Budds Mare to Riverside Walking Track

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Warning
This journey requires significant bushwalking experience, specialised equipment and navigation skills.
Please ensure you and your group well prepared and equiped for this journey.

Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	(-30.9793219,151.9686848)
Mode	Car
Directions	From Fitzroy Street, B56 Turn on to Middle Street then drive for 930 m Turn right onto Jamieson Street and drive for another 130 m Continue onto Emu Creek Road and drive for another 6.5 km Turn right onto Moona Plains Road and drive for another 20.3 km Continue onto Moona Plains Road and drive for another 5.7 km Turn left onto Bukeiro Road and drive for another 9.4 km Turn right and drive for another 10 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start.
	After another 490 m continue straight.
	After another 85 m turn left. After another 10 m pass the "Budds Mare" (10 m on your right). Then pass the toilet (50 m on your left). After another 50 m come to the camp site (10 m on your right). After another 25 m come to the "Budds Mare Lookout" (15 m on your left).
	After another 1.5 km continue straight.
	Continue another 3.8 km to find the end. Then turn around here and retrace the main route for 6 km to get back to the start. About 20 m past the end is "Riverside". About 40 m past the end is a toilet. About 100 m past the end is "Day visit".

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Budds Mare to Riverside Walking Track

Grading

	Class 5/6 Very challenging
Length	11.9 km
Time	5 h to 7 h

Quality of track	Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
Gradient	Very steep and difficult rock scrambles (5/6)
Signage	Clearly signposted (2/6)
Infrastructure	Limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) (4/6)
Experience Required	Moderate level of bushwalking experience recommended (4/6)
Weather	Foretasted & unexpected storms and severe weather may impact on navigation and safety (4/6)

Some facilities on route

Camp site: There are 2 on route, on average they are 4 km apart with the largest gap of 5.9 km.

Toilet: There are 2 on route, on average they are 4 km apart with the largest gap of 5.9 km.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Toilet	580 m	[toilet]
Camp site	630 m	[camp site]
Camp site	6 km	Riverside
Toilet	6 km	[toilet]

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Walcha Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue
  
  Wednesday 23 Jul
  
  12°C
  Showers.
  90% chance of rain
  
  Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, becoming less likely this evening. The chance of a thunderstorm during the morning and afternoon. Winds northerly 15 to 20 km/h tending northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h in the early morning then tending westerly in the late afternoon.
  Fire Danger: No Rating
  UV Alert: Sun protection 10:30am to 1:30pm, UV Index predicted to reach 3 [Moderate]
  
  Thursday 24 Jul
  
  -3°C → 10°C
  Morning frost. Sunny.
  5% chance of rain
  
  Sunny. Morning frost. Light winds becoming southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h in the morning then becoming light in the late afternoon.
  
  Friday 25 Jul
  
  -5°C → 12°C
  Morning frost. Partly cloudy.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. Morning frost. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening.
  
  Saturday 26 Jul
  
  1°C → 12°C
  Rain.
  95% chance of rain
  6 → 20mm
  
  Cloudy. Very high chance of rain. Winds northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h tending northerly 25 to 35 km/h during the morning then tending northwesterly during the afternoon.
  
  Sunday 27 Jul
  
  1°C → 8°C
  Showers increasing. Windy.
  80% chance of rain
  0 → 4mm
  
  Cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Winds west to northwesterly 30 to 45 km/h.
  
  Monday 28 Jul
  
  0°C → 8°C
  Shower or two. Windy.
  60% chance of rain
  0 → 3mm
  
  Cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely during the morning. Winds westerly 30 to 35 km/h increasing to 25 to 40 km/h during the morning.
  
  Tuesday 29 Jul
  
  -3°C → 10°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 2mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Morning frost. Medium chance of showers, most likely later in the day. Winds west to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- East Kunderang Homestead and Halls Peak are closed until Friday 25 July 2025
  East Kunderang Homestead Halls Peak campground and picnic area
  
  East Kunderang Homestead and Halls Peak Picnic and campground areas are closed from Friday 18 July at 10:30am until Friday 25 July at 10:30am due to impassable road conditions.
  
  For further information, phone Armidale National Parks & Wildlife Service on (02) 6738 9100.
  
  Alert kindly provided by © NSW Nataional Parks and Wildlife Service
- Budds Mare and Riverside trail and campground closed for track works
  Budds Mare to Riverside walking track Riverside campground and picnic area Budds Mare lookout Budds Mare campground and picnic area
  
  Budds Mare campground and picnic area and Riverside campground and picnic area will be closed from 2PM Sunday 27 April until 2PM Monday 18 August 2025 due to major track works on the Riverside Trail.
  
  Vehicle access along the Riverside Trail is strictly prohibited during this time. The hike along Riverside Trail between Budds Mare and Riverside campground is also closed. Penalties apply for non-compliance.
  
  For more information, contact the Walcha NPWS office on 02 6777 4700.
  
  Alert kindly provided by © NSW Nataional Parks and Wildlife Service

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