Orange Field Naturalist & Conservation Society Inc.

Meet at the Orange High School bus bay at 9am to carpool. 4WD is not necessary. It will be a full day excursion so please bring lunch, water, and any essential medications you may need. Please wear closed walking shoes and suitable clothing as it may be cold.

We will drive to Cowra via Cargo and have a toilet stop at the Rose Gardens Café, just to the west over the Lachlan River Bridge. We will then travel about 9km west along the Mid-Western Highway towards Grenfell. Turn right onto Barryrennie Road, following the signs to Conimbla National Park. Continue for 17km, then turn left into the track to the Ironbark Picnic Area. It is planned to leave the park by 4pm.

The National Parks website says the Ironbark Walking Track is a 4km looped track that takes about 2 hours; however, it will take us at least 3.5 hours if we stop to look at things along the way. The track winds along a ridge and up onto a broad flat plateau, which overlooks Cherry Creek. There is a lookout with scenic views east towards Cowra. A 1.3km walk along the fire management trail completes the loop.

If we are lucky, we may see Glossy Black Cockatoos. While the heath may not be flowering, we may be lucky enough to see some Greenhood or Mosquito orchids. NPWS describes the habitat along the track as dry eucalypt forests, ironbark, black cypress pine, scribbly gum, red stringybark and heathlands.

The National Parks website says the Ironbark Walking Track is a 4km looped track that takes about 2 hours; however, it will take us at least 3.5 hours if we stop to look at things along the way. The track winds along a ridge and up onto a broad flat plateau, which overlooks Cherry Creek. There is a lookout with scenic views east towards Cowra. A 1.3km walk along the fire management trail
completes the loop. NPWS describes the habitat along the track as dry eucalypt forests, ironbark, black cypress pine, scribbly gum, red stringybark and heathlands.

National Parks rate the track as Grade 4 as they say that while it is relatively flat the track is rough with many obstacles (such as tree roots and rocks). Patrick and Marita, who walked it recently said the track had gentle ups and downs but was a bit uneven.