Pilliga forest

Author Eric Rolls wrote a historic account of the Pilliga called A Million Wild Acres,[3] which gives an insight into the history of the region.

Sandstone outcrops with basalt-capped ridges are common in the south, while the Pilliga outwash areas in the north and west are dominated by alluvium from flooding creeks.

In the east is a heavily eroded sandstone mountain range, visible in outcrops such as those around Gin's Leap between Baan Baa and Boggabri.

A 4,909 km2 tract of land, including the forest and the nearby Warrumbungle National Park, has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports populations of painted honeyeaters and diamond firetails.

[7] Other declining woodland birds present in good numbers include barking owls, glossy black-cockatoos, grey-crowned babblers, speckled warblers, brown treecreepers, hooded robins and turquoise parrots.

However, in unfavorable conditions fire can be extremely intense, spread very quickly and threaten nearby properties as well as laying waste to entire ecosystems.

Dandry Creek Gorge in the south of the Pilliga
Typical sandy creek in the Pilliga
Many plants are adapted to fire
Creek in Dandry Gorge
The Sandstone Caves, Pilliga Nature Reserve