Barrington Tops
{{Short description|Mountainous area in New South Wales, Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
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| name = Barrington Tops
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| type = Plateau
| photo = Barrington Tops National Park, the skyline from Honeysuckle Walk.jpg
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| photo_caption = The skyline
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| location = New South Wales
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| part_of = Great Dividing Range
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| highest_point = Brumlow Top
| elevation_max_m = 1586
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Barrington Tops is part of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales, Australia, between Gloucester and Scone.
In 1934, the area was difficult to access and was described as being "not traceable to any man-made feature".{{Citation | title=Barrington Tops | journal=The Newcastle and Maitland Catholic Sentinel | publication-date=1934-01-01 | volume=iii | issue=4 | pages=98 | issn=2206-5466|quote=The tourist will search in vain on our maps for the area known as "Barrington Tops."}}{{Citation | author1=Hancock, Allan | title=Edgar Marceau the man and his photography : a 1920s photographic legacy of the Barrington Tops, the Allyn Valley and its people | publication-date=2016 | publisher=East Gresford, NSW Gresford District Historical Society Inc | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/213799201 | access-date=26 June 2018 }}
Part of the area has been conserved as the Barrington Tops National Park{{cite web |title=Barrington Tops National Park |url=https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/barrington-tops-national-park |publisher=New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service |access-date=26 June 2018}} and as the Barrington Tops State Conservation Area.{{cite web |title=Barrington Tops State Conservation Area |url=https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/barrington-tops-state-conservation-area |publisher=New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service |access-date=26 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626054854/https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/barrington-tops-state-conservation-area |archive-date=26 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}
Invasive species are a problem in parts of Barrington Tops. Feral animals, including feral horses, goats, dogs, cats, pigs, foxes and deer occur in the area, and control measures are undertaken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.{{cite web |title=Barrington Tops National Park |url=https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/2abc2d6b-d518-44d4-87c0-a1f2f9638a56/files/mainland-islands-barrington-tops-national-park.pdf |publisher=Australian Government Department of the Environment |access-date=14 June 2021}} Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) infests {{convert|10000|ha|acre|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} of the national park. Biological control agents including the broom gall mite (Aceria genistae) are being tested for their effectiveness.{{cite web |title=Weed management in NSW national parks |url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/pestsweeds/factsheetScotchbroom.pdf |publisher=New South Wales Government Department of Environment and Conservation |access-date=26 June 2018}}
Tasmanian devils have been reintroduced by Aussie Ark to enclosures near Barrington Tops in a project to save the endangered species that is at serious risk of extinction.{{cite web |title=Devil Ark |url=https://www.aussieark.org.au/devil-ark/ |publisher=Aussie Ark |access-date=29 December 2020}}
- {{Cite web|date=2020-10-05|title=Tasmanian devils return to mainland Australia for first time in 3,000 years|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/10/tasmanian-devils-return-to-mainland-australia/|access-date=2020-10-07|website=Animals}} Its {{convert|400|ha|adj=on}} Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary was officially opened in November 2021, with the aim of protecting the natural habitat by removing noxious weeds and augmentation with native plants, and returning extirpated species.{{cite web | last=Clark | first=Craig | title=Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary | website=Aussie Ark | date=9 October 2020 | url=https://www.aussieark.org.au/barrington-wildlife-sanctuary/ | access-date=11 November 2022}} In late 2020, 26 adult devils were released into the wildlife sanctuary, and by late April 2021, seven joeys had been born, with up to 20 expected by the end of the year.{{cite web | last=Conroy | first=Gemma | title=Tasmanian devils give birth in semi-wild sanctuary on the mainland | website=ABC News|publisher= Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=27 May 2021 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2021-05-27/tasmanian-devils-give-birth-in-semi-wild-sanctuary-on-mainland/100169686 | access-date=30 May 2021}} Other breeding programs include the eastern quoll.{{cite web | last=Siossian | first=Emma | title=Record numbers of eastern quoll joeys born at Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary| website=ABC News | date=10 November 2022 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-11/eastern-quoll-joeys-born-barrington-wildlife-sanctuary/101637656 | access-date=11 November 2022}}