Abercrombie River NP

The Abercrombie River National Park preserves the largest remaining intact patch of low open forest in the south-west tableland area of New South Wales. Visitors may be lucky enough to spot platypuses and eastern water rats in the Abercrombie and Retreat Rivers, both of which are important habitats for the animals.

When not in drought conditions the park offers the opportunity to swim, fish, and canoes.

The park is suitable to visit all year around, although be well prepared in winter and ensure you take plenty of warm clothing.

No permits are required for this trek

The park has a number of four wheel driving tracks along formed fire trails and some may require low-range. Whilst there are no formed walking tracks in this park the visitor can explore along the rivers and creeks within its boundaries. The rivers and streams offer the opportunity to swim, fish, and canoe, although the rivers and streams can dry up or stop flowing if there has been a lack of rain in the area.

Trout can be caught in the water ways during the trout season which runs from the October long weekend to the June long weekend (don’t forget your fishing licence).

This is a moderate trek with some step sections suitable to vehicles with low-range. High clearance vehicles would be an advantage and is suitable to camper trailers with care.

Visitors to the park should ensure they take sufficient water as the waterways will dry up at times of drought. Supplies and fuel are available from Oberon (40klm), Black Springs (20klm).

At the time of writing entry and exit to the park is via Arkstone road only. The Brass Walls entrance is closed due to extremely slippery conditions along the Link Road and Little Bald Hill fire trail.

The Bummaaroo Ford camping area has 15 sites and can be accessed by conventional vehicles. The Silent Creek, The Sink, and the Beach camping areas will require four-wheel drive vehicles. Bush camping is also permitted throughout the park and the route notes detail various possibilities.

The park varies widely in altitude and geology. In the north-east, the landscape reaches 1128m above sea level, and you'll find rich volcanic soils. The southern end of the park is much lower - only 500m at the Abercrombie River - and has much poorer soils from sedimentary rock. This landscape diversity has led to a wide variety of plant communities.

In the high-altitude areas in the eastern section of the park, you'll find mountain gums and peppermint, which is typical of the Southern Tablelands. This type of plant community has been much reduced elsewhere, due to land clearing for pine plantations and forestry.

At lower altitudes, there are open forests of inland scribbly gum and red stringy bark. Along the rivers and creeks, there are tall river oaks, tea trees and bottlebrushes.

Argyle apple grows in this park. This is close to the northern limit of its distribution.

Wallaroos, red-necked wallabies, swamp wallabies and eastern grey kangaroos are often seen in the park's eucalypt forests. Wombats and echidnas live on the slopes and river flats.

Up in the trees, there are greater gliders, sugar gliders, brush-tailed possums and ring-tailed possums. Over 60 species of birds are also found in the park - including the peregrine falcon.

Down by the park's rivers, you might be lucky enough to see a platypus. If not, you might spot a Gippsland water dragon, sunning itself on a rock during the warmer months. You'll also hear the calls of a variety of frog species.

The rivers and creeks are home to trout cod and Macquarie perch, both of which are protected by law. River blackfish, silver perch and Murray Cray are also found here - all of these species are rare in the region. If you catch a trout cod, Macquarie perch or silver perch, you must carefully return it to the water.

The rivers and creeks throughout the park offered food and shelter for local Aboriginal tribes, possibly the Wiradjuri or Gundungarra people. These tribes probably used the Abercrombie River as a trading route for stone tools and even shells from the coast.

The land and waterways, and the plants and animals that live in them, feature in all facets of Aboriginal culture – including recreational, ceremonial, and spiritual and as a main source of food and medicine. They are associated with dreaming stories and cultural learning that is still passed on today. We work with local Aboriginal communities to protect this rich heritage.

To find out more about Aboriginal heritage in the park, you can get in touch with the local Aboriginal community. Contact the park office for more details.

The area that now forms the national park was prospected during the 19th century gold-rushes, and there are still some diggings, water races and sluice boxes left behind by the miners. There's also an early 20th century wattle-and-daub hut in the park.