Warrumbungle National Park, Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Australia

"Australian Landscape Photography":http://www.chockstonephotos.com by Michael Boniwell. All images copyright. This is image is suitable for enormous prints. "View Larger on Chockstone Photography":http://www.chockstonephotos.com/Australian-Print.asp?ID=1069 The Warrumbungles National Park, in central New South Wales near Coonabarabran, was once part of a massive volcano that erupted millions of years ago. Today, its rugged volcanic landscape is home to some of Australia's most rewarding hikes, including the popular walk into the spectacular Grand High Tops, where this image was captured. The return track is roughly 14.5 kilometres and climbs steeply for much of the journey, but it is exceptionally well maintained, with steps, handrails and stone paving making the ascent far more manageable than it might otherwise be. Carrying a full load of camera gear, I certainly felt every metre of elevation, but those travelling light with little more than a rain jacket and drink bottle could comfortably complete the hike in around four to five hours, provided they kept moving. Having visited the Warrumbungles several times before, I had long wanted to revisit this viewpoint under more dramatic lighting conditions. Our lad and I tackled the seemingly endless staircase, arriving well before sunset with plenty of time to explore the ridgeline and settle on a composition. On previous visits I had photographed the scene with a longer lens, but this time I wanted to capture the landscape in its entirety, including the iconic Breadknife and the surrounding volcanic peaks. As twilight approached, the sky erupted in brilliant colour, bathing the entire ridgeline in glowing shades of orange and red. Below us, the valley looked absolutely spectacular. Sharing that moment together in such an extraordinary place felt like a genuine privilege. With darkness closing in, we switched on our head torches and made good time down the mountain, carefully descending the steep track back to Pincham Car Park. We arrived to find the car park completely empty except for our own vehicle. Soaked with sweat and pleasantly exhausted, we changed into dry clothes, packed away the camera gear, and slowly drove through the quiet forest towards civilisation, already talking about the next visit.

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