There are many issues leaders will consider when setting the maximum group size for each walk. Group size must always be within legal limits, but leaders will also consider potential safety, environmental, and enjoyment impacts. It can be challenging to find the legal limits on each NSW national park estate; this document helps understand the core group size limits in place.
General advice on maximum groups sizes for NPA bushwalks
- Wilderness – 8 people (Declared Wilderness areas)
- Sensitive Conservation land – 12 people (walking off track in natural places)
- Conservation land – 20 people (national parks, nature reserves etc.)
- Recreation land – 30 people (Such as metro parks, Botanic Gardens etc.)
Although these guidelines are helpful, there are a few exceptions, so check below for specific park legal limits, namely for Barren Grounds NR, and Gardens of Stone NP.
These 4 points are general helpful guidelines, not hard and fast rules. There will often be times when having smaller groups is wise. There will occasionally be times when larger group sizes are a good idea, requiring more work to ensure the journey will be legal, safe, low impact and enjoyable. Other limits, such as the maximum or available campsites or specific track permits, may exist.
Leaders resources
NSW National Park limits
By default, all NSW national estate has a maximum walking group size of 40 people before you need to seek permission for the ‘event’. Some parks have specific rules applying a lower that limit to part or the entire park before approval is required. Below is a table of NPWS parks with limits lower than 40, or you might expect to be lower. If larger groups are helpful, safe and low impact, consider asking NPWS staff about applying for a permit. NPWS can reduce limits anytime, such as with signage on track heads or with alerts on their website. See the following pages for detailed group limit information.
Other legal limits may apply
We walk on many different land tenures; each may have other legal or suggested limits. This table is a partial list, but helpful to consider possible options.
NSW National Park Estate – walking groups size table The following table lists NSW National Park estates with a walking group size limit other than the default 40 or where the park contains a wilderness area. The limits mentioned are found in the POM of the park unless otherwise linked. Greyed out ‘40’ refers to the default 40 group limit for all NPWS estates, but no other specific limit was found. ‘NA’ means there is no wilderness area in the park. ‘NS’ means no specific walking group size limit was found for that particular wilderness area. This table only covers bushwalking; other group size limits may exist for rock climbing, abseiling etc.
Kosciuszko NP Ku-ring-gai Chase NP Lane Cove NP Limeburners Creek NP Monga NP Morton NP Mount Kaputar NP Mummel Gulf NP Mutawintji NP Nadgee NP Nattai NP New England NP Oxley Wild Rivers NP Scabby Range NR South East Forest NP Tomaree NP Wadbilliga NP Washpool NP & Gibraltar Range NP Werrikimbe NP Whian Whian SCA Willi Willi NP Wollemi NP Yengo NP
Tenure
Limits
Sydney Catchment Authority
8 people, on allowed routes
NSW State Forests
No general limit found
Crown Land reserves
No general limit found
Local Councils
No specific limits were found in limited search
QLD National Parks
General rule is 40 people, but 15 people when off-track
Tas National Parks
Some walks have daily departure limits, where bookings are required.
Park
Park limit
Wild limit
Wilderness areas/comments
Barren Grounds NR
15
NA
Barrington Tops NP & Mount Royal NP
40
NS
Barrington (The majority of Barrington Tops NP, (excluding the NE corner), as well as the NE and E parts of Mount Royal NP)
Bimberi NR
40
NS
Bimberi (covers most of the park)
Blue Mountains NP
20
8
Grose (much of the BMNP north of Great Western Hwy, excluding areas above the cliff near Blackhealth – from Docker Head to Lockley Pylon) Kanangra-Boyd (Southwest corner of BMNP from west of Lake Burragograng to southern edge of Dumphy’s Campground and north of Yerranderie SCA). Park limit 40, 20 within 300m of public road.
Border Ranges NP & Limpinwood NR
40
NS
Levers, Warrazambil, Lost World
Budawang NP
40
NS
Budawang (none given, but fair to assume same as Budawangs Wilderness area within Morton NP, see below)
Bundjalung NP
20
NS
Bundjalung (covers most of the western section of the park)
Carrai NP
40
NS
Carrai
Cathedral Rock NP
40
NS
Cathedral Rock (covers most of the park)
Chaelundi NP
40
NS
Chaelundi
Cottan-Bimbang NP
30
10
Mount Seaview (The majority of the North East corner of the park is covered)
Curracabundi NP
40
15
Curracabundi (covers most of the park)
Deua NP
40
NS
Woila Deua (covers much of the southern section of the park) Burra Oulla (covers part of the NE section of the park within the boundary of Little Sugarloaf Rd, Merricumbee Firetrail, Oulla Creek Firetrail, and Coondella Firetrail)
Gardens of Stone NP
12
NA
Glenrock SCA
30
NA
Guy Fawkes River NP & NR
40
NS
Guy Fawkes (covers most of the parks)
Kanangra-Boyd NP
20
8
Kanangra-Boyd (Most of the NP south of the Black Range Rd and excluding the Ben Lomond to Morong Swamps area. Excludes the Six Foot Track). Park limit 40, but 20 within 300m of a public road.
20
8
Bimberi, Bogong Peaks, Bramina, Byadbo, Goobarragandra, Indi, Pilot, Jagungal, Western Fall. (Strongly encourage to limit of 8 people)
20
NA
30
NA
40
NS
Limeburners Creek (covers most of the park)
40
NS
Buckenbowra (Central and southern section of the park covered)
40
12
Budawang (overnight limit of 12 people, request limit of 8, Day walks request limit of 12). Ettrema, North Ettrema, West Ettrema (none given, but fair to assume same as Budawang limit above).
40
NS
Grattai (most of the park north of Killarney Gap Rd). Nandewar (most of the midsection of the park, North of Kaputar Rd and south of Killarney Gap Rd). Rusden (most of the southern section of the park, south of Kaputar Rd).
40
NS
Mummel Gulf (covers most of the park)
40
NS
Mootwingee
40
8
Nadgee (covers most of the park, limit of 8 for overnight walks)
40
NS
Nattai (covers most of the park). A limit of 8 exists in the Sydney Catchment Authority area.
20
10
New England (covers most of the park)
40
NS
Macleay Gorges, Kunderang
40
NS
Bimberi (covers most of the park)
40
NS
Brogo (Northern section of the park) Genoa (southern edge)
20
NA
40
NS
Tuross, Yowrie, Brogo
40
NS
Washpool (most of the parks covered), Bindery-Mann
40
NS
Werrikimbe
20
NA
20
10
Willi Willi (covers most of the park)
40
NS
Wollemi (covers most of the park)
20
10
Yengo (majority of the park is covered – Mt Yengo and east excluded)