# Wombats



## MrFaulty (May 15, 2008)

Hi, my gf is over from the UK for a year (working holiday) and she loves wombats, so I am hoping to take her camping somewhere where she has a high chance of seeing a heap, any suggestions? I live at Lake Macquarie (NSW) but will travel. The only place I have seen on here which looks likely is Lake Tyers Forest Park (I think a trip report by Junglefisher?), but was hoping a bit closer than that as google tells me thats close to 10 hrs drive.

Cheers
Ben


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2012)

Tent embassy outside parliament has the best view of wombats for most of the year.


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## si75 (Feb 26, 2008)

You could try the Kangaroo Valley area - I have seen a few around that neck of the woods


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## GT79 (Mar 4, 2011)

Is camping near a zoo an option ???


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Oxley Wild Rivers and Wollemi National Parks

Trevor


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## grinner (May 15, 2008)

hay mr faulty,

ive never actually seen one in the wild.

the rarest one i think is the hairy nosed wombat and i think there are a few national parks which are devoted to breeding these. i'm not even sure if you can gain access unless youre a researcher. (maybe the japanese whalers mite help  )

i thought james packer donated a large farm in the hunter valley to be a breeding site as well.

tim flannery wrote a very good book on australias endangered species. quite sad really.

dreamworld on the gold coast has them and i think you can even get in the enclosure with them but i think they are the commoner southern wombat. they have a breeding program as well. hopefully the tigers dont have access to their pen.

all the best, if she wants to see roos , plenty in the park near my place.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

RedPhoenix said:


> .... consistent wombats are a bit harder.
> Red.


Not if you drive through Wollemi NP at night. Drive slowly, there are heaps. This was the NP in which Dave Noble (NSW Parks officer, bushwalker, rockclimber and whitewater paddler) discovered the 'Wollemi Pine'.

Claim to fame: One of the world's oldest and rarest trees
Scientific name: Wollemia nobilis
Family: Araucariaceae
Relatives: Kauri, Norfolk Island, Hoop, Bunya and Monkey Puzzle pines
When discovered: 1994
Where discovered: 200km west of Sydney in a rainforest gorge within the 500,000 hectare Wollemi National Park in the Blue Mountains
Discovered: 10 September 1994, by David Noble, a NSW National Parks and Wildlife Officer and avid bushwalker
Age: The Wollemi Pine belongs to the 200 million year old Araucariaceae family
Oldest known fossil: 90 million years
Wild population: Less than 100 mature trees
Characteristics: Conifer with attractive, unusual dark green foliage, bubbly bark and sprouts multiple trunks

Size: The largest wild Wollemi Pine in the rainforest gorge is 40m tall with a main trunk of 63cm in width

Conservation: Royalties from sales of the Wollemi Pine to support conservation of the Wollemi Pine and other rare and endangered plant species.

How's that for a bit of trivia?

Anyway plenty of wombats.


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

I was lucky to escape with my life when I was charged by a rogue wombat near Bairnsdale in 1983. Stopped by the side of the road for a quiet slash, only to have my reverie abruptly terminated by a snorting, slavering creature about the size and ferocity of your average ankylosaurus. Discretion proved the better part of valour, & I was back in the car before I'd zipped up.

He's probably still there - you'll need backup.


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## 62woollybugger (Oct 16, 2009)

Try Coolendel, up the river from Nowra. Last time I was there, there were a lot of wombats around the camping areas. It's also a good spot to take the kayak & do a spot of bass fishing.


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

----

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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

sbd said:


> I was lucky to escape with my life when I was charged by a rogue wombat near Bairnsdale in 1983. Stopped by the side of the road for a quiet slash, only to have my reverie abruptly terminated by a snorting, slavering creature about the size and ferocity of your average ankylosaurus. Discretion proved the better part of valour, & I was back in the car before I'd zipped up.
> 
> He's probably still there - you'll need backup.


