Monday 27/10/2025 Bennetts Gorge Picnic Area – Bennetts Walking Track – Mount Gundabooka – Valley of the Eagles Walk – Ngana Malyan
Valley of the Eagle (Ngana Malyan) Walking Track
Gundabooka National Park, NSW
Ngemba and Kurnu Baakandji Country (Ngemba and Kurnu Baakandji people)
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
We aimed to head out early on this walk to beat the heat, but by the time we prepared for the walk and drove from Dry Tank Campground to the trailhead, it was 8:00am.
Max elevation: 493 m
Total climbing: 312 m
Total descent: -320 m
Average speed: 2.89 km/h
Total time: 03:01:24
The walk starts at the Bennetts Gorge Picnic Area, and unsurprisingly, we were the only ones in the carpark. The walk is described as difficult over rocky and very steep terrain, but it is only 5.7km in length.
The trail initially leads to a viewing area where the gorge and Mount Gundabooka can be clearly seen. From here it rises gradually initially and then more steeply over rocky terrain. We saw a few wallabies, and I was pleased that we hadn’t seen any goats yet, but up higher in the steep rocky areas, they were unfortunately present. Thankfully, the weather wasn’t too hot, and we had a cool breeze to help us avoid overheating.
Mount Gundabooka
There were trail markers, but at times the path was a little difficult to follow, particularly at the top, where we missed a track marker. As we reached the summit fittingly, a wedge-tailed eagle soared overhead.
The return journey was a bit more difficult as the loose rocks had to be negotiated carefully. Walking poles are recommended. This walk is rated Grade 5, but we did not consider it to be too difficult. It was a pleasant way to spend a few hours.
Amongst other photographically recorded observations during this walk, we were able to confirm sightings of each of the following species: Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps), wedge-tailed eagle
Clickable icons on this world map will open the related trip report
A detailed, searchable trip list with links to reports, photo galleries
The local landscape features, geology, scenic highlights, flora, fauna, Indigenous history, white history and other nearby walks in the area (Perplexity AI Model)
Landscape Features and Geology
Bennetts Gorge marks the western base of Mount Gundabooka, offering access to the Gunderbooka Range’s dramatic red cliffs and rugged slopes. Mount Gundabooka itself reaches 500 metres above the surrounding plains, formed largely from Devonian sandstone and conglomerate deposited some 400 million years ago and later uplifted to create the range that dominates the local topography. The Valley of the Eagles Walk starts on sandy flats dotted with mulga and box woodland and ascends rocky outcrops, culminating in views over the plains and layered escarpment faces. Seasonal creeks, rock shelters, and shallow gullies cut across the terrain, highlighting millennia of weathering and stream flow.
Scenic Highlights
The Valley of the Eagles Walking Track, approximately 5.7 kilometres return and graded as a steep (Grade 5) ascent, is renowned for panoramic views from the summit over the expanse of Gundabooka National Park and the northwest NSW plains. The walk traverses rocky, sparsely vegetated ground punctuated by striking quartz and ironstone outcrops. Bennetts Gorge offers a sheltered gully ideal for picnics, birdwatching, and enjoying sunsets as the sandstone range glows red and orange in the fading light. Aboriginal rock art, depicting dancers, animals, and Dreaming stories, can be viewed nearby in the range’s overhangs and rock faces.
Local Flora
Twenty-one recognised plant communities occur in the park, with the immediate area dominated by mulga (Acacia aneura) and bimble box (Eucalyptus populnea) woodland, open acacia shrubland, and river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) along watercourses. The rocky slopes sustain curly bark wattle (rare Acacia curranii), belah (Casuarina cristata), and scattered prickly wattle, while the understory supports saltbush, spinifex, native grasses, and seasonal wildflowers such as grevillea, wattles, and parrot pea. The Valley of the Eagles supports both drought-adapted shrubs and ephemeral flowering herbs.
Local Fauna
The region is a haven for rare and threatened fauna: pink cockatoo (Lophochroa leadbeateri), painted honeyeater (Grantiella picta), kultarr (Antechinomys laniger), and little pied bat (Chalinolobus picatus) are recorded here. Mallee ringneck (Barnardius zonarius), emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus), shingleback skink (Tiliqua rugosa), and bearded dragon (Pogona barbata) are common on the open plains and slopes. More than 130 bird species, a diversity of lizards, geckos, and nocturnal mammals, including threatened bats, find refuge in the rocky slopes and woodlands.
Indigenous History
This is Ngemba and Kurnu Baakandji country, with Mount Gundabooka holding profound ceremonial, cultural, and mythological significance. For millennia, the range, creeks, and gorges provided water, food, shelter, and stone for tools. Rock art, camp sites, stone arrangements, and scarred trees attest to ancient occupation. The valleys, especially the “Valley of the Eagles,” feature in Dreaming stories and remain important in ecological knowledge and spiritual practice. The park’s establishment in the 1990s returned management partnerships to the Ngemba and Kurnu Baakandji, ensuring continued cultural stewardship and interpretation.
White History
Gundabooka Range first appeared in European records through Charles Sturt’s 1829 expedition. Pastoralism reached the area in the late nineteenth century; Mount Gundabooka and adjoining country were incorporated into outback sheep stations that operated well into the twentieth century. Remnants of pastoral infrastructure such as tanks, shearing sheds, and fences are visible in the area. The park’s creation consolidated several former stations (Ben Lomond, Belah, Mulgowan), prioritising both conservation and the recognition of deep Aboriginal cultural values.
Clickable icons on this world map will open the related trip report
A detailed, searchable trip list with links to reports, photo galleries
