Blue Mountains Walks: Lake Wallace Wallerawang NSW Australia
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Lake Wallace at Wallerawang, west of Lithgow, was formed when a dam was built to supply water to the Wallerawang Power Station.
It has now become a great recreational asset for the local area and numerous visitors.
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Lake Wallace
An aerial tour around Lake Wallace, in Wallerawang, NSW.
This non-commercial video was done with a DJI Phantom, with a pilot and 2 spotters for safety of both people and animal life in the area.
Lake Wallace NSW
Lake Wallace (Wallerawang) in New South Wales, Australia.
Located in the beautiful blue mountains area this camp and recreational area has everything a traveller could ask for.
????Lake Wallace is FREE. No donation or honesty box
⏰48 Hours
⛺️HUGE amount of camp sites to suit all set ups from small cars and tents to big rigs. The sites are not marked out and you can decide how close to the waters edge or facilities you would like to park. Majority of the area is level.
????Phone and internet reception with all major networks
????BBQ's located at the park. They are uncover with tables and chairs near by.
????Taps with drinking water located at the BBQ / park area.
????Power is not available.
???? Large play park suitable for children of all ages. This area includes an old train to explore and swing sets.
????Dogs are welcome at your camp site. There is ample room for them to explore and be walked on the leash. For off the leash play a large enclosed paddock is provided for dogs with drinking bowls.
????Small amount of lighting in the bathroom block.
????One toilet block with both a mens and women's bathroom. It is a short walk or drive from your camp site to these facilities.
????Toilet paper is provided but often empty so bring your own.
????Free hot water showers are located in the bathroom block. The shower head is fixed and is low so not ideal for tall adults.
????Dump point located outside the bathroom block.
????Bins are located throughout the area. These are for general waste and we could not find recycling bins at the camp. A large dumpster is located near the bathroom block car park.
????Wharf for fishing or small boats
????It was not advertised so we are unsure of the rules around this but it was evident that there had been many camp fires in the area and there was a supply of fire wood (tree branches) in the area.
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Vertical living – Australian Reed Warbler at Lake Wallace
This Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis) was filmed in February 2019 at Lake Wallace, Wallerawang (NSW, Australia). The lake was constructed on the Coxs River in the 1970s to provide water for the cooling towers of the Wallerawang Power Station. (The power station was decommissioned in late 2014.) Now the scenic location provides human recreation opportunities and wildlife habitat, particularly for water-oriented birds. Australian Reed Warblers are attracted to the dense vertical vegetation that is normally associated with wetlands and the edges of most water bodies. They are comfortable perching on upright plants such as reeds and rushes and can flit between stems almost unseen. However, these small plain birds make their presence known with their distinct calls and song.
Their frequent singing, even into the night, is a quintessential part of spring and summer in the wetlands of southern Australia. But after the breeding season (September to February) finishes, most Reed Warblers return to northern parts of Australia. Indeed, winter has a very different soundscape in their absence. (Any that stay in the area are probably quiet outside of breeding season.) At the time of filming though (late summer) they weren’t as vocal as what we have experienced in spring at another stronghold for the species, Pitt Town Lagoon (NSW). We have used a segment of their singing there for the introductory photo. (The remaining soundtrack comes from Lake Wallace.) In early spring they are setting up territories, sometimes in a high density situation, and frequent singing is required to maintain them. While there appeared to be several Reed Warblers in a small part of Lake Wallace, the end of the breeding season wouldn’t have the same intensity in activity and vocalisation.
Instead, we were given the best views of this species so far. The Reed Warblers were active in their foraging (diet mainly insects) or scanning their area from vantage points. (But the footage is almost certainly the same bird.) Moreover, we saw one leave the usual haunt of the reed beds and forage for lerps (protective covering of insects called psyllids) in lakeside trees. For more information on Australian Reed Warblers go to
Wallerawang's Lake Wallace just prior to beginning of New Year's Eve event 2017
THIS IS A DASHCAM VIDEO OF LAKE WALLACE, taken about 3:30pm New Year's Eve 2017. For those who could not make it to the huge community New Year's Eve event, or for those who might not have been home for awhile, it might give you an idea of just how many people were camping at the lake today.
HUNDREDS (yes, hundreds!) more cars arrived after this video was taken, there was a steady stream of vehicles moving into the lake area ... and parked in vantage points above the lake ... almost up until the fireworks began at 9:00pm.
IT WAS INCREDIBLE, and the most amazing atmosphere... a very special and joyous occasion for all, and a hugely successful event staged by mostly a handful of caring community volunteers!
Rainbow trout released into Lake Wallace, Wallerawang
Platypuppy in Lake Wallace
I visited Wallerawang NSW Australia it is famous for the 1836 visit of Charles Darwin he stayed at the homestead Wallerowang of James Walker (later to be called Barton Park house). Charles darwin is said to have spotted a platypus in cox River which now flows into Lake Wallace. Barton Park house was the scene of a sad murder the grandchildren of James Walker were killed in 1948 and the house sadly demolished in 1978 to make way for Lake wallace for the Wallerawang powerstation. I visited Eskbank house in Lithgow NSW to see some relics from the Barton park house such as the piano, saddle, rocking horse, childrens bed and the bricks from the barton house stable were used to build the pottery building at Eskbank house. More info on the history of the town Wallerawang and Darwins vist aswell as the barton park house murders an be found here. Platypus sculpture by the artist Tim Johnman.
music is called Mist by Odonis Odonis (Youtube audio library)
Gorgeous Great Crested Grebes – Lake Wallace
These Great Crested Grebes (Podiceps cristatus) were filmed across two visits in February and March 2019 at Lake Wallace, Wallerawang (NSW, Australia). Lake Wallace is a large, artificial water body that was constructed in the 1970s to service the now-decommissioned Wallerawang Power Station (glimpsed in the first photo). Not only does the lake provide a beautiful spot for human recreation (restricted to more passive kinds), it supports a variety of birds species. Moreover, its clean, deep waters with plentiful aquatic life are ideal for waterbirds who mostly feed by diving for prey.
