RELAX & REVIVE: Bald Rock National Park

‘Bald Rock National Park’ by Caitlin Reid published in Great Health Guide (Mar 2016). Do you love exploring national parks? Did you know that Bald Rock is the second largest rock in Australia with wonderful scenic drive & leads to breathtaking views over a lovely countryside? Read more to find out about this lovely natural treasure.

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RELAX & REVIVE: Bald Rock National Park

written by Caitlin Reid

Granite gardens scattered across picturesque walks, lead to awe-inspiring lookouts over boundless countryside. Featuring the largest granite rock in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s well worth a visit to Bald Rock.

A short scenic drive (or a slightly longer cycle) north of Tenterfield will take you through peaceful woodland forests, offering glimpses of the valleys below. Go past Captain Thunderbolt’s bushranger hideout and the World War II Tank Trap defensive lines (that’s another story), you will find the turnoff to Bald Rock National Park and this is where the magic begins.

As spectacular as the views are from the summit, half the fun is getting there. You could choose to take the gentle 2.5km Bungoona Walk, winding through Eucalyptus, Mountain Gum, New England Blackbutt and fern gullies and gradually climbing to the summit through granite boulders and arches. Alternatively, challenge yourself with a short and steep climb straight up the face of the rock. Both routes have something completely different to offer, so if you decide to walk straight up, take the time to meander down via the Bungoona Walk – you may even spot a shy echidna.

Once you make it to the top, you will be rewarded with amazing panoramic views, unequalled in the New England Region. 260 metres above the surrounding bushland, Bald Rock is a massive granite dome 750 metres long and 500 metres wide. The views span 360 degrees and at close to 1300 metres above sea level, it really does feel like a remote ‘top of the world’ experience from the summit. Look across the Queensland border to the magnificent granite formations in Girraween National Park. Collections of granite archways, scattered boulders, ravines roping their way through the terrain and enormous smooth granite stones balancing strangely across each other all await your exploration. The boulders, looming in and out of view as you climb towards the summit, bear the title of Granite Titans and it is easy to see why. Bald Rock’s water-streaked dome is the largest granite formation of its kind anywhere in Australia.

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From the summit, the best views are seen during winter and autumn when the air is freshest and the light is crisp. The colours are most dramatic at dusk, as the rock face hues change beneath your feet from orange to yellow. 

In saying that, Bald Rock National Park is a great place to visit all year round and you will always see something different. Summer offers great camping weather and a chance to escape the heat of the coast and outback, as the temperature rarely gets to 30 degrees. The clear, crisp atmosphere of autumn offers outstanding views from the summit and the stunning colours of Tenterfield and the New England High Country are not to be missed. During winter, enjoy wood fires, frosts and rare snowflakes overnight, followed by brilliant blue skies and crisp, fresh sunny days. The spring wildflowers and mild temperatures make this a fantastic time of year for long walks and camping out under the stars. 

Not to be missed:

1. The changing colours of dusk. Be sure to take your camera, a flask of coffee and wait till the sun sets to capture that perfect photograph.

2. The Bungoona Walk – see its remarkable granite boulders, fern gullies and Eucalyptus forests.

3. The Summit – take the time to stop, relax and be in the moment, while enjoying the spectacular views over the surrounding bushland.

Information Provided by Tenterfield Shire Council & NSW National Parks & Wildlife Services.

Author’s Bio

Caitlin Reid is the tourism officer for the Tenterfield Shire Council and has been a resident of Tenterfield for the past 2 years. Information for this article was sourced from Tenterfield Visitor Information Centre and NSW National Parks & Wildlife Services. For more information, email Tenterfield Tourism or see their website.

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