State Forests of the Watagan Mountains

'The Watagans' refers to a collection of State Forests - Watagan, Olney, Heaton, Awaba, Ourimbah and Wyong State Forests. These are part of a chain of State Forests which start from Ourimbah in the south and stretch to Cessnock in the north.

These State Forests are considered nature's playground for the wide range of nature-based activities within beautiful mountain scenery: from day-trippers to bushwalkers, four wheel drivers and trail bikers to campers. One of the best things about the State Forests of the Watagans is that your visit is free, including all State Forests campgrounds. The Watagans is popular with visitors from nearby Newcastle, Central Coast and the Greater Sydney basin areas, being within an hour's drive of most locations.

There are also paid experiences available in the area including treetop adventures and zipline (Ourimbah State Forest) and paintball games (Awaba State Forest).

Mountain biking is popular in Ourimbah & Olney State Forests. For more information on mountian biking in the area, check out Central Coast MTB & Hunter MTB Assocation websites and social media, respectively.

To get to the Watagans travel from Wyong via Dooralong Road and pick up the Watagan Forest Road. From Cooranbong travel via Martinsville and pick up Martinsville Hill Road or Freemans Drive and then onto Mount Faulk Road.