Wollumbin National Park

Byron Bay & Northern NSW


Surrounds Wollumbin/Mt Warning (1156m), the most dramatic feature of the hinterland, towering over the valley. Its Aboriginal name, Wollumbin, means ‘cloud catcher’, ‘fighting chief of the mountain’ or ‘weather maker’. Its English name was given to it by James Cook in 1770 to warn seafarers of offshore reefs.

The summit is the first part of mainland Australia to see sunlight each day, a drawcard that encourages some to make the rather risky trek to the top. Under the law of the local Bundjalung people, only certain people are allowed to climb the sacred mountain; they ask you not to climb it, out of respect. Alternatively, see the sunrise from Pinnacle Lookout. More information is available from the Murwillumbah Visitor Information Centre.

Wollumbin is part of the Gondwana Rainforests World Heritage Area. Keep an eye out for the elusive Albert's lyrebird on the Lyrebird Track (300m return).