Wombat - eats roots, snakes and leaves. That's why you were in trouble. They especially like large snakes. :lol:

Trevor


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## paffoh (Aug 24, 2006)

MrFaulty said:


> Hi, my gf is over from the UK for a year (working holiday) and she loves wombats, so I am hoping to take her camping somewhere where she has a high chance of seeing a heap, any suggestions? I live at Lake Macquarie (NSW) but will travel. The only place I have seen on here which looks likely is Lake Tyers Forest Park (I think a trip report by Junglefisher?), but was hoping a bit closer than that as google tells me thats close to 10 hrs drive.
> 
> Cheers
> Ben


Ben,

There are dozens upon dozens at the Bendeela campground in Kangaroo Valley, NSW (Just up from Nowra).

Camping is free (Avoid long weekends or holiday periods, too busy) and the fishing is good too!


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## snapperz (Dec 31, 2008)

paffoh said:


> MrFaulty said:
> 
> 
> > Hi, my gf is over from the UK for a year (working holiday) and she loves wombats, so I am hoping to take her camping somewhere where she has a high chance of seeing a heap, any suggestions? I live at Lake Macquarie (NSW) but will travel. The only place I have seen on here which looks likely is Lake Tyers Forest Park (I think a trip report by Junglefisher?), but was hoping a bit closer than that as google tells me thats close to 10 hrs drive.
> ...


x2.Heaps of them at Bendeela.I was talking to a bloke down there one day and he reckoned he woke up in the middle of the night to find his caravan rocking .Went outside to find a wombat scratching his arse on the chassis of the van. :lol:


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## garyp (May 30, 2008)

sbd said:


> I was lucky to escape with my life when I was charged by a rogue wombat near Bairnsdale in 1983. Stopped by the side of the road for a quiet slash, only to have my reverie abruptly terminated by a snorting, slavering creature about the size and ferocity of your average ankylosaurus. Discretion proved the better part of valour, & I was back in the car before I'd zipped up.
> 
> He's probably still there - you'll need backup.


x2!! Those creatures are one of the most highly underrated manhunters in the world today. I believe they are related to the Hip-opoto-mouse (which is widely known to be the biggest killer of humans on the planet)

While playing bush golf in a little town called Dargo in the Victorian mountains I, like SBD, was charged by a mini rhino-sore-ass (sans horn). What followed would have been hilarious if my very life were not in peril. The Beast charged after me for a good 50 meters where I managed to evade it by running into a shed. Not content with having chased me off The Beast spent 5 minutes battering the door with his head. Crazy

(Rumours that I spent the night hiding in the shed and had to drink my own pee to survive are greatly exagerated!)

My advice for your girlfriend is to seek a friendlier animal to look at - maybe a GWS or a Taipan.

Good luck


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

garyp said:


> sbd said:
> 
> 
> > I was lucky to escape with my life when I was charged by a rogue wombat near Bairnsdale in 1983. Stopped by the side of the road for a quiet slash, only to have my reverie abruptly terminated by a snorting, slavering creature about the size and ferocity of your average ankylosaurus. Discretion proved the better part of valour, & I was back in the car before I'd zipped up.
> ...


Oh yeah. Spin us another one.

You sure you southerners aren't having too much weed?


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

I second the Kangaroo Valley region.
We actually had one scratch his back on the chassis of the caravan when we stayed with friends here : http://www.cedarvaleretreat.com.au/ (note, they work there, it is not open to the public to stay in a caravan.) Sounded a lot like someone trying to cut the caravan up with a wood saw.
My in-laws lived up at Wollombi for a while and there's plenty up there too. Look for grassy areas just after dusk or drive the putty road (slowly) after dark.


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## Clarkos (Oct 11, 2006)

leftieant said:


> Alpine NP (Thredbo, Jindy, Perisher etc) might be worth a look. A friend of mine did a 3 year research project on them and used this as her study site.


