Discover Upper Colo

River activities and wildlife watching in Upper Colo sit alongside historic landmarks such as Upper Colo Cemetery and the Upper Colo Anglican Church building. The Colo River shapes the area’s connection with nature, while Comleroy Road leads to further historical and scenic sights. You can plan your trip around different interests: spending time by the water, possible wildlife sightings, or the history of the Colo area.

Camping, picnics and riverside activities

Upper Colo Reserve is a basic wilderness campground on the Colo River. Day visitors are welcome, so a visit is not limited to people who want to camp. The reserve has a communal gas barbecue and a picnic shelter. Together, these facilities give the site a clear connection to camping and picnicking.

At the camping and picnic areas on the Upper Colo River, you can swim in the sandy river or float on an inner tube. The activities involve different kinds of movement: when swimming, you move through the water yourself; on an inner tube, you let yourself drift. River conditions and safety requirements can vary. Booking conditions, operational details, facilities and visitor conditions may also change; check the current conditions before travelling and before planning activities on the water.

Wildlife watching along the banks

Eastern Grey Kangaroos, wombats, red-necked wallabies and wallaroos are often seen grazing on the grassy banks of the watercourse at Upper Colo Camping/Recreation Reserve. Wildlife watching adds to the river as a nature theme and may be a deciding factor in your interests in Upper Colo. However, frequent sightings are not guaranteed; they remain a possible encounter, not a promise for any particular visit.

Cemetery and church building

Upper Colo Cemetery on Comleroy Road dates from the 1830s. It contains the graves of pioneers of the Colo area, including members of the Blundell, Hulbert, Simmons and Ward families. The Gill monuments add a distinctive design detail to the historical context: their carvings are naïve and unusual. The cemetery can therefore be understood both through its date and the named families, and through the distinctive design of its monuments.

Another historic landmark is the Upper Colo Anglican Church building. It opened on 14 April 1906 and was built on land donated by the Gosper family. There is also a cemetery on the church grounds. The dates refer to different aspects: Upper Colo Cemetery dates from the 1830s, while the 1906 opening date applies to the church building.

From Comleroy Road, there is a view of Gospers Lagoon before the descent to the church. This adds a scenic feature distinct from the cemeteries and church building.

The Colo River in its wider context

In the wider regional context, the Colo River is 86 km long and passes through the heart of Wollemi National Park. This description refers to the river’s course as a whole. It adds a broader geographical perspective to the local connection between Upper Colo Reserve and the river, while camping, water activities and possible wildlife sightings are the reserve’s specific nature-related themes.

You can choose from several distinct points of interest: basic camping in the reserve, activities on the sandy river, the possibility of seeing grazing animals, and the cemetery, church building and lagoon view. The historical details refer to named places in Upper Colo; the river’s length and its course through the national park provide the wider regional context of the Colo River.

Discover more destinations: Newcastle, Prestons, Lankeys Creek, Tuggerah, Tuncurry, South Durras, Cootamundra, Glebe

For the broader travel overview: New South Wales.