Boonoo Boonoo National Park (NSW)

Is a less well know national park and aside from the natural beauty, fragments of the early gold mining settle can still be found.
From a lookout platform you can watch the river plunge 210 m at Boonoo Boonoo Falls (pronounced 'bunna bunoo—a local Aboriginal term for big rocks).
There are 3 major walks in the park, and pinic and camping grounds as well.

Walks,
There are 3 main walks in the National Park,
Morgans Gully Walk which is rated medium diffculty. Boonoo Boonoo Falls Walking Track  0.3 km, 30 minutes and rated easy, and  Mount Prentice Walk
8 km, 8 hours, and rated difficult.

Car touring
Boonoo Boonoo National Park has only one access road which is gravel surfaced and runs north-south through the centre of the park.
The main features of the park, Morgans Gully, Cypress Pine Camping Area and the Boonoo Boonoo Falls, are all easily reached by car.
For day visitors, both Morgans Gully and the Boonoo Boonoo Falls are a must, while for overnight campers Cypress Pine Camping Area is a pleasant riverside campsite.

Lookouts & photographs
Like all national parks, the natural scenery at Boonoo Boonoo offers many photographic possibilities. The best known feature of the park, Boonoo Boonoo Falls has an outstanding lookout for photographers, and the park's spring wildflowers and wildlife also make excellent photographic subjects.

Swimming
There are numerous waterholes in the Boonoo Boonoo River, and a popular swimming area at the large pool just above the Boonoo Boonoo Falls. You can get to the pool via a walking track from the picnic area.
Be aware that the water of the Boonoo Boonoo River is cold, and there are submerged rocks and logs.

Boonoo Boonoo Falls Picnic Area
There's a picnic galley with tables and gas barbecues at the Boonoo Boonoo Falls Picnic Area, the most popular visitor destination in the park. Wood fireplaces and tables are also provided. Firewood is supplied, but bring your own gas cooker if possible.
There are no bins so please take your rubbish away with you.

Morgans Gully and Cypress Pine Camping Area
A wood fireplace and table are provided at Morgans Gully, and Cypress Pine Camping Area has a galley with gas barbecues, wood fireplaces and tables.

Vehicle entry fees
If you're driving into the park, you will need to purchase a vehicle day pass. This costs $7. The park has coin-operated 'pay and display' machines - please bring correct coins. If you're a regular visitor to NSW national parks, you can save on vehicle entry fees by buying an annual pass. Annual passes are available online.

Camping grounds where fees apply
For more information on any of these camping grounds, see the park camping page.
Cypress-pine camping area (15 sites)
Fees: $10.00 per adult per night, $5.00 per child per night.
 

Morgans Gully Walk
(rated as medium difficulty)
There is no formal walk through Morgans Gully as much of the site is exposed granite rock.
Morgans Gully is an old goldfield that came to prominence towards the end of the last century attracting European and Asian miners. Little gold was extracted and by 1905 mining ceased.
The eastern end of the gully contains a hand-dug water race where gold bearing gravels were washed and two old pressure cylinders used in the gold extraction process are located in the woodland a little further east.
The tributary creek flowing through Morgans Gully drops over a small waterfall as it empties into a very pretty part of the Boonoo Boonoo River.
Spring flowering wildflowers are abundant around the Morgans Gully area.
Plant communities on this walk: Woodlands
Other features: Wildflowers, Aboriginal/historic sites

Boonoo Boonoo Falls Walking Track
(0.3 km, 30 minutes and rated easy)
The walk begins at the Boonoo Boonoo Falls Picnic Area and follows a sealed track to a viewing platform overlooking the falls. The track and the viewing platform are fitted with safety railings and informative signs.
The track follows the southern side of the Boonoo Boonoo Gorge through forest and woodland, where you'll see interesting displays of native wildflowers in spring. At the base of the gorge, 210 m below the escarpment, an area of rainforest is fed by the constant spray of the falls.
The picnic area has a cooking galley with gas barbecues and tables and wood fireplaces are also scattered around the area. Toilets are provided.
Local legend has it that the famous poet Andrew Barton 'Banjo' Patterson courted Alice Walker, daughter of the owner of Tenterfield Station, at the falls lookout.
From this track you can also get to a swimming area in the Boonoo Boonoo River, above the falls.
Plant communities on this walk: Rainforests, Eucalypt forests, Woodlands
Other features: Lookouts, Waterfalls, Swimming, Wildflowers, Aboriginal/historic sites

Mount Prentice Walk
(8 km, 8 hours, and rated difficult)
Start at the cattle yards on the park access road. The track shortly crosses the Boonoo Boonoo River, then continues north-west through forest and woodland. You'll cross numerous rock outcrops as well as several small creeks before arriving at the eastern face of Mount Prentice.
The ascent of Mount Prentice is steep in places but the view from the summit is ample reward. You'll have views in all directions, with Cunninghams Gap, Mount Lindesay and Mount Barney to the north-west. You can see Bald Rock to the west.
When returning from Mount Prentice most walking groups follow the upper reaches of Branch Swamp Creek north-east before turning south to the cattle yards where the walk ends.
Allow a full day for the return walk, take a snack, wear good walking boots and use sunscreen.
Wildflowers are abundant during spring.
Plant communities on this walk: Eucalypt forests, Woodlands
Other features: Wildflowers

How to get There

• From Stanthorpe take the road to Amosfield, then turn south towards Tenterfield along the Woodenbong Road.
• Between Amosfield and Bald Rock National Park the road is unsealed.
• Continue south past Bald Rock for a further 7 kilometres to the Bonnoo Boonoo National Park/Boonoo Boonoo Falls turn off.
• Follow this road for 4 kilometres to the park boundary.
• The 9 kilometre park access road is unsealed and ends at the Boonoo Boonoo Falls Picnic Area.
• Road quality: unpaved sections