Walks, Tracks and Trails of New South Wales

Introduction

New South Wales has a wonderful geographical diversity—alps and beaches, deserts and riverlands, World Heritage rainforests, wild coasts and ancient inland lakes. Walk to mainland Australia’s highest peak, climb around the core of an ancient volcano or consider past human occupation at an ancient desert lake. Within this diversity is a huge variety of walks, tracks and trails. Some are long-distance 440 km 18-day walks encompassing numerous landscapes while others are only few hundred metres long and highlight a special environment.

This book includes over 140 walks, tracks and trails outside of the Sydney Metropolitan region—the metropolitan examples are fully documented in other publications. The walks chosen are examples of what is available within particular areas.

The material has been organised in regions with an east to west, north to south logic. The first walk is within the Border Ranges, in the north-east, and the last, the Light to Light, is in the south-east. Most of the walks are in national parks, state parks or public land and all are accessible.

Walks, tracks and trails have been selected to suit the average walker and generally have a grading of easy to medium. Grading of course is subjective, as what one person finds easy someone else may find harder. Times indicated allow for time to appreciate the walk or trail, take some photographs, admire the flora and fauna and chat with your companions. The times are intended for conservative planning to judge ‘start’ and ‘finish’ times so you are not caught halfway through a walk at dusk.

Car-touring trails, such as Ben Hall & Police Trail, Thunderbolts Way and The Long Paddock are also included. They provide varied themes for appreciating sections of the State, by driving to a destination then taking a short walk to further explore the subject matter.

This book does not provide a step-by-step description of the walk or trail but instead concentrates on the reason for taking the walk—be it natural history, geology, built environment or history.

The condition of some walks will alter with the seasons, can be overgrown, have structural change or lack of maintenance. If in doubt of track condition consider another walk.

The maps are indicators of the walk and in most cases provide adequate information to undertake an enjoyable and successful outing. It is advisable to carry more detailed maps which supply the maximum amount of information, such as contours and shelter, particularly for mountainous and isolated areas. The maps included do not imply public access to all areas shown. It is the walker’s responsibility to seek permission to enter.

Always keep an eye on the weather as in many areas, especially the mountains, weather conditions can change suddenly and dramatically. Plan for the unexpected and be prepared with appropriate additional clothing, food and water. Advise a responsible person of your intentions and inform them when you have returned.

Choose to walk on cooler days in the summer and not on Total Fire Ban days or in very cold weather. The outdoors can provide numerous enjoyable moments but can also be harsh and unforgiving if not respected.

Symbols used in the book represent the following:

Brush Box Falls.

NORTH COAST

Palm Forest–Brush Box Falls Walk

From Sydney: 850 km north Nearest major towns: Lismore, Murwillumbah

Access: From Lismore head north-west to Kyogle (48 km) then Summerland Way north for 15 km to Wiangaree. Follow Lynchs Creek Road, then Simes Road, to Tweed Ranges Scenic Drive and follow it to Sheepstation Creek Campground. From Murwillumbah follow Kyogle Road west, turn right onto Creegan Road, then meet Tweed Ranges Scenic Drive and follow it to Sheepstation Creek Campground. Note road condition sign at Wiangaree.

Distance: 2 km, 1 hr, generally easy

Condition: earthen surface, creek crossing via plank

Environment: rainforest and eucalypt forest, waterfalls Rucksack: water, insect repellent, camera

Border Ranges National Park is a World Heritage-listed rainforest park on the rim of a vast and ancient volcano and adjoins Lamington National Park in Queensland. Over 75% of the park is declared wilderness, where access is by foot only. Subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate rainforests as well as dry and wet sclerophyll forests are all located there. Antarctic beech, bangalow palms, brush box, booyong, red cedar, tallow-wood, vines and mosses of all descriptions crowd the landscape.

Aeons ago the landscape was a great swampy basin. Twenty million years ago rivers drained into the Clarence-Moreton Basin, creating a sedimentary layer 3 km thick. From that time, for a period of some 3 million years volcanic eruptions created a new landscape. Once the eruptions ceased domes and vents were plugged by cooled lava forming hard, erosion-resistant rock. Over time, the softer rock surrounding those plugs was eroded, leaving the distinctive shapes of present-day mounts Lindesay and Glennie. The massive volcanic activity became known as the Mount Warning Shield Volcano, which formed the largest caldera in the southern hemisphere.

