Warriwillah is a spectacular 121.4 hectare property situated 3 km from Namadgi National Park and 8 km from Tinderry Nature Reserve. The sanctuary is subject to a Voluntary Conservation Agreement with the NSW State Government.
The sanctuary contains scenic steep gorge country which includes a 7 metre waterfall on Michelago Creek, and provides spectacular views of the surrounding hills. The vegetation is open forest and woodland dominated by apple box (Eucalyptus bridgesiana), black cypress pine (Callitris endlicheri), yellow box (Eucalyptus melliodora) and broad-leaved peppermint (Eucalyptus dives), and features a diverse understorey of shrubs and grasses.
The range of habitats support a diversity of bird species including yellow-tailed black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus funereus), dollarbirds (Eurystomus orientalis) and sacred kingfishers (Todiramphus sanctus) as well as a breeding pair of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) on the cliffs of the gorge and a pair of wedge-tailed eagles (Aquila audax) which nest among the apple box vegetation at the top of the cliffs. The protected Macquarie Perch (Macquaria australasica) is found in the river, along with a large population of platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). Warriwillah also has one of the southernmost records for the nobbi lashtail (Diporiphora nobbi), and is home to a range of other reptile species including eastern bearded dragons (Pogona barbata) and eastern water dragons (Intellagama lesueurii). Warriwillah also contains important cultural heritage sites that feature the remains of historic gold mining workings and a ruined miner’s building, dating back to the 1870s.
