5
Moderate
Activities
  • Day walks
Accommodation
Meals
  • 8 Dinners
  • 7 Lunches
  • 8 Breakfasts
Trip Code: SOG6807

Trip highlights


  • Blue Mountains welcome to country
  • Cycle around the stunning Blue Mountains cycle trails
  • Explore the Warrumbungle National Park's iconic scenery and unique flora and fauna on foot
  • Join a hike and indigenous program in the culturally significant Pilliga National Park
  • Behind the scenes visit at Siding Spring Observatory
  • Stargazing and camping under the stars in Australia's first Dark Sky National Park
  • Local service work

Activities:

Itinerary

On arrival in Sydney we will be met by our experienced World Youth Adventures guide and head straight to our accommodation in Katoomba. Today we will be formally welcomed to the area by a member of the local indigenous community, the Gandangara people, in a "Welcome to Country" ceremony. This is an ancient ceremony in which the hosting group would welcome the visitors, offering them safe passage and protection of their spiritual being during the journey. Depending on your arrival time we will explore the surrounds including the Cultural Centre in Katoomba and experience their ‘Into the Blue’ World Heritage Interpretive Centre. The "Into the Blue" is a high-tech, interactive exhibition which explores the natural as well as the social landscapes of this unique area. You’ll be invited to navigate your way through these stories via an immersive exhibition experience, introducing you to the richness and wonders of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area.

Meals:  D

Cycling is a perfect way to explore the Blue Mountains. With hundreds of trails to choose, this mornings cycling adventure will allow us to explore Blue Mountains National Park. From our accommodation we drive out to Ridgewell Road in Blackheath where we have a full safety briefing and bike testing. Our cycle will take us on a spectacular route along the Burramoko Trail to Baltzer Lookout and return. We’ll take plenty of breaks to allow us to soak up the fresh mountain air. From amazing sheer sandstone cliffs, deep valley gorges, rivers and giant eucalyptus trees today's cycle is as magnificent as it is rewarding, We then board our vehicle and head North to the spectacular Warrumbungle heritage listed National Park. The Park is based in the Warrumbungle Mountain Range and lies within the Pilliga Important Bird Area. The Park was the first park within Australia to be certified as a Dark Sky Park in 2016.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast we head to the Burbie Canyon Walk before joining the Belougery Split Rock Circuit where we will make our way up the Belougery Split Rock, the first of many summits (7km). We then return to the nearby Visitors Centre for an interpretive short walk before a short transfer or walk back to camp for a relaxing afternoon at camp. This evening after an early dinner we will enjoy a short walk to set up for some evening star gazing. Overnight Camp. Walking distance: up to 10km

Meals:  B,L,D

We have great day in store today with our aim to summit Mt Exmouth via Cathedral Arch. This long trek is also an extremely rewarding one and the 360-degree views from Mount Exmouth (1206m) are simply outstanding. Along the way to the summit, you’ll encounter a varied vegetation community, and basalt rock formations that comprise some of the few remaining pieces of the original volcanic shield. Following Mount Exmouth walking track is to walk back in time, experiencing the best that Warrumbungle National Park has to offer. Return to camp for our final night under the stars. Overnight Camp. Walking distance: 17km

Meals:  B,L,D

We have set aside today for conservation service work with local NGO's and authorities.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we have a wonderful challenge in store as we set our sights on a full day hike summitting Bluff Mountain. This region has wonderful and unusual lava formations from previous volcanic activity. We depart from the start of the track at Pincham Campsite to the rocky summit of Bluff Mountain (1200m) via West Spirey Creek Track. The track is long and steep in parts with some loose rock. It is a challenging however achievable walk that is well worth the effort. Once on the summit of Bluff Mountain you will be rewarded with spectacular views of Mount Exmouth, Tonduron Spire and Mount Naman’s thick lava flows. It is the only point in the park where you can enjoy views of Bluff Pyramid and the vast western plains. We return via the same trail. Overnight Camp.

