Bald Rock National Park is a short drive from Tenterfield and is well worth a visit. Bald Rock is the largest exposed granite rock in Australia and walking to the top, while quite difficult, is very rewarding. The views from the summit of Bald Rock are sensational.
There are two ways to tackle the climb:
- Bungoona Walk – this pathway is a gentle, steady walk to the top. There are interesting rock formations along the way, places to rest and to admire the view. The Bungoona Walk is 5 kms (return) and takes about 2 hours.
- Summit Walk – this is a shorter but steeper walk to the summit and involves walking up exposed, bare rock surfaces (some of the slopes are up to 30 degrees). There are painted white spots to mark the way. The Summit Walk is 2.5 kms (return) and takes about one hour.
We thought the best option was to take the gentle incline up, and the steep walk down.
On the top of Bald Rock, there is quite a large area to walk around and it is relatively flat. There are a few boulders on top and very little vegetation.
It is a good idea to take a picnic lunch to enjoy at the shaded picnic tables near the carpark at the bottom of the Rock. There are also BBQs and “long drop” toilets.
Tenterfield is on the New England Highway in the New England region of NSW – just under 8 hours drive north of Sydney, and about 3.5 hours south-west of Brisbane.
Accommodation Guru
October 2014