Where

Willandra National Park in Murray-Riverina

Distance

3.7km one-way

Time suggested

1hr 30min - 2hrs 30min

Grade

Grade 3

Entry fees

Park entry fees apply

What to
bring

Sunscreen, hat

In Wiradjuri, Nilla Yannagalang Billana means “walking along together”. The track follows the course of the Willandra Creek and can be accessed from the homestead precinct or, if you’re camping, the Willandra Billabong weir.

It’s an easy walk through black box woodland interspersed with openings of black bluebush shrubland. Keep your eyes peeled for woodland wildlife. If there’s water in the creek, expect to see waterbirds such as egrets, herons, spoonbills, cormorants and ducks.

The track takes you past historic pastoral infrastructure once relied upon by the homestead, such as the weir and Buttabong Bridge. This bridge was the creek crossing to the railway siding at Wee Elwah from where people travelled on to Sydney. At the old tip site are the rusting remains of a steam-powered engine.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Visitor info

Maps and downloads

Learn more

A closer look at Aboriginal culture

Evidence of Aboriginal people's lives on this land can best be seen on the scalds near Halls Lake, near the Merton trail, where erosion has exposed a number of objects. Take a look at (but please don't touch) the remains of oven hearths, broken pieces of grinding dishes and stone flakes. Nilla Yannagalang Billana, the only formal walking track in the park, means 'walking along together' in Wiradjuri.

Plain to see

Windmill, cane, spear and white top - the names of Australian native grasses really have evolved to become far more fun than their original Latin terms. These grasses now make up most of the ground cover on the park's plains. Saltbush and cottonbush dominated - and still does - but Europeans quickly recognised the nutritional value of these plants and a century of grazing has changed the environment. A hike through the wetlands, woodlands and grasslands of the park, rich with birds and animals, is a reminder of how nature continues to adapt.

The ringer looks around

Big Willandra Station once stretched from Hillston to Mossgiel and covered an area eight times that of what is now Willandra National Park. Some buildings from the huge merino stud are in ruins, while others have been restored. In its time, Big Willandra saw it all: illegal squatting, leasehold, freehold, homesteading, the establishment of the Western Lands Commission, resumptions and soldier settler occupation. Today, you can enjoy cheap heritage accommodation, ideal for a weekend family or group getaway.

What bird is that?

Could there really be 195 species of birdlife within an area of less than 20,000ha? The diversity of Willandra's natural environment — from woodland and wetland to grassland and open plain — provides a variety of habitats. The result is an eclectic mix that includes emu, swan, seagull, night heron, raptor and duck. Set yourself the challenge to see how many different birds you can spot during your visit.