Namadgi National Park
Namadgi National Park
Namadgi National Park, proclaimed in 1984 and over 106,000 hectares, is partly situated in the Australian Alps. It offers some astonishing views of nature at its best and also houses the only Aboriginal rock-art sites in the high country. You can do some excellent bushwalking in this area and also some serious climbing some peaks are over 1700 metres but dont let yourself be surprised by sudden snowfall or extreme temperature changes. This is most likely to occur on the Bimberi and Brindabella Ranges. Canberra’s water supply, the Cotter River, lies within the bounds of the park and is a protected area.
NAMADGI NATIONAL PARK IS THE MOST NORTHERN OF THE AUSTRALIAN ALPS NATIONAL PARKS
Campgrounds, picnic areas and a variety of long and short walks all provide wonderful opportunities for visitors to explore this beautiful national park.
Being at the northern-most reaches of the alpine environment, Namadgi National Park is the crossroads for a range of plant communities from alpine, inland tablelands and coastal environments.
The Australian Alps
The Australian Alps are like a tiny island in a vast ocean. Alpine environments cover only 0.15% of the Australian continent. Fed by snowmelt from Australia’s highest mountains, the continent’s major rivers are born. Here, there are plants and animals found nowhere else.
To ensure the best management for the Alps, park agencies in New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and the Commonwealth Government work together to manage 1.6 million hectares of the alpine region.
Surrounding Bimberi Peak, the Bimberi Wilderness spills over the border into New South Wales from Namadgi to include some of the Alps’ most beautiful scenery. You can easily view rugged areas from Mt Ginini or the Yerrabi Walking Track.
Wild Things
Variety is the spice of life and there’s no shortage of diversity in Namadgi’s wildlife. Habitats from the broad, grassy plains in the valleys to snowgum woodlands and alpine meadows on the mountain peaks. Within a short walk. vegetation and wildlife can change dramatically. To find out more call Namadgi Visitor Centre.
Namadgi and people
Namadgi – the Aboriginal name for the mountains south-west of Canberra.
Mountains in Namadgi National Park, distinguished by their bold outcrops of granite, are a great importance to the local aboriginal people. There are many clues to Aboriginal lifestyles throughout the park. These include stone tools, quarry sites, stone arrangements and rock art. Today the Aboriginal people retain a strong link with Namadgi.
You will also discover numerous reminders of previous European occupants including pastoralists, ski clubs, foresters and even space industry workers.
