Tara Cave walking track
Area: Easy lookouts & short loops
Guide updated · Park conditions, track status, heat and fire danger, camping availabilit…
Walk from Old Woolshed picnic area across Wambelong Creek toward Tara Cave on Pilliga sandstone slopes. Official Grade 2, 1–2 hours. Snapshot 15 Aug 2026: viewing platform closed for repair; walk remains open to the platform; Old Woolshed picnic area open. Confirm live on NPWS alerts.
- Grade 2 (NPWS) — gentle climb; creek crossing
- 1–2 hours suggested (NPWS)
- 1.7 km return (NPWS distance field) — intro text has also said 3.4 km [VERIFY live]
- Effort: easy
- Best for: Short interpretive walk focused on Aboriginal cultural heritage (official displays only)
Distance, grade, time and open/closed status change — verify on NSW National Parks (nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/warrumbungle-national-park) and local alerts before you go.
Official NPWS info (verify status)
Tara Cave — Skyline from Whitegum Lookout
Alan Wigginton · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Where you start
Old Woolshed picnic area
Trail leads across Wambelong Creek and through a grassy valley, then climbs gently through eucalypt forest. Check creek height at the Visitor Centre, especially after rain.
How to get there
- Signed picnic access off the main park spine to Old Woolshed picnic area. Vehicle entry applies — [VERIFY] $8.
- Check local alerts before you drive — NPWS lists the viewing platform closed for repair (snapshot 25 Sep 2026).
- Visitor Centre first for creek height, a map and current open/closed status.
- Official heading Open as of 25 Sep 2026 snapshot. Tara Cave platform remains closed for repair — walk only as far as signed open.
How to do it (step by step)
- Visitor Centre first for creek height, a map and current open/closed status.
- Start at Old Woolshed. Cross Wambelong Creek only if the height is sensible — reverse after rain.
- Stay on the signed track. The viewing platform is closed for repair — walk only as far as signed open. Read official interpretive displays. Do not touch or remove artefacts or grinding grooves.
- Return the same way. Picnic at Old Woolshed or BBQ at Canyon picnic area (both listed open as of the 15 Aug 2026 snapshot).
Who this walk is for
Choose Tara Cave for a short interpretive walk about Aboriginal cultural heritage using official displays only. Official Grade 2, 1–2 hours. The page intro has said “gentle 3.4 km return” while the distance field lists 1.7 km return — [VERIFY] live before you quote it.
It is not a cave-tour product and it is not a substitute for Whitegum if you needed sealed access. Stay on the path. Do not enter or interfere with cultural material.
What to expect (and what is closed)
From Old Woolshed picnic area the trail crosses Wambelong Creek and a grassy valley, then climbs gently through eucalypt forest onto Pilliga sandstone. Interpretive displays cover local Aboriginal connection with the land. Tara Cave has evidence of occupation and a stone slab with grinding grooves at the entrance.
NPWS snapshot 25 Sep 2026: the viewing platform is closed for repair. The remainder of the walk remains open as far as the platform. Old Woolshed picnic area remains open. Do not treat the cave platform as a destination until alerts say otherwise.
Logistics
Check creek height at the Visitor Centre, especially after rain. Vehicle day entry applies. Carry water and a hat. Limited reception is official.
Local alerts override this page. Official heading Open as of 25 Sep 2026 snapshot. The viewing platform is still closed. Confirm live the morning you go.
Respect and reverse
Stay on the signed track. Do not touch grinding grooves, remove stone, or invent ceremony for a photo. Official displays are the source. Heritage briefing on this site is a walker note, not a cultural authority.
If the creek is up or the signed line stops at a closed platform, that is the walk. Reverse. Picnic at Old Woolshed or Canyon. Pair with Whitegum if you still want skyline.
Map (orientation)
Pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads, parking and track status on NSW National Parks before you drive.
Interactive map — pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads and road status before you drive.
Extra tips
- Respectful visit only — official sources, no invented stories or protocols. This is Gamilaraay / Weilwan / Wiradjuri Country.
- Spring: everlasting daisies, billy buttons; turquoise parrots and spotted pardalotes in official notes.
- Combine with Whitegum Lookout on a short-energy day. Do not add Fans Horizon stairs after a cultural walk unless that was Plan A.
- Official distance field has listed 1.7 km return while intro text has said 3.4 km — [VERIFY] live before you quote a number.
Often paired with Whitegum Lookout— only if energy and weather allow.
Area guide: Easy lookouts & short loops · All walks · Itineraries
Tara Cave FAQ
Tap a question to expand the answer.
Is the Tara Cave viewing platform open?
No as of the 15 Aug 2026 snapshot. NPWS: platform closed for repair; walk open only as far as the platform; Old Woolshed picnic area open. Confirm live on local alerts.
How long is the walk?
Official Grade 2, 1–2 hours. The NPWS distance field has listed 1.7 km return while intro text has said 3.4 km — [VERIFY] the live track page before you quote a number to the group.
Can we go into the cave?
Treat this as a signed interpretive walk, not a cave-tour product. The viewing platform is closed. Stay on the path. Do not touch grinding grooves or remove material.
Nearby stays & gear (optional)
After the walk plan is solid: Coonabarabran beds and kit searches if you still need them. Official NPWS camping, park fees and government bookings are never affiliated. Guided tours live on the Tours hub — not pushed on every trail.
Nearby stays
Coonabarabran (primary) · Gilgandra · Tooraweenah · Coonamble · Dubbo
- Hotels & stays in CoonabarabranPrimary gateway — closest town, astronomy capital, ~35 km via Timor Rd / John Renshaw Parkway
- GilgandraSouthern approach via Tooraweenah Tourist Drive 1
- TooraweenahSmall western-approach village on Tourist Drive 1
- CoonambleNorth-west approach — some unsealed sections
- DubboRegional hub for flights and car hire — not a trailhead
All Booking.com links open in a new tab and may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Official NPWS camping and cottage bookings are never affiliated.
What to bring
Practical kit for heat, water, grip and dark-sky nights
- Water 2–3 L+ per personNo drinking water on the Breadknife / Grand High Tops track — summer heat often exceeds 30 °C
- Sun hat + SPF50Exposed ridges, volcanic rock and thin shade on the High Tops — burn risk is real
- Sturdy hiking boots / trail shoesSteps, loose rock and Grade 4 ridges — fashion sneakers fail on Spirey Ramp
- Light layers (heat by day, cold at night)Summer days can top 30 °C; winter nights have reached −9 °C — pack both ends
Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Park entry fees and official NPWS camping bookings are never affiliated. Affiliate disclosure · Privacy
Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Park entry fees and official NPWS camping bookings are never affiliated. Disclosure · Tours hub