The Barrington Tops National Park is a protected area located in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1969, the park covers 76,512 hectares (189,070 acres) and is found between the towns of Scone, Singleton, Dungog, Gloucester, and East Gresford.

This park is part of the Barrington Tops group World Heritage Site called the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, which was added to the list in 1986. It was also included in the Australian National Heritage List in 2007.

Additionally, the park is part of the Barrington Tops and Gloucester Tops Important Bird Area.

Environment

Barrington Tops is part of the Mount Royal Range, which is a branch of the Great Dividing Range. It is a flat highland area located between two large mountains in the range. The park is thought to have been a volcano that is no longer active. The mountain ranges are made of a mix of sedimentary rocks and a hard rock called granite on top. Over time, erosion has worn away the granite, creating rounded boulders in some parts of the park. Scientists estimate the rocks are 300 to 400 million years old, long before Australia separated from the ancient landmass called Gondwana.

The climate changes with altitude. Lower areas have a temperate climate, while the highest parts have a colder, subalpine climate. The lowest temperature ever recorded in the park was −17 °C (1 °F) at 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) above sea level. Rainfall varies, with about 750 millimeters (30 inches) in the northwest and more than 2,000 millimeters (79 inches) in the southeast.

The park’s environment ranges from subtropical rainforests in the valleys to cold, high-altitude areas on the mountain peaks. Snow often falls on the peaks each year and sometimes causes roads to close. Rainfall in the park can be as high as 1,500 millimeters (59 inches) annually.

Many types of plants and animals live in the park. The steep terrain helps protect them from human disturbance. Trees such as eucalypts, snow gums, and subtropical rainforest species like Antarctic beech grow in the area. Other plants include tree ferns, mosses, ferns, and edible plants such as native raspberry, native cherry, and lilli pilli.

Because much of the park is remote and difficult to reach, some animals have remained undisturbed. Scientists have recorded many species, including barking and sooty owls, eastern grey kangaroos, frogs, pademelons, cockatoos, rosellas, kookaburras, bats, and echidnas. The park is also home to important populations of rufous scrub-birds, flame robins, pale-yellow robins, paradise riflebirds, green catbirds, regent bowerbirds, and Australian logrunners.

Some animals, like quolls, native rodents, and platypus, are shy but may be seen. However, not all animals are beneficial. Non-native species such as feral horses, deer, pigs, goats, foxes, and cats are being removed to protect the park’s natural wildlife.

History

The original people who lived in the area are Aboriginal Australians, including the Gringai people (who live in the southern valleys), the Wonnarua people (who live in the western country), and the Worimi and Birpai people (who live on the eastern side).

In 1969, the area between Mount Barrington, Mount Royal, and the Gloucester Tops became Barrington Tops National Park. In 1986, it was added to the World Heritage List and later became a Wilderness Area. Some rivers in the Barrington Range are called wild rivers because they are very clean and not polluted. The highest peak is Brumlow Top, which reaches a height of 1,586 metres (5,203 ft).

Several airplanes have crashed in and around the Barrington Tops. Aeroplane Hill is named after one of these crashes. The high altitude, frequent fog and clouds, storms, and cold weather (which can cause ice on planes) make this area dangerous for flying. One article refers to the area as the "Devil's Triangle."

• April 16, 1945 – A De Havilland Mosquito A52-70 crashed. Wreckage was found in January 1946 in the national park. Parts like the propeller, ailerons, and machine gun were displayed at the Barrington Tops Guest House.
• September 25, 1967 – A RAAF Mirage III-O A3-52 crashed. The pilot safely ejected. The ejection seat was later displayed at Fighter World aviation heritage centre.
• September 14, 1969 – A Lockheed Hudson VH-SML crashed in the foothills. Three people were killed.
• August 9, 1981 – A Cessna 210 VH-MDX crashed. Five people were killed. Searches have not found wreckage or bodies.
• August 3, 1987 – An Aermacchi MB-326 H A7-079 (built as CA30-79) crashed. The crew safely ejected. Wreckage was found by bushwalkers on April 28, 1995. One crew member was rescued from a tree after three hours.

The Barrington Guest House was built starting in 1925 on the upper Williams River near Barrington Tops by Norman T. McLeod, who was the licensee of the Royal Hotel in Dungog. He used wood from the property that was cut and processed there. The guest house was built on land covering 10.5 hectares (26 acres) of forest surrounded by National and State Parks. It was officially opened in 1930 by Earle Page, the Leader of the Country Party, with about 200 guests attending.

The guest house was a popular place for visitors to stay in the park until it burned down at 11:00 PM on September 24, 2006, because of an electrical problem. The fire was not considered suspicious. At the time of the fire, the guest house was being modernized under new ownership. Plans to rebuild have not been completed, and only part of the old chimney remains on the site. The guest house has had many owners over time. Mattara Investments, trading as Barrington Guest House, bought the property in 1976. However, due to business problems, it was placed into voluntary administration in 2000. After that, David and Susan Eissa took over the business in February 2002. Only one more owner is known since then, according to a now-defunct website: Natalie Day and Tony Horley bought it in January 2004. In April 2024, the site was purchased by a group of former guests and owners who are working to make the area safe for future visits in 2025.

Access

Barrington Tops is a common place for weekend trips from Sydney and Newcastle. Many walking trails and camping areas are found throughout the park. The park also has clearly marked and in good condition gravel roads, as well as special paths for 4WD vehicles that lead to less visited areas. Visiting sights can be done using vehicles that do not go off-road. In addition to camping, nearby towns such as Gloucester and Dungog offer many places to stay. The park is managed by the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, and rangers check the area every day.