Border Ranges is the traditional home of the Galibal language group of the Bundjalung Aboriginal people but in 1842 Europeans made a big impact on the area with the arrival of cedar-getters followed by farmers and graziers.

The Border Ranges became the new frontier of timber extraction after the stands of cedar and hoop pine on the Dorrigo Plateau had been logged and exhausted. Timber mills with their associated tram lines sprang up to meet the unsatiable demand for the furniture-making and building industries.

The eastern half of the park, is accessible to 2WD vehicles via the Tweed Range Scenic Drive (64 km), and includes some of the best scenery in the park. Buses and caravans, however, must be left at Sheepstation Creek Campground or at the turnoff.

Start at Sheepstation Creek Campground and follow a long forgotten logging and bullock track used by cedar-getters who man-handled their ‘red-gold’ cedar logs to creeks where they floated the logs downstream or used bullock teams. A wire cage protects a low sandstone cliff that contains the initials of early cedar-getters carved during the 1840s. The track meanders beside Sheepstation Creek through bangalow palms, booyong, brush box and strangler figs, crosses the creek then gently winds up hill and around one giant strangler fig right beside the track. Now above the creek the rainforest thins out slightly before the track descends to a lookout platform above the cascade-like waterfall. Return by the same route.

A group of palms flanking the track.

A trackside buttressed booyong.

NORTH COAST

Booyong Walk

From Sydney: 850 km north Nearest major towns: Lismore, Murwillumbah

Access: From Lismore head north-west to Kyogle (48 km) then Summerland Way north for 15 km to Wiangaree. Follow Lynchs Creek Road, then Simes Road, to Tweed Ranges Scenic Drive and follow it to Forest Tops Campground (pass Sheepstation Creek Campground on the way). From Murwillumbah follow Kyogle Road west, turn right onto Creegan Road, then meet Tweed Ranges Scenic Drive and follow it to Forest Tops Campground.

Distance: 9 km, 5 hrs, medium and hard in sections. Check for leeches on your return. Condition: earthen surface

Environment: rainforest and eucalypt forest Rucksack: water, insect repellent, camera

Native to north-eastern NSW and eastern Queensland, is a tree known by many names: white booyong; brown booyong; red booyong; brown crowsfoot; crowsfoot elm; brown oak; hickory; ironwood; stonewood; silky elm; stavewood and black stavewood; silver tree; brown tulip and brown tulip oak. Booyong trees dominate this section of rainforest.

Booyong, Argyrodendron trifoliolatum, grows up to 45 m high, and is a greenish-grey colour with a blaze of pink overlaid with white or cream fibrous, granular stripes. Its trunk also has large buttresses. Flowers, produced from July to September, are creamy-coloured bell-shaped of about 13 mm in diameter.

The natural habitats of the species are subtropical and dry rainforests and scrubby watercourses. It grows on a variety of soil types but probably reaches its best development on deep red soils at higher altitude sites which range from 500 to 800 m.

Booyong Walk provides an excellent introduction to the rainforests of the park. The track links the campgrounds of Forest Tops with Sheepstation Creek. It is best to start this walk at Forest Tops at the back of the campground. Enjoy a downhill (elevation descent of 300 m) walk along a ridge line between Sheepstation Creek and another creek (further north) which drains westwards towards the Richmond River.

Forest Tops Campground is sited in a grassy forest clearing that provides for overnight camping, but take you own fuel stove.

From Forest Tops Campground immediately head onto the forest on a well-formed earthen track and begin a gradual descent. White booyong vegetation dominate the bangalow palms, red cedars, brush box, Antarctic beeches and giant hoop pines. Vines and creepers of all sizes add to the diverse vegetation.

Along the way you might see paradise riflebirds, satin and regent bowerbirds, green catbirds, Albert’s lyrebird and fruit-doves. Rufous scrub-birds are present but extremely hard to spot. Mammals include the echidna, platypus, spotted-tailed quoll, pademelons, bandicoots, possums, gliders and flying-foxes.

Sometimes within the leaf litter is a small frog that can only be traced by its call. It is the unusual ‘hip-pocket frog’ that is camouflaged by its colouring and small size.

Return by the same route, use a car drop or return via Tweed Range Scenic Drive.

Rosewood Loop 3 hrs return, medium

Rosewood