Great Crested Grebes are reliably found at this lake and usually breed around November to March. (Note that August-September is sometimes written but actually refers to Great Crested Grebes in other parts of the world. Sometimes the Australian-New Zealand birds are described as Podiceps cristatus australis.) These unmistakable and undeniably gorgeous birds are mostly seen on open water; here they take care of their young (who often ride on either parent’s back), hunt for food by diving down and swimming underneath the surface, or just float about preening their glorious plumage. Indeed, they are rarely seen on land and any daytime flights tend to be short and low. The adults are relatively silent birds and we could only find two Australian recordings on the worldwide bird sounds site xeno-canto.org Go to to hear adult grebes and for the begging calls of juveniles or chicks. Both were recorded at Lake Wallace, which probably indicates the specialness of this location for Great Crested Grebe encounters. The begging (or near constant nagging) sound of young grebes can be heard throughout the photo introduction and the video. The juvenile on screen was the source of some of the noise, but we also saw another adult grebe with two chicks closer to the opposite bank. Alas, the distance, late afternoon light and ripple of water didn’t allow decent footage of an adorable chick climbing onto a parent and going for a long ride. But some of those delightful moments were captured in the third photo.
To see more of lake and another species with similar needs, visit our Musk Dusk production For more information on Great Crested Grebes see and
Wonderful Wallerawang
I visited Wallerawang NSW Australia or known as Wang to the locals and saw some of the famous landmarks there such as the powerstation, St John the Evangelist Church,and Lake Wallace.
Also the old railway station which is now a cafe
More info
music Mirage by Chris Haugen
Remarkable Musk Ducks – Lake Wallace
These Musk Ducks (Biziura lobata) were filmed in February 2019 at Lake Wallace, Wallerawang (NSW, Australia). This large scenic lake was constructed on the Coxs River in the 1970s to provide water for the cooling towers of the Wallerawang Power Station. (The power station was decommissioned in late 2014.) Over the decades the lake has become a special place for recreation (no power boats allowed thankfully), camping and bird-watching. Lake Wallace also supports a variety of fish and other aquatic creatures. It covers an area of 125 hectares with an average depth around 3.4 metres and a maximum depth of 9-10 metres. The widest parts of the lake are vast areas of open water, but where it narrows down (e.g. western foreshore near Barton Ave entrance) birds can be seen fairly close to shore and amidst the reed beds and other vegetation.
This sort of water body is ideal for a duck species that needs reeds or rushes for nesting and who mainly feeds by diving into the depths for aquatic creatures (e.g. crustaceans, molluscs and fish). Occasionally they supplement their animal-based diet with seeds. But they are rarely seen moving on land; their heavy build, short neck and leg position make walking awkward. Instead, they take to the water...like a Musk Duck! They are supreme divers and may look more like an otter than a typical duck as they move effortlessly through the water with their characteristic low profile. Their stiff tail often lies flat against the water but sometimes is held erect. Although a plain bird in colouring, their special features and behaviour make them mesmerising. Indeed, they are the only species in their genus.
The most spectacular of the sexes is the adult male. He is significantly larger than the female and possesses a leathery circular lobe beneath his bill. In the breeding season this structure can be puffed up, along with his cheeks, as part of his elaborate courtship display. He also emits various sounds and a musky odour. Go to to hear some vocalisations. After a female mates with him she goes off to build her nest and raises the offspring alone. Often only one or two chicks (aka ducklings) survive to young adulthood. Juvenile birds can be confused with adult females when observed separately, but here you can see the size difference. With binoculars we could also see the yellow edge to the lower mandible that signifies a juvenile. When we filmed the male it was probably just past the breeding season (which is typically August – January). He seemed to be enjoying a preen in the late afternoon sun. (The photo captures a moment where he lifts his heavy body to shake the water out.) For more information on these remarkable birds visit and
Lake wallace 13th August 2017
Wallerawang - from coal to nuclear in New South Wales
What's involved in turning an old coal power station site into a clean new nuclear power station.
Dumb and Dumber - Wallerawang, NSW.
A pair of idiots at Wallerawang, 24th February, 2019
Music:
Trout Fishing - Lake Lyell NSW
Nice Rainbow Trout caught fishing the beautiful Lake Lyell in Lithgow
SONG CREDIT:
Artist: Explosions in the Sky
Song: Look Into The Air
Album: How Strange, Innocence
Check them out here:
Blue Mountains Walks: Evans Lookout to Beauchamp Falls Blackheath NSW Australia
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This walk, taking around 3 hours, leads from Evans Lookout (on the Grand Canyon track) down to Greave's Creek. This is then followed to Beauchamp Falls (takes about 15 minutes) from where the track continues to Govett's Leap (Rodriguez Pass) or to the Blue Gum Forest.
It is a majestic walk with fantastic rains forest and fern growth, culminating with the somewhat dangerous descent to the bottom of the falls.
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Newnes Camping Summer 2019
First camping for the Summer of 2019! No network service, no wi-fi but it was a rejuvenating weekend camp in paradise at Newnes campground. Nooothing to do but relax! Looking forward to camping more in 2019!