De Kerrilleau picnic area

Bungonia National Park

Affected by closures, check current alerts 

Overview

Bungonia National Park, in easy reach of Canberra, is an outdoor adventure playground offering caving, canyoning, rock climbing, abseiling, hiking and impressive views.

Type
Picnic areas
Entry fees
Park entry fees apply
What to
bring
Drinking water, hat, sunscreen
Please note
  • When entering the park, register your intention at the park office visitor register
  • Make sure you have a day use ticket clearly displayed in your vehicle
  • The weather in this area can be extreme and unpredictable, please be well-prepared for your visit.

De Kerrilleau picnic area, in an open woodland setting, is also the trackhead and carpark for Grill Cave, which is popular with family groups, school groups and novice cavers. For those who prefer to stay aboveground, the Green track is also accessible from De Kerrilleau.

Enjoy the picnic area’s excellent facilities, which include a shelter, gas barbecue, picnic tables and toilet block. Cook up a hearty barbecue breakfast before setting out for the day or, alternatively, return to a lentil burger for lunch or a sizzling steak for dinner as a reward for all your efforts.

Of course, you can simply spend the day at De Kerrilleau sitting under a tree finishing off a good book, daydreaming to your heart’s content, or socialising with friends and family. Look out for wallabies, lyrebirds and perhaps even a koala while you’re there. Keep your binoculars handy for bird watching, and have the camera ready for when the triumphant cavers return. After lunch, visit Adams lookout or The Lookdown lookout to take in the spectacular views.

Take a virtual tour of De Kerrilleau picnic area captured with Google Street View Trekker.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Map


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Current alerts in this area

There are no current alerts in this area.

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/picnic-areas/de-kerrilleau-picnic-area/local-alerts

General enquiries

Park info

See more visitor info

Visitor info

All the practical information you need to know about the De Kerrilleau picnic area.

Getting there and parking

De Kerrilleau picnic area is in the centre precinct of Bungonia National Park. To get there:

  • From Bungonia follow Lookdown Road to the park entrance
  • Drive past the park office for approximately 300m
  • Stay to the right at the fork in the road, the picnic area is here on the right.

Road quality

  • Sealed roads

Vehicle access

  • 2WD vehicles

Weather restrictions

  • All weather

Parking

Parking is available at De Kerrilleau picnic area.

Best times to visit

There are lots of great things waiting for you in Bungonia National Park. Here are some of the highlights.

Autumn

After the heat of summer has subsided, take advantage of the milder weather for hiking in the park.

Spring

Enjoy bushwalking in the comfortable temperatures of this time of year when the wildflowers are at their finest. Late in the season, the stands of brittle gum become extremely photogenic as their white trunks turn pink.

Winter

Deeper exploration of caves is possible when their carbon dioxide levels reduce in winter as the warm air from within rises and the caves ‘breathe'.

Weather, temperature and rainfall

Summer temperature

Average

12°C and 26°C

Highest recorded

40°C

Winter temperature

Average

1°C and 13°C

Lowest recorded

-9°C

Rainfall

Wettest month

March

Driest month

September

The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day

200.7mm

Facilities

Amenities

Picnic tables

Barbecue facilities

  • Gas/electric barbecues (free)

Carpark

Drinking water

Maps and downloads

Safety messages

Adventure sports

Adventure sports like climbing, caving, canyoning and abseiling offer a thrilling opportunity to explore our unique environments. Before you head out, be aware of the risks and stay safe during adventure sports.

Mobile safety

Dial Triple Zero (000) in an emergency. Download the Emergency Plus app before you visit, it helps emergency services locate you using your smartphone's GPS. Please note there is limited mobile phone reception in this park and you’ll need mobile reception to call Triple Zero (000).

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.

Learn more

De Kerrilleau picnic area is in Bungonia National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:

Endless caving opportunities

Bungonia lookout, Bungonia National Park. Photo: OEH

Known as the adventure capital of the Southern Tablelands, Bungonia is a place to really test your limits. There are around 200 wild caves in the park, many of which are open for experienced cavers to explore. For an exciting journey of waterfalls and plunge pools, Bungonia Creek and Jerrara Creek are the most popular canyoning spots. Bungonia Slot Canyon provides one of the few opportunities in Australia for climbing limestone and is as dramatic a place to scale a rock wall as its name suggests.

  • De Kerrilleau picnic area Bungonia National Park, in easy reach of Canberra, is an outdoor adventure playground offering caving, canyoning, rock climbing, abseiling, hiking and impressive views.
  • The Lookdown lookout It’s an easy walk from the carpark at the end of Lookdown Road to Bungonia lookdown, which offers superb scenic views into Bungonia Creek Gorge and beyond.

Once upon a time

Shoalhaven Gorge, Bungonia National Park. Photo: OEH

The park lies across the traditional lands of the Njunawal tribal group, the northwest corner of the Wandandian tribal territory and the southern boundary of the Gandangara tribal group. The ridge tops were almost certainly travel routes as people shifted in accordance with the seasonal availability of food. Evidence of campsites exists on the main plateau and limestone dolines contain edible plants consumed or used by Aboriginal people.

One of our oldest parks

Adams lookout, Bungonia National Park. Photo: Ford Kristo

This park is one of the oldest in New South Wales. It was first protected as a water reserve in 1872, which was also the same year the world's first national park - Yellowstone, in USA - was established. Just as Yellowstone's geothermal features pull the crowds, Bungonia's geomorphology, both above and belowground, are its main draw. Louis Guymer was the park's first caretaker (1889-1909), who discovered caves and erected gates and ladders, some of which you may use during your visit.

  • Bungonia Gorge guided adventure treks Go on a day hike or weekend trek to Bungonia Gorge with 100% Adventure. It’s a great way to experience Bungonia National Park, the adventure capital of the Southern Tablelands.

Winged and furry

Lace Monitor, Bungonia National Park. Photo: Mark Selmes

The vulnerable large bent-wing bat calls Bungonia home, and certain caves are closed during the year to help provide a safe environment for breeding and hibernation. When open, look out for a colony, cloud or cauldron of bats as you explore the limestone labyrinths of their natural habitat. A small population of koalas, classified as threatened, also inhabit the park.

  • Adams lookout Adams lookout, great for birdwatching and picnicking, is the only platform in Bungonia that offers a view of the magnificent limestone feature of Bungonia Slot Canyon.
  • Green track Enjoy Green track’s fairly easy hike, a walking track loop through woodlands, gullies, gorges and rainforest, taking in all the park’s major scenic lookouts and wildlife.

Education resources (1)