Mount Warning

The Northern Rivers region of NSW is an area which encompasses the worlds oldest subtropical rainforests, magnificent beaches stretching from the Gold Coast to Byron Bay and mountains forged by ancient volcanoes more than 23 million years ago. The Mount Warning Rainforest Park is located right between the Gold Coast and Byron Bay providing the perfect base to explore the cosy mountain villages, lush rainforests, towering waterfalls, golden beaches, funky craft markets, hidden art galleries and the theme parks and nightlife of the Gold Coast.

Mount Warning (Aboriginal: Wollumbin), a mountain in the Tweed Range in the Northern Rivers region was formed from a volcanic plug of the now-gone Tweed Volcano. The mountain is located 14 kilometres (9 mi) west-south-west of Murwillumbah, near the border between New South Wales and Queensland. Due to Mount Warning's proximity to Cape Byron, the Australian continent's easternmost point, it is the first place on mainland Australia to receive the sun's rays each day. Captain James Cook saw the mountain from the sea and named it Mount Warning. He also named a bit of land jutting out of the shoreline as Point Danger (later known as Fingal Head). Together they were named as a point of reference to warn other explorers that came afterward.

The Mt Warning Rainforest Park protects the mountain summit of Wollumbin - Mount Warning. The mountain is the remnant central vent of an ancient volcano, and has a dual name. Captain Cook named it Mount Warning, but to the Aboriginal community it is known as Wollumbin. Wollumbin is a sacred place of great significance to the people of the Bundjalung Nation and it is the site of particular ceremonies and initiation rites. The Bundjalung observe cultural and traditional restrictions forbidding the uninitiated from climbing the mountain, and, as such, generally ask that others also do not attempt to climb the mountain. However, there are several websites that encourage climbers to hike the Mt. Warning - Wollumbin Trail up the mountain. The government National Parks and Wildlife Service advertise this request and do not encourage climbers, but it is not expressly forbidden by park regulations. A climb to the summit to watch the dawn of a new day is a must for the adventurous but please consider choosing to respect Bundjalung Nation heritage. The track is a steep nine kilometre return trip, with a challenging rock scramble at the end.