and 1974, also using the area for practice bombing and exercises often involving offroad vehicles. This area is highly damaged and littered with target debris and unexploded ordnance. If walking in or near this area, walker should take extreme care.
Royal Australian Navy jet aircraft and helicopters use the area as a designated low-fly training area, allowing high speed flight through the area at 50 feet (15 m) above the ground.
As The Budawangs are only accessible from gravel roads, care should be taken after rain as the roads can become slippery.
The northern parts of the area including the Clyde River valley are best accessed from the Braidwood Nowra road. There are two entrances in the northern part of the park. One is near Nerriga and requires walking through farmland to the area around Quilty's Mountain. The other main northern entrance is a not very clearly marked gate on the side of the road near Sassafras.
Access to The Castle and Monolith Valley is best achieved from Long Gully just off the Western Distributor.
Access to the western Wog Wog Mountain side of the park is via a park entrance off the Mongarlowe/Nerriga road, either coming from Braidwood to the south or Nowra to the north.
All three main entrances now have marked campsites and pit toilets. The Sassafrass campsite is approximately 600 metres (2,000 ft) down the fire trail from the carpark and has tank water and a sheltered picnic table. The Wog Wog campsite has no water. The Long Gully campsite is located adjacent to the Yadboro River.
If walking in The Budawangs a recommended[ by whom? ] resource is the Northern Budawang Range and the Upper Clyde River Valley sketch map, published by The Budawang Committee and available in most Sydney/Nowra/Canberra bushwalking stores. The sketch map was hand drawn and details many of the possible walks in the most popular part of the national park. The area is also covered by the 1:25,000 CMA maps CORANG (8927-3-N), ENDRICK (8927-4-S), TIANJARA (8927-1-S) and MILTON (8927-2-N).
The Blue Mountains are a mountainous region and a mountain range located in New South Wales, Australia. The region is considered to be part of the western outskirts of the Greater Sydney area. The region borders on Sydney's main metropolitan area, its foothills starting about 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of centre of the state capital, close to Penrith. The public's understanding of the extent of the Blue Mountains is varied, as it forms only part of an extensive mountainous area associated with the Great Dividing Range. As defined in 1970, the Blue Mountains region is bounded by the Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers in the east, the Coxs River and Lake Burragorang to the west and south, and the Wolgan and Colo rivers to the north. Geologically, it is situated in the central parts of the Sydney Basin.
The Morton National Park is a 199,745-hectare (493,580-acre) national park located in the Southern Highlands, South Coast and Illawarra regions of New South Wales, Australia, situated approximately 170 kilometres (110 mi) south southwest of Sydney.
The Clyde River is an open intermediate tide-dominated drowned valley estuary or perennial river that flows into the Tasman Sea at Batemans Bay, located in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.
Pigeon House Mountain is a mountain at an elevation of 720 metres (2,360 ft) AHD on the Budawang Range that is situated within the Morton National Park, located on the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.
The Ramshead Range, a mountain range that is part of the Snowy Mountains, is located in the Monaro region of New South Wales and the Alpine region of Victoria, Australia.
Mount Jagungal or sometimes Jagungal, Big Bogong, The Big Bogong Nr., or The Big Bogong Mountain, is a mountain within the Jagungal Wilderness Area of the Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia.
Mount Duval, a large forested mountain of the New England Range, part of the Great Dividing Range, is located on the Northern Tablelands in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia.
Mount Twynam is a mountain located on the Main Range, part of the Great Dividing Range, in the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, Australia. The mountain is located close the border between New South Wales and Victoria.
Mount Bindo, a mountain on the Great Dividing Range, is located in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia.
Mount Kelly is a mountain with an elevation of 1,829 metres (6,001 ft) AHD that is the tallest peak in the Scabby Range and is situated on the border of the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales, Australia. The summit of the mountain is located within the ACT. The nearest town to the mountain is Adaminaby, approximately 32.8 kilometres (20.4 mi) to the south.
Bimberamala River, a perennial river of the Clyde River catchment, is located in the Southern Tablelands and the upper ranges of the South Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia.
Buckenbowra River, a perennial river of the Clyde River catchment, is located in the upper ranges of the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.
Corang River is a perennial river of the Shoalhaven catchment located in the Southern Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia.
Endrick River is a perennial river of the Shoalhaven catchment located in the Southern Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia.
The Leycester Creek, a perennial stream of the Richmond River catchment, is located in Northern Rivers region in the state of New South Wales, Australia.
The Towamba River is an open mature wave dominated barrier estuary or perennial river, located in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.
The Wog Wog River is a perennial river of the Towamba River catchment, located in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.
Yadboro River, a perennial river of the Clyde River catchment, is located in the Southern Tablelands and the upper ranges of the South Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia.
Mount Dowe is a mountain in the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia. It is part of an old shield volcano that was active around 18 million years ago. With an elevation of 1,457 metres (4,780 ft) above sea level, Mount Dowe is the second highest mountain in the Nandewar Range, only being just short of Mount Kaputar, at 1,508 metres (4,948 ft) above sea level.
Brown Mountain, at an elevation of 1,243 metres (4,078 ft) AHD , is the highest mountain in the Monaro region of New South Wales, Australia.