Caloma lookout
Goobang National Park
Overview
Take a short, easy walk from the carpark to Caloma lookout to get incredible views out over Goobang National Park. It’s a great day trip from Parkes, Dubbo, or Peak Hill.
- Type
- Lookouts
- Where
- Goobang National Park in Country NSW
- What to
bring - Drinking water
- Please note
- Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch.
Caloma lookout is set on one of the highest points in the Wanda Wandong sector of Goobang National Park.
A short 50m stroll leads to the rewarding westerly views. It’s a great place to truly appreciate the diverse range of plant and animal life this incredible park has to offer. From the lookout you can often spot birds of prey, such as wedge-tailed eagles, brown goshawks and brown falcons, soaring across the sky.
Black cypress pines, grevilleas, lomandras and heath line the path to the lookout. There are many tall grass trees in this area too, some of which are believed to be hundreds of years old.
Map
Map legend
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/caloma-lookout/local-alerts
General enquiries
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Park info
- in Goobang National Park in the Country NSW region
Goobang National Park 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 Caloma lookout.
Getting there and parking
Caloma lookout is in the Wanda Wandong sector of Goobang National Park. Once in the park, follow Eastern Boundary trail for 3.2km. At this intersection, continue south onto Pipeclay Creek trail, and travel a further 5.2km. Turn right at the intersection with Sawpit Gully fire trail and then left into Caloma Trig trail and travel 1km to the lookout.
Road quality
Check the weather before you set out as the road to Caloma Trig may be closed following heavy rain.
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- Dry weather only
Parking
Limited parking is available at the Caloma lookout carpark.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Goobang National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Autumn
The temperate climate makes it a good time to bushwalk on several different walking tracks or fire trails. More experienced walkers can explore the park further and head off the beaten track. Clear, crisp autumn skies mean stargazing is at its best from Wanda Wandong campground. .
Spring
Enjoy the wildflowers and flowering shrubs in full, beautiful bloom. Drive up to Caloma lookout for great views of the surrounding farming country with its mosaic of canola, cereals and pasture paddocks .
Summer
Make the most of the free gas barbecues at Wanda Wandong campground to unwind after some active park exploration.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
17°C and 33°C
Highest recorded
45.1°C
Winter temperature
Average
7°C and 17°C
Lowest recorded
-6.2°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
January
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
133.9mm
Facilities
Picnic tables
Carpark
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.
Learn more
Caloma lookout is in Goobang National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Aboriginal sites and storylines
Wiradjuri (Yuradjurray) people lived mostly on the flats east of Herveys Range escarpment and in the central and southern Curumbenya Range. A large range of sites including open camp sites, stone arrangements, quarry and axe grinding grooves can be seen throughout the park. Scarred trees exist near Wanda Wandong campground. Oral stories have been passed down through generations about the mythological importance of these lands, and many parts of the park have been used for Aboriginal ceremonies. Wanda Wandong Woodland walking track includes several informative signs that give insight into the local Aboriginal culture.
Birds aplenty
Birdwatchers will love Goobang. Many unique species can be seen here; parrots, including the eastern rosellas; little lorikeets; red-rumped parrots; and threatened glossy black cockatoos are all regulars. You may spot wedge-tailed eagles and brown falcons soaring overhead from some of the higher vantage points in the park. The heathlands and shrubs also support many small birds, such as wrens, thornbills, warblers, pardalotes, finches and robins.
- Burrabadine walking track Burrabadine walking track, accessed from Greenbah campground, takes you to the top of Burrabadine Peak for scenic views to the west of Goobang National Park.
- Caloma lookout Take a short, easy walk from the carpark to Caloma lookout to get incredible views out over Goobang National Park. It’s a great day trip from Parkes, Dubbo, or Peak Hill.
Leaf lovers dream
Over 500 plant species have been recorded in the park, making the vegetation in Goobang National Park part of the largest remaining forest woodland complex in the central western slopes of NSW. The park contains an enormous diversity of vegetation types, including several communities and species which require a particular focus on conservation. Expect to see red ironbark, mugga ironbark, black cypress pine, red stringybark, Blakely's red gum, yellow box and grey box, shrubby sheaok, heaths, pink five-corners, wattles, mat rush, tea trees, grevilleas, hopbush, as well as a large diversity of native grasses, herbs and forbs that put on a colourful display in spring.
- Burrabadine walking track Burrabadine walking track, accessed from Greenbah campground, takes you to the top of Burrabadine Peak for scenic views to the west of Goobang National Park.
- Caloma lookout Take a short, easy walk from the carpark to Caloma lookout to get incredible views out over Goobang National Park. It’s a great day trip from Parkes, Dubbo, or Peak Hill.