Where

Culgoa National Park in Outback NSW

Distance

8km return

Time suggested

2 - 3hrs

Grade

Grade 5

What to
bring

Drinking water, hat, sunscreen, suitable clothing

Please note

• The small townships of Weilmoringle, on the south-west side of Culgoa, and Goodooga, on the east side of Culgoa, offer no fuel, so please ensure you have enough before departure.
• Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch

Thanks to the Jolly Swagman and his billabong, coolabah trees are iconic in Australian folklore. Culgoa Connellys track has loads of them – in fact, it threads for 4km through open coolabah woodlands, with birds circling overhead and emus rushing through scrub along the track. After rainy season, the ground blooms with native wildflowers, too.

Reached from Culgoa River campground, Culgoa Connellys track is suitable for everybody, from families and grey nomads to experienced bushwalkers. Bring plenty of water, sturdy shoes, and that all-important sense of adventure, and this easy walk delivers plenty of rewards. While it's Grade 5 for not having directional signage, you'll still find this an easy walk for all ages.

If you’re river camping, consider bringing a torch as a great deal of wildlife is most active at night. So, follow the track in the evening for a completely different experience to a chorus of frogs and cicadas. You might like to look up for a bit of amateur astronomy while you’re at it.

You can even extend the stroll by following the adjoining Yawura Yarun (Sandhill track), which offers a return walk to the campground as well.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Visitor info

Maps and downloads

Learn more

Historic heritage

Charles Sturt was the first European explorer to venture here, in 1829, but colonial pastoralists were not far behind. By the 1860s, settlements were established right across the region, with large properties like Byerawering, Cawwell and Burban Grange, where Culgoa River campground can be found today. Culgoa National Park is committed to conserving the pastoral history of the area.

Iconic plants and animals

Culgoa has enough animals to keep even the most knowledgable naturalist glued to their binoculars: 24 mammals, 170 species of bird, 29 lizards, seven types of snake, and 15 types of frog. If you're lucky, you might spot a long-necked tortoise - there are many varieties in the park. Even more special, Culgoa has one of the largest koala populations in northern NSW. 

Rich cultural life

Aboriginal Australians have a long relationship with Culgoa. Murrawarri people, from the Gandugari group, consider it traditional land and it has significant archaeological and cultural value. Other tribal groups include the Ngemba, Ngaampaa, Paakandji, Morawari and Budjiti, who work with the NPWS in discussions of land management. Today, Murrawarri descendants reside in the area around the park, including the townships of Weilmoringle, Brewarrina, Goodooga, Bourke and Enngonia. These people retain a strong oral history of the region, expressed as traditional knowledge, beliefs, personal history and attachment to the landscape.

Under the shade of a coolabah tree

Culgoa is the only national park in NSW with Brigalow-gidgee woodland. It also has the largest continuous tract of coolabah woodland left in the state, meaning plenty of opportunities to settle down in the afternoon 'under the shade of a coolabah tree'.