  Mount Warning in the Tweed Valley NSW AustraliaTweed Coast Hinterland, Northern Rivers region of the Far North Coast NSW, AustraliaWorld Heritage-listed Mount Warning - called Wollumbin by the original inhabitants of the area, the Bundjalung people - is the remnant central plug of an ancient extinct shield volcano. Twenty million years ago the volcano was twice the height of current day Mt Warning. Wollumbin is a sacred place of great significance to the people of the Bundjalung Nation. It is a traditional place of cultural law, initiation and spiritual education. Under Bundjalung law, only specifically chosen people are allowed to climb Wollumbin. The path that visitors use to climb to the summit avoids the sacred areas so it is vital that those who choose to climb the mountain stay to the marked path, both out of respect for Bundjalung tradition as well as for their own safety.
The walk to the top of Mount Warning will take approximately 4 to 5 hours return and is considered strenuous, particularly the last part which involves pulling yourself up a steep face assisted by chains fixed to the rock wall. It is not advisable to start the walk after 2pm in winter as oncoming darkness will make the track dangerous and could result in getting lost or injured. The reward at the summit (1157m) is a 360° panorama of the enormous eroded bowl of the caldera landform and rim. Rainforest topping the sheer cliffs of its 1,000m high rim is preserved in National Parks. Lamington National Park in Queensland is to the north, while to the west and south respectively are the Border Ranges and the Nightcap National Park - both NSW World Heritage areas. History of Mount Warning In 1770 Captain Cook named the mountain "Mt Warning" to let future seamen know about the offshore reefs he encountered when he sailed into the area in May of that year.
In 1928 Mt Warning was reserved for pubic recreation. Dedicated as a National Park in 1966, Mt Warning was subsequently included in the UNESCO World Heritage Listings in 1986 to ensure its protection for future generations. 
The height of the volcano alone was sufficient to trap moisture laden air from the coast. Over the millennium the myriad of small streams produced by this trapped moisture carved out this unique and curious landform. Harder rocks resisted this erosion such as the rhyolite cliffs of the caldera rim and the rock composition of the central chamber. These stand as stark testimony of the grandeur that once was. Lyrebird Track A shorter walk catering for the less energetic, the Lyrebird Track crosses Breakfast Creek before winding some 200 m through palm forest to a platform set amongst the lush subtropical rainforest. Useful information
Location and access This World Heritage rainforest park (2 210 ha), located in far north-eastern NSW, is reached by leaving the Pacific Highway at Murwillumbah and following the Kyogle road west for 12 km. Turn onto the Mount Warning Road and travel 5 km to the Korrumbyn Creek Picnic Area at the park entrance. Proceed another 1.5 km along the road to the Breakfast Creek parking area at the base of the mountain. all photos subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without express written permission
Hillcrest Mountain View Retreat
|
