The New England Wilderness Walk is a spectacular journey through the World Heritage-listed Gondwana rainforests of New England National Park, descending more than 1,000 metres from the New England Tablelands into the upper Bellinger River valley. The route passes through ancient Antarctic beech rainforest, remote forest trails, wild mountain creeks and the remnants of a historic farming community.
The official NSW National Parks walking route is a challenging 33 km, Grade 5, one-way walk, traditionally completed over two or three days. This FKT variation is approximately 38 km, depending on GPS measurements, with around 650 m of climbing and 2,100 m of descent.
Start and finish
The official walking track begins at the Robinsons Knob Trail car park. However, for geographical and scenic reasons, the FKT begins at the cairn at the Point Lookout car park, approximately 1,560 m above sea level.
The FKT finishes at Cool Creek car park at the NPWS sign.
Point Lookout and Lyrebird Walk
From the cairn, the route heads through the Point Lookout walking tracks via Banksia Point and Lyrebird Walk before joining Robinsons Knob Trail.
This opening section passes through ancient Antarctic beech rainforest, moss-covered rocks, ferns and small waterfalls. Despite the relatively short distance, sections are surprisingly technical with slippery boardwalks, rocky outcrops and water flowing across the track. There are spectacular views from the escarpment in clear conditions.
Robinsons Knob and Grasstree Trail
Once on Robinsons Knob Trail, the terrain becomes considerably more runnable. The broad management trail follows the Snowy Range through remote forest, with occasional views across the surrounding wilderness.
At approximately 9-10 km, turn left onto Grasstree Trail to begin the long descent towards Sunday Creek.
Grasstree Trail follows a forested ridge, passing a turnoff associated with the area's historic antimony mining activity. Although predominantly descending, there are several short climbs before a steeper series of switchbacks towards the creek.
The trail has historically been a little overgrown, although recent National Parks clearing work has improved conditions considerably. Track conditions can change, so runners should not assume the entire descent will remain clear or easily runnable.
Sunday Creek and the Bellinger River
At approximately 16 km, the route reaches Sunday Creek and changes character completely.
The next several kilometres involve travelling directly along the creek, with frequent wading, slippery rocks, cascades and occasional opportunities to move along the banks. In low-water conditions, depths may be ankle to knee height, but conditions vary significantly with rainfall.
This is the slowest and most technical part of the route. The creek continues downstream towards its junction with the upper Bellinger River, where additional river crossings and sections of bank-side travel follow.
The creek valley is beautiful, remote and isolated, with steep forested slopes and clear mountain water.
Brinerville and the old Darkwood Road
Beyond the creek section, the route gradually becomes more runnable as it follows old forestry and farm tracks through the upper Bellinger River valley.
The trail passes through the former farming country around Brinerville, where grassy river flats, old roads and remnants of dairy farms and other historic infrastructure reflect the valley's agricultural past. Some historic structures were damaged or destroyed by the 2019 bushfires.
The route continues along the remnants of the old Darkwood Road, sometimes overlooking the Bellinger River and at other times crossing it. Sections of the road are relatively smooth and fast, while others can be grassy, overgrown or difficult to follow.
There are several old track junctions, so careful navigation is important. The final kilometres involve more runnable road sections and river crossings before reaching the locked gate at the end of Darkwood Road.
Navigation and safety
This is a remote wilderness route requiring good navigation skills, self-sufficiency and experience travelling through challenging terrain.
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Carry the FKT GPX and reliable offline navigation.
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Creek and river conditions can change rapidly after rainfall. Avoid attempting the route during high river levels or when significant rainfall is forecast.
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Expect slippery rocks, wet feet, steep descents and potentially overgrown or grassy sections.
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Mobile reception is limited to non existent after Grasstree Trail. Carry appropriate emergency equipment and let someone know your plans.
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Allow for substantially slower progress through Sunday Creek than on the surrounding trails.
The route offers an extraordinary variety of terrain and landscapes, from cool high-altitude rainforest to the subtropical Bellinger River valley. Its combination of runnable trails, remote wilderness, challenging creek travel and local history makes it a rewarding adventure.
