GARDENS OF STONES NATIONAL PARK

0379 Garden of Stones National Park

This World Heritage area features stunning rock pagodas, sandstone cliffs, canyons and breathtaking scenic views. From: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Image by: Peter Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0380 Garden of Stones National Park

To walk among the exquisite and varied rock pagoda formations, sandstone cliffs and canyons at Gardens of Stone National Park is a memorable experience. The extraordinary rock shapes, the stunning scenic views over the valleys and the mesa of Pantoneys Crown make this area of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area a must for photographers. From: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Image by: Hazel Hogarth Taken September 2017

0381 Garden of Stones National Park

This rugged territory is also a haven for adventurers, with excellent opportunities for canyoning, mountain-biking and serious bush-walking or hiking. From: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Image By: Peter Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0382 Garden of Stones National Park

Admire rare yellow pagoda daisies bursting from the rocks, blue tongue lizards, and wood geckos basking on the warm stone. You may even be lucky enough to spot a koala in the east of the park. From: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Image By: Peter Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0383 Garden of Stones National Park

The diversity of the park supports a wonderful array of birdlife - this is an internationally-recognised bird watching area. You may see such threatened birds as the regent honeyeater, swift parrot, spotted harrier, square-tailed kite, turquoise parrot, lyrebird, and many more. Taken From: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Image By: Peter Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0384 Gardens of Stone

Walkers may also come across rare broad-headed snakes, Lesueur's gecko, heath monitors, brown antechinus, bush rats and occasional quolls. Brush-tailed rock wallabies can be seen along the caves and ledges, and the upland swamps in the eastern part of the park are home to giant dragonflies. From: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Image By: Peter Hogarth Taken September 2017

0385 Gardens Of Stones

The geological evolution of this park has produced Triassic Narrabeen sandstone cliffs, slot canyons, grand mesas and the beautiful, yet often strangely delicate, pagodas. These pagodas are formed by wind and rain shaping the Banks Wall and Burramoko sandstone layers that spread right across the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, and they range from quite small to over 60 metres in height. They are amazingly beautiful against the blue mountain sky. From; NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Image By: Peter Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0386 Gardens of Stone

Canyoning, mountain-biking the Crown Creek Fire Trail, or climbing Pantoneys Crown or Donkey Mountain are some of the activities. Come well prepared into this remote and sometimes challenging country. From: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Image By: Peter Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0387 Gardens of Stone

The Gardens of Stone National Park is a protected national park that is located in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales in eastern Australia. The 15,080-hectare (37,300-acre) national park is situated 125 kilometres (78 mi) northwest of Sydney, and 30 kilometres (19 mi) northwest of Lithgow. The national park draws its name from the natural stone pagodas within its boundaries. From: Wikipedia Image by: Peter Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0388 Gardens of Stone

The Gardens of Stone National Park is one of the eight protected areas that, in 2000, was inscribed to form part of the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Greater Blue Mountains Area. The national park forms part of the Great Dividing Range. From: Wikipedia Image by: Peter Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0389 Gardens of Stones

The most prominent features of the park are the sandstone pagoda landscapes and cliffs and canyons. Limestone outcrops, karsts and elevated swamps are other unusual features. From: Wikipedia Image By: Peter Hogarth Taken September 2017

0390 Gardens of Stone

The park is bounded on the west by the Castlereagh Highway; to the north by the Glen Davis Road; to the east by the Wollemi National Park; and to the south by the Newnes State Forest, the Wolgan Valley, and the Wolgan State Forest. The rural localities of Capertee, Ben Bullen, and Glen Davis are located on the edge of the national park. From: Wikipedia Image By: Peter Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0391 Gardens of Stones

The Newnes Plateau region was proposed for conservation in 1932 as part of a Greater Blue Mountains National Park by the National Parks and Primitive Areas Council. Lobbying for protecting the area increased after the establishment of Wollemi National Park in 1979. The National Parks Association proposed its extension westwards in 1984, which developed into a detailed proposal of an 18,030-hectare (44,600-acre) park in 1993, which was ultimately successful. The Gardens of Stone National Park was established in 1994; however, the initial park only covered 11,780 hectares (29,100 acres), omitting areas which contain coal deposits. It was later enlarged to 15,080 hectares (37,300 acres). Environmentalist groups seek to protect more of the surrounding area, which includes pagodas, canyons, heathland and elevated swamps. From: Wikepedia Image By: Peter Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0392 Gardens of Stones

A total of 423 native plant species have been recorded in the park in 30 different plant communities. Most of the park is covered in open forest or woodland dominated by eucalypts. In the west of the park, there are ironbark (Eucalyptus fibrosa and E. crebra) and yellow box (Eucalyptus melliodora) woodlands that grow on clay loam and are a habitat for the rare regent honeyeater and turquoise parrot. There is white box (Eucalyptus albens) woodland in the southwest and scribbly gum (Eucalyptus rossii and E. sparsifolia) woodland on the park's eastern borders. From: Wikipedia Image By: Hazel Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0393 Gardens of Stones

The plant and animal communities of the pagoda formations are fragile and easily irreversibly damaged by human activity. Collection of bush rocks for gardens and landscaping removes habitat for reptiles. From: Wikipedia Image By: Hazel Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0394 Gardens of Stones National Park

Gardens of Stone is a marketing name that stuck. After Wollemi National Park was secured in 1979, conservation groups such as the Colo Committee turned their attention to the spectacular unprotected escarpments edging the Wolgan and Capertee Valleys north of Lithgow. They needed a name for the area which would highlight its very special qualities to the public. From: Greater Blue Mountains Website Image By: Hazel Hogarth Taken: September 2017

0395 Gardens of Stones National Park

Anyone who explores the escarpments in springtime will agree that Gardens of Stone is an entirely apt description. They will see waves of flowering heathland punctuated with many weird and wonderful shapes of sandstone that cascade down to the edge of ochre-coloured clifflines. These outcrops display intricate fretwork and natural sculptures of ironstone that are endlessly fascinating, and can be compared to beehives, towers, turrets, domes, pyramids and even oriental temples – which is why they have come to be known as ‘pagodas’. From: Greater Blue Mountains Website Image By: Hazel Hogarth Taken September 2017

0396 Gardens of Stones National Park

A Gardens of Stone National Park was finally created in 1994. It covers 15,000 hectares and joins Wollemi National Park on the northern part of Newnes Plateau. Other large landscape features include the outstanding mesas of Donkey Mountain in the Wolgan Valley and Pantoneys Crown in the Capertee Valley. Pantoneys Crown was previously protected in a much smaller nature reserve, and is the centrepiece of the commanding view of the valley from Pearsons Lookout on the Castlereagh Highway. From: Greater Blue Mountains Website Image By: Hazel Hogarth Taken: September 2017