Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area
Oolambeyan National Park
Overview
Not just an excellent spot for picnicking, Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area in Oolambeyan National Park is also a great spot for birdwatching, walking and cycling.
- Type
- Picnic areas
- Where
- 1002 Oolambeyan Road, Carrathool, NSW, 2711 - in Oolambeyan National Park in Murray-Riverina
- Accessibility
- Hard
- What to
bring - Binoculars, drinking water, hat, sunscreen
- Please note
- There's no camping at this park but you can camp nearby at Murrumbidgee Valley regional and national parks.
- The weather in this area can be extreme and unpredictable, please ensure you’re well-prepared for your visit.
Enjoy walking among the roses, go birdwatching under the trees and find a shady spot to enjoy a picnic at Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area. This peaceful location, 125km from Griffith, is a great spot for a day trip in the Riverina region. If you’ve got the kids with you, they’ll love cycling along neighbouring trails.
During spring and autumn, when the temperatures are mild and the days sunny, many birds, including noisy galahs and pretty blue bonnets, visit the gardens. See kangaroos resting under the boree trees or grazing on the native grass ‘oval’. The sugar gums adjacent to the area are also popular with brown goshawks and black kites.
Visit the historic shearing sheds and other farm buildings, some of them dating back to the 1930s, and discover the historic heritage of this site. It's easily combined with nearby Murrumbidgee Valley Regional Park.
Map
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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/oolambeyan-homestead-picnic-area/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 Oolambeyan National Park in the Murray-Riverina region
Oolambeyan National Park is open from 6am to 8pm 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 Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area.
Getting there and parking
Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area is in the Oolambeyan Homestead precinct of Oolambeyan National Park. To get there:
- From Hay, follow the Sturt Highway east for approximately 55km.
- Turn right into Gum Creek Road
- Take Oolambeyan Road and the Entrance Trail to the homestead precinct
- Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area is approximately 6km from the park entrance and 50m south of the old homestead
Road quality
Check the weather before you set out as the road to Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area can become impassable when it rains.
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- Dry weather only
Parking
Parking is available at Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Oolambeyan National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Autumn
See Oolambeyan Homestead's roses in full bloom during autumn The colour changes in the landscape and the clear days make for lovely walking and beautiful photographs .
Spring
Rainbow bee-eaters migrate to the park, and these small, brightly coloured birds can be seen around the homestead. Wildflowers, such as paper daisies and darling peas, are in full bloom and carpet the landscape in yellow, white, purple and green .
Winter
This is the best time of year to see superb parrots which migrate here to feed in the cypress pines and boree woodland.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
15°C and 33°C
Highest recorded
47.2°C
Winter temperature
Average
4°C and 18°C
Lowest recorded
–3.6°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
June
Driest month
November
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
121.9mm
Facilities
Toilets
Visitors need to use the toilet at the Oolambeyan Homestead, located off the southwest veranda
- Flush toilets
Picnic tables
Barbecue facilities
- Gas/electric barbecues (free)
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - hard
Wheelchairs can access this area with some difficulty.
Prohibited
Camping
There are no designated campgrounds in Oolambeyan National Park. Free camping is not permitted. You can camp nearby at Murrumbidgee Valley Regional Park and Murrumbidgee Valley National Park.
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
Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area is in Oolambeyan National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Flying high
An incredible world of birds can be discovered at Oolambeyan National Park. The park was established to protect the plains-wanderer, however these elusive birds are very rare. Easier to spot are interesting woodland varieties -the yellow-rumped thornbill, superb fairy wren, red-capped robin and apostlebird - common around the homestead picnic area. Get your binoculars out if you fancy spotting a raptor. Wedge-tailed eagles are one of the most notable species you'll find here, building their nests in white cypress pines across the park, but you may also spy black kites and brown goshawks. As well as birds, Oolambeyan is home to many species of animals. Around the old homestead, you’re likely to spy the kangaroos – red kangaroos and eastern and western grey kangaroos – that reside here. During the heat of the day, they often rest under the boree trees, although they also graze on the short grass of the oval. Possums are also common residents, but keep your eyes peeled for shingle-backed lizards, lace monitors and carpet snakes.
- Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area Not just an excellent spot for picnicking, Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area in Oolambeyan National Park is also a great spot for birdwatching, walking and cycling.
Land of the Wiradjuri
This land represents a very important food-gathering region for the local Wiradjuri People. Aboriginal sites, including scarred trees, ovens and stone artefacts, can be found throughout the park.
The recent past
Around Oolambeyan Homestead, constructed in 1926, there are many buildings that will be of huge interest to history buffs. There are ram sheds and a sweating shed (where sheep were held before shearing), some dating back to the 1930s. Jump on your bike or take a hike to find a remote rabbiter’s hut and other historic buildings.
- Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area Not just an excellent spot for picnicking, Oolambeyan Homestead picnic area in Oolambeyan National Park is also a great spot for birdwatching, walking and cycling.