Burning Mountain Mountain

Address: Burning Mountain Reserve (Mount Wingen), near Wingen, New South Wales, Australia

Website: https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/burning-mountain-reserve

Hours: Daylight hours

Admission: Free

Burning Mountain, also called Mount Wingen, is a natural landmark near the village of Wingen in New South Wales, Australia, where an underground coal seam has been smouldering for thousands of years. It is widely recognised as the oldest known coal seam fire in the world, burning for around 6,000 years.

The visible effect is a persistent low-temperature fire that has altered the surface and produced fumaroles and scorched ground along a burn line. Visitors use marked walking tracks and an interpretive trail at the reserve to view the site and learn about the geology and ecology.

The feature sits in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, close to the small settlement of Wingen and managed as a protected reserve within the state’s park system.

• Reserve status: The site is designated as a nature reserve with walking trails and interpretive signage explaining the underground coal seam fire and its geological importance.

Burning Mountain Reserve is located near the village of Wingen off the New England Highway (A15). The reserve is signposted from the highway and there is a short walk from the small carpark to the viewing platform.

• Walk to the official viewing platform at Burning Mountain Reserve to see the telltale smoke vents and fissures.
• Avoid visiting after heavy rain - access paths can be slippery and the reserve is protected for safety reasons.
• Read the Aboriginal Dreaming stories at the reserve signage; the local narrative predates scientific explanations and is part of the site's cultural significance.