Meals:  B,L,D

The January 2013 bushfires in Warrumbungle National Park affected more than just plants and animals – it had notable consequences for Aboriginal culture. NSW National Parks is surveying this situation, devising steps to repair the damage, and looking for ways to involve the local Aboriginal community in all aspects of park recovery. One example of this cultural heritage conservation project involves Tara Cave walk, which is the main point for visitors to experience Aboriginal culture in Warrumbungle National Park. Damaged by the bushfires, Tara Cave walk is now being overhauled with new infrastructure and signage, as well as replacement bush tucker plants along the route. This overhaul is being conducted in partnership with the Coonabarabran and Gulargambone Aboriginal communities – a partnership that will hopefully produce new leads for improving management of the park and Aboriginal cultural sites. Cooperative partnerships like this inform revisions to park management and bushfire strategy and encourage Aboriginal employment, training and experience for the local Aboriginal community in the park. This afternoon we visit the Siding Spring Observatory. The Warrumbungles are Australia's first Dark Sky Reserve and an incredible place for astronomy. We will visit the centre and look at all aspects of the program including the Anglo-Australian Telescope, a 3.9 mtr equatorially mounted telescope ranked 5th highest impact in the worlds optical telescope.

Meals:  B,L,D

We have breakfast early and head towards Pilliga National Park. Pilliga is traditional country of the Gamilaroi people and this region is very important to their cultural heritage. We will join a local guide and explore the park and local sandstone caves featuring indigenous rock art. We find out more about the Gamilaroi peoples and their connection to land. The Pilliga Forest is the largest remaining native forest on the Australian continent. Nearly half the Pilliga forest is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to protect this unique area including the habitat of declining woodland bird species and a large koala population.

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning we will rise early and pack up our camp as we prepare for the long drive back to Sydney airport and home. We have plenty of time in our vehicle for a trip debriefing and time to rest before our flight.

Meals:  B


Inclusions

  • Flights ex Melbourne to and from Sydney
  • Professional wilderness guide/s
  • Toorak College teachers joining journey
  • All accommodation
  • All meals
  • National Park fees
  • All transport in private vehicles
  • Group camping equipment including all cooking and eating equipment, camp chairs and tables
  • Emergency communications and group first aid kit
  • Transfers to/from the start of walks within the Warrumbungle National Park
  • All activities including immersion programs
  • Service days

  • Items of a personal nature: alcoholic beverages, car parking etc
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal COVID-Safe face masks and hand sanitiser

Suitability

Moderate

5

We believe our walking adventures are heaps of fun, and we want to ensure you have the best experience possible. It’s important to us that you have the fitness and skills to enjoy your time with us so please read on. For our full day bush walking experiences, participants require a good level of fitness and must be willing and able to walk over rugged terrain with some steep ascents and descents. In order to complete this walk you should already have a good level of fitness and ideally undertake regular exercise three or fours times a week. Experience hill walking with a day pack is recommended. Participants will get the most out of their walk if they feel comfortable walking up and down stairs and on uneven ground.


Departure dates



Essential Information

Ready to book? Make sure you download and read the detailed Toorak College Year 10 Blue Mountains and Warrumbungle's trip notes which contains all the essential information you need to know before booking. Once you’ve booked, we will supply you with a Pre-Departure document which contains a detailed gear list and other important information to help you prepare for your adventure ahead.


Trip reviews


Positive Impact Travel

By joining this trip you are directly supporting positive impact projects in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We’ve offset the carbon emitted by this trip by purchasing credits that support important projects that address the UN’s seventeen SDGs, like reducing poverty, affordable and clean energy, reducing hunger, clean water and climate action.

Proceeds from this adventure purchase carbon credits through the world’s largest and most awarded carbon project developer, South Pole, which are invested into projects accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources in developing countries.

Supported projects are based on internationally recognised standards and are third-party audited. They entail a series of positive impacts on the ground, which benefit local communities and ecosystems, that are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.