Fourth Crossing picnic area

Mullion Range State Conservation Area

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Overview

Fourth Crossing picnic area next to Summer Hill Creek, near Orange, is a great base for exploring gold mining history on walking tracks, swimming or trout fishing.

Type
Picnic areas
Where
Mullion Range State Conservation Area in Country NSW
Accessibility
Easy

Enjoy lunch or a snack at this quiet, tranquil picnic area on Ophir Road by Summer Hill Creek. There are picnic tables, accessible toilets and signs telling you about the reserve.

Spend more time at this peaceful place by swimming in the creek or trying your luck at fishing. If you’re a nature lover, look for birds in the trees, listen to the babbling of the creek and smell the fragrant wattles in spring.

Historic Water Race walking track starts here if you want to stretch your legs. The loop walk follows a water race constructed by miners during the gold rush to transfer water from the creek to mining areas. Take care though. The return route is on an undefined trail by the creek, so it can get flooded at times.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Nearby

  • Historic Water Race walking track, Mullion Range State Conservation Area. Photo: NSW Government

    Historic Water Race walking track

    Historic Water Race walking track, near Orange, is a medium-difficulty walk offering birdwatching and gold mining history as well as swimming and fishing along Summer Hill Creek.

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Current alerts in this area

There are no current alerts in this area.

Local alerts

For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://uat.nswparks.cloud/things-to-do/picnic-areas/fourth-crossing-picnic-area/local-alerts

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Visitor info

All the practical information you need to know about the Fourth Crossing picnic area.

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Fourth Crossing picnic area is in Mullion Range State Conservation Area. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:

    Striking scenic water landscapes

    The Falls Water Falls, Mullion Range State Conservation Area. Photo: Colin Adams

    A prominent feature of the landscape of this reserve is the mix of rocky outcrops and the waters of Summer Hill Creek.

    Good as gold

    Historic Water Race walking track, Mullion Range State Conservation Area. Photo: OEH

    Explore the past by discovering fascinating remnants of the Mullion's gold mining boom. From 1860 to 1920, intrepid gold mining pioneers created mining sites and a water race that was built by hand to transport water from the creek to the mining areas. 

    • Historic Water Race walking track Historic Water Race walking track, near Orange, is a medium-difficulty walk offering birdwatching and gold mining history as well as swimming and fishing along Summer Hill Creek.
    • The Falls The Falls, near Summer Hill Creek in Mullion Range State Conservation Area, provide a scenic vista and popular swimming location.

    Unique plant and birdlife

    Summer Hill Creek, Mullion Range State Conservation Area. Photo: OEH

    You may spot interesting wildlife here, like eastern grey kangaroos, red-necked wallabies and wallaroos bounding through open fields. Gliders scurry among the treetops and platypus paddle their way along the creek. Large swathes of vegetation on the flatter areas of Mullion Range State Conservation Area have remained relatively undisturbed, thanks to the area's mining past. This means you can see a number of plant species and communities here that are rarely found elsewhere in central western NSW, including inland scribby gum, red stringybark and river oak. Mullion Range also provides habitat for many unique and interesting species of woodland birds, such as native parrots, including eastern rosellas and crimson rosellas, superb parrots in the springtime, and owls.

    • Fourth Crossing picnic area Fourth Crossing picnic area next to Summer Hill Creek, near Orange, is a great base for exploring gold mining history on walking tracks, swimming or trout fishing.
    • The Falls The Falls, near Summer Hill Creek in Mullion Range State Conservation Area, provide a scenic vista and popular swimming location.

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