The Rock lookout
The Rock Nature Reserve - Kengal Aboriginal Place
Overview
The Rock lookout is the terminus point of Yerong walking track, offering stellar scenic views over the surrounding area with great birdwatching opportunities.
- Type
- Lookouts
- Where
- The Rock Nature Reserve - Kengal Aboriginal Place
- Price
- Free
- What to
bring - Hat, drinking water, sunscreen
- Please note
- The weather in the area can be extreme and unpredictable, so please ensure you’re well-prepared for your visit.
- Remember to take your binoculars if you want to go birdwatching
The Rock lookout offers spectacular views, comprises the remains of an old trig point and is a rewarding way to end your hike along Yerong walking track. On a clear day you can see to Galore Hills in the west, and the snow-capped peak of Mount Kosciuszko far in the distance, as well as the Bogong Range and Victorian Alps.
The Rock lookout is a great place for birdwatching, as native peregrine falcons nest at and around The Towers. Artistically inclined travellers might like to bring a sketchbook, or perhaps a camera to capture scenery.
Keep your eyes peeled for wildflowers like bluebells and yellow wattle bloom. Near the bare cliff tops, Dwyer’s mallee gum and drooping sheoak have taken root. After admiring the view, head for The Rock picnic area down below and enjoy a leisurely, well earned lunch.
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/lookouts/the-rock-lookout/local-alerts
Park info
- in The Rock Nature Reserve - Kengal Aboriginal Place in the Murray-Riverina region
The Rock Nature Reserve – Kengal Aboriginal Place is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about The Rock lookout.
Getting there and parking
On entering The Rock Nature Reserve – Kengal Aboriginal Place:
- From the road leading to the reserve, follow the gravel road for approximately 500m to the carpark.
- The Yerong walking track begins at the carpark near the information shelter
Road quality
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- All weather
Parking
Car and bus parking is available.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in The Rock Nature Reserve Kengal Aboriginal Place. Here are some of the highlights.
Autumn
Cooler days after the high heat of summer make this the perfect season to take advantage of the picnic area, stretching out beneath the red gums.
Spring
Spring sees the park bloom with wildflowers, including woolly ragwort, a threatened species native to the area.
Winter
The crisp clear air of winter provides views from the top of The Rock that sometimes stretch all the way to Mount Kosciuszko; this is the best season for walking.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
13.9°C and 28.5°C
Highest recorded
43.7°C
Winter temperature
Average
4°C and 13.5°C
Lowest recorded
-4.2°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
October
Driest month
February
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
87.2mm
Facilities
Drinking water is limited or not available after the picnic area, so make sure you carry some with you.
Maps and downloads
Prohibited
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Nearby towns
Coolamon (46 km)
Easy walking tracks around Coolamon shire help you discover the abundance of native animals, birds and flora. Don't miss Kindra State Forest and Ganmain's Murumbang Interpretive Walk, where bird-watchers can enjoy spotting up to 200 species of birds.
Henty (26 km)
Henty is known for its connections with notorious bushranger Dan 'Mad Dog' Morgan. It's also where Headlie Taylor, a citizen of Henty, invented the grain harvester in 1914. Take the Henty Historical Village Walk to learn more about the town's history.
Wagga Wagga (32 km)
Wagga Wagga is renowned for its stunning parks and award-winning gardens. Take a tour through the 20 hectares of themed garden beds in the beautiful Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens complete with mini zoo and free-flight aviary.
Learn more
The Rock lookout is in The Rock Nature Reserve - Kengal Aboriginal Place. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Geological significance
The reserve sits on the boundary between two major biophysical regions: the Riverine Plains and the western slopes of the Eastern Highlands. This geographic mix gives the area a terrific diversity of landscapes and animal habitats. The Rock itself, unique in the district, is the result of a pressure uplift of sedimentary materials, and is the highest point of a hogback ridge running north to south (The Rock is at the northern end). The summit stands 364m above the surrounding plains.
- The Towers The Towers is a 100m stretch of the north-east face of The Rock, open to rock sports and also popular with photographers and birdwatchers who want to view peregrine falcons.
Living Aboriginal culture: Kengal
The dual name of the nature reserve (since 2005) acknowledges a Wiradjuri cultural presence that stretches back many generations. The Rock is also known as Kengal (meaning ‘sloping hill’), a Dreaming place, lookout, and ceremonial site for the Wiradjuri People and their descendants. It was once used for male initiation rituals. Traditional lore has it that Kengal was created by Baiame, the creator who also taught the Wiradjuri People how to make fire and spears. When settlers arrived in the area, stories go, Baiame left his male and female dingo (Mirrigan) companions, who lay in wait for Baiame’s return, forming The Rock.
'The Hanging Rock’
Charles Sturt first saw The Rock in 1829, though the area wasn’t settled further by Europeans until 1874. They called the remarkable geological feature ‘The Hanging Rock’ because of an overhang on its eastern face. This collapsed in 1874, however, leading to the adoption of its current name – simply, ‘The Rock’. For much of its modern life, the feature has sat on Crown land, and from 1891 its lower slopes were quarried for road base material to provide ballast on a Sydney-Melbourne rail line.