Was about to say the same thing. There's at least one that I know of that lives in Thredbo village.


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## MrFaulty (May 15, 2008)

Thanks everyone, that should give me a bit to work with and keep her happy


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

Seen lots between Nowra and Kangaroo valley, any friendly farmer would be able to point out where they live.

Do you get drop wombats ?


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## scorpio (Dec 15, 2009)

Be carefull,be very carefull if you head to Kangaroo valley as the wombats have been interbreeding with the tree Kangaroos and Dingos. Look in the trees before you enter a forested area as they wait for anyone wandering into the forest. They are worse than drop bears in that after they have dropped down on you and rendered you helpless, they slowly devour you. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!! Other than the above, I hope you have a great time.


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## Haynesy (May 6, 2011)

I live less than an hour to Tallowa/Bendeela area and I allow up to 90 mins if driving there before sunlight. I reckon I average about 50/60km/h from Mittagong dodging the buggers. They're as big as grizzly bears and move quicker than a thouroughbred.


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## robbiew (Jul 27, 2008)

Plenty of wombats on the rd between bungedore and braidwood on the canberra batemans bay rd. My son wrote off a hire car at christmas.You will only see the at night. I have hit them in a 4 wheel drive,bit like trying to drive over a 44 gallon drum. Good camp ground at the river between Bungendore and braidwmood the name escapes me. cheers rob


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

I just got served by one in a shop, them seem to pop up everywhere.


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## garyp (May 30, 2008)

MrFaulty said:


> keep her happy


Not possible but you keep trying tiger!


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

The vegemite works. I've been doing it for years and haven't been attacked once. Highly recommended.


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## Giga (Jan 24, 2012)

I was about to land a juicy carp at casurina sands here in the ACT when I was confronted by a frothy mouthed specimen. In my haste to get away from this demonic creature I fell into its warren and barely made it out alive...

I had a much happier experience at Birdland at Batemans Bay on the South coast where I held a baby wombat in my arms for one of my disabled clients to pat as it deposited it's square-shaped poo all over my lap


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

For a good dose of the local wildlife, including free range killer wombats & lawn mower eating crocs, take her to the reptile park at Gosford. Can you run faster than her?


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Giga said:


> I was about to land a juicy carp at casurina sands here in the ACT when I was confronted by a frothy mouthed specimen. In my haste to get away from this demonic creature I fell into its warren and barely made it out alive...
> 
> I had a much happier experience at Birdland at Batemans Bay on the South coast where I held a baby wombat in my arms for one of my disabled clients to pat as it deposited it's square-shaped poo all over my lap


"square-shaped poo "! Least they'd be safe from a certain nationality that visits here regularly (the one with a particular affinity with wooly animals)


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

Wrong Trev, I have found their fir to be long enough to wrap around your fingers and softer than the best marino.
Back legs are short, so it can be rough on the knees.


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## Artie (Dec 19, 2011)

keza said:


> Wrong Trev, I have found their fir to be long enough to wrap around your fingers and softer than the best marino.
> Back legs are short, so it can be rough on the knees.


Strangley, I find this comment to be a little incestuous....... :shock:

Robbiew mentioned the camp gound tween Braidwood and Bungendore on the Canberra to Batemans Bay road, I think you mean the Shoalhaven River camp spot, on the highway.... why would you camp right next to a busy highway? I ask that every time I drive past..(every 2 weeks) and yes sometimes DOZENS of expired wombats... and those who drive the road will notice that each expired animal has a pink cross painted on it.....I wondered about this for years until a client who works for the RTA explained that each animal is checked for live young (in pouch) and when cleared, painted so it wont be repeatedly rechecked....

Just some trivia, the stuff you cant live without knowing.....


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## rawprawn (Aug 31, 2005)

We have an old Wombat they comes out every day to take a drink out of a puddle on the track. He doesn't give a stuff about us or the dogs. The dogs back at him but if they get too close he just charges at them and they scatter.


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