A centre for agricultural and pastoral activity in the area, Barraba is situated in the heart of the Nandewar Ranges, with the extinct volcanic area of Mount Kaputar to the west.

Where is it?: New England region. Barraba is 477 km north of Sydney; 548 km south west of Brisbane; 90 km from Tamworth.

Barraba is part of the Bundarra-Barraba Important Bird Area which is important for the conservation of the endangered Regent Honeyeater.

Situated on the Manilla River, in the heart of the Nandewar Ranges, Barraba lies on the Fossickers Way. Over the years, the area around Ironbark Creek, some 18 km to the east of town, has attracted many gold fossickers.


Mt Kaputar: rising spectacularly from surrounding flat agricultural plains, millions of years of erosion have forged this volcanic wilderness into the Nandewar Ranges we see today. It is a rugged island of wilderness, towering high above the surrounding Western Plains. Its the footprint left behind by a series of volcanic eruptions that moved across this area between 17 and 21 million years ago. Millions of years of erosion have carved this volcanic pile into the Nandewar Range, with its dramatic landscape of lava terraces, volcanic plugs and ring dykes. At the peak of the range is Mt Kaputar, which reaches an altitude of 1200m. There are superb views from the summit, as well as from many other lookouts in the park.

Brief history: In 1889, Copper was discovered at Gulf Creek, near Barraba and the first mine was established there in 1892. After mining had commenced, a village sprung up. At its peak, in 1901, the copper mine was one of the largest in the state. In July of that year, there were around 300 people living in the village.

Asbestos was first mined at Woodsreef, near Barraba, from 1919 to the 1980s. The Chrysotile Corporation of Australia carried out large-scale mining at the site from 1970 to 1983. The open-cut mine produced approximately 500,000 tonnes of chrysotile, or white asbestos, from 100 million tonnes of mined material. The mine closure left a 75-million tonne waste rock dump covering an area of approximately 117 hectares. A 25-million tonne tailings dump also remains, covering approximately 43 hectares.