Woomargama

Woomargama National Park is a large semi-arid woodland and grassland park in the south-western slopes of New South Wales, located between Albury and Tumbarumba near Holbrook. Covering approximately 20,250 hectares, the park protects significant areas of box-ironbark woodland, grassy woodland, and open grassland on the productive soils of the south-western slopes. The park is critically important for the conservation of threatened woodland bird species including the superb parrot and swift parrot, and provides significant habitat in the heavily cleared south-western slopes landscape.

Woomargama National Park is one of the most important sites for threatened woodland birds in southern NSW. The critically endangered regent honeyeater has been recorded breeding. The superb parrot breeds in the woodland. The swift parrot winters in the woodland. Gang-gang cockatoos and glossy black-cockatoos inhabit the forest. Diamond firetails, varied sittellas, and diverse woodland birds are present. Eastern grey kangaroos and common wombats are abundant.

Yellow box and grey box grassy woodland dominates the park, representing one of the best remaining examples of this critically endangered vegetation community in the south-western slopes region. White box woodland and river red gum gallery forest along creek systems provide additional habitats. Native grasses and wildflowers form the woodland understorey. Scribbly gum woodland occurs on sandy ridges.

The park is situated on the south-western slopes of the Great Dividing Range, underlain by Silurian and Devonian sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. The fertile soils have supported the productive woodland communities that have been extensively cleared for agriculture.

Warm temperate to semi-arid climate. Annual rainfall approximately 550 to 700 millimetres. Hot summers, cold winters with frosts.

The Wiradjuri people are the traditional custodians of the south-western slopes. Extensive clearing for wheat farming from the 1880s transformed the landscape.

Woomargama National Park was established on former pastoral properties specifically to protect the box woodland communities and threatened woodland birds of the south-western slopes.

Birdwatching for threatened woodland species is the primary attraction. The park is an important site for regent honeyeater and superb parrot conservation programs. Walking through the box woodland provides a rare experience of intact grassy woodland.

Basic camping with limited facilities. Access via roads from Holbrook. Holbrook provides visitor services. Approximately 580 kilometres south-west of Sydney. A national parks pass applies.

Regent honeyeater and superb parrot habitat management is the primary focus. Controlling invasive pasture grasses and restoring woodland understorey quality is essential. The park's role in the conservation of critically endangered box-ironbark woodland is of national significance.