The Warrumbungle Range is a haven for plants from two quite different habitats – the arid western areas and the more tropical eastern ranges. This results from great changes in the climate over the last 10,000 years. Plants closely aligned to those found in the Sydney area can be found along with species common to western woodlands. But the Warrumbungles have many plants endemic to the area and the mountains are a safe haven for a number of endangered and threatened species.
On the hot, dry westward slopes the plants are dominated by those of the inland – wattles such as the boree or weeping myall of the saltbush plains (Acacia pendula), small inland trees such as wilga (Geijera parviflora), the desert lime (Eremocitrus glauca) and the quandong (Santalum acuminatum) with its bright red edible stony-hearted fruit.
The cooler, moister conditions of the sheltered southern and eastern slopes support forests of tall trees normally found in the higher rainfall areas of the Great Dividing Range. Ferns, sundews and orchids are found in the damp gullies. The Rusty Fig (Ficus rubiginosa) grows in crevices and hollows where water is trapped, even in the “split” of “Split Rock”.
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- Warrumbungle National Park
- Warrumbungle flora
- Warrumbungle fauna
- Geology
- European history
- First People
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