Where

Mullion Range State Conservation Area in Country NSW

Distance

2.6km loop

Time suggested

1hr - 1hr 30min

Grade

Grade 4

Please note

• It’s a good idea to put sunscreen on before you set out and remember to take a hat and drinking water
• Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch
• There is limited/no mobile reception in this park
• The return section of the walking track along Summer Hill Creek back to the Fourth Crossing Picnic Area sometime floods, so you may need to navigate your own path.

Historic Water Race walking track is a living legacy of Australia’s early and intriguing gold mining history. Intrepid gold miners made the track by hand in the 1860s, and today you can still see how water was captured and directed from Summer Hill Creek down to the mining areas. See the precision of construction; the miners painstakingly hand-cut rocks in order to create accurate contour levels.

When you’re not experiencing this gold mining heritage, cool off with a swim, or go fishing in the creek. Summer Hill Creek also offers some spectacular scenic views. Because you’ll be starting and finishing this track at Fourth Crossing picnic area, you can enjoy a picnic before or after your journey of discovery.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Visitor info

Maps and downloads

Learn more

Striking scenic water landscapes

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

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. 

Unique plant and birdlife

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.