Burning Mountain
Burning Mountain, the common name for Mount Wingen, is a hill near Wingen, New South Wales, Australia, approximately 224 km (139 mi) north of Sydney just off the New England Highway. It takes its name from a smouldering coal seam running underground through the sandstone. Burning Mountain is contained within the Burning Mountain Nature Reserve, which is administered by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
| Burning Mountain | |
|---|---|
| Mount Wingen | |
View of the summit | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 520 m (1,710 ft) |
| Prominence | 120 m (390 ft) |
| Coordinates | 31°51′54″S 150°54′04″E |
| Geography | |
Burning Mountain New South Wales, Australia Burning Mountain Burning Mountain (Australia) | |
| Topo map | Murrurundi 9034 (1:100000) Murrurundi 90324N (1:25000) |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | walking track |
A trail with information panels runs from the parking lots to the site where smoke emanates from the ground.
The Leyland brothers reported on Mount Wingen in the first episode of their travel programme, Ask The Leyland Brothers:
The Aborigines named the mountain Wingen, which means 'fire'. Their explanation of the origin of the burning mountain was that one day, a tribesman was lighting a fire on the mountainside when he was carried off deep into the earth by The Evil One. Unable to escape, he used his fire stick to set the mountain alight, so that the smoke might warn others to keep away.