Also available:
Bird watching
Sightseeing
On the walk up to the viewing platform on Burning Mountain you'll enjoy views of the surrounding countryside including Wingen Maid Nature Reserve and Mount Murulla.
Picnics and barbecues
A short distance from the highway at the entrance to Burning Mountain Nature Reserve you'll find a recreation area with a car park, picnic area and toilets. There is also a shady picnic area along the Burning Mountain Walk where you can rest before ascending to the summit.
Walking
The mountain top walking track climbs steadily through open forest and has information panels along the way.
It's best to keep to the track while you're on Burning Mountain, to avoid the danger of hidden cracks caused by subsidence.
Roads, tracks and trails
Burning Mountain walk
- 4.6km (loop)
Walking (medium difficulty, 2 hours )
General information
You would expect a fire sizzling below ground for 5,500 years to have some fairly dramatic effects on the vegetation, and the remarkable phenomenon of Burning Mountain is reflected in the plants and animals adapted to life around it. As you set out from the carpark on a moderate walk to the head of the coal seam, expect to pass through eucalypt groves and other types of Upper Hunter woodland. Plenty of dead trees and hollow logs provide homes for lots of wildlife.
As the fire moves one metre every year, the landscape changes: red gums grow along subsidence cracks, and later you’ll come across narrow-leaved stringy bark, tea trees, and stunted grey gums. There are loads of birds in the area, too, so bring the binoculars if birdwatching is an interest.
Anybody interested in the story of what’s going on below ground won’t be disappointed either: information panels along the track unpack the story of Burning Mountain, including its science and fascinating Aboriginal heritage. A viewing platform is located at the climax of Burning Mountain walk, providing a safe vantage point to view the exhaust vents and rocks transformed by extreme temperatures.
Directions: follow the signs from the Burning Mountain carpark and picnic area to the start of the walk. The walking track is well marked.
Plant communities: dry eucalypt forests
Cultural heritage: Aboriginal heritage significance and pastoral history.
Not permitted here: Dogs. Permitted in council carpark only and must be on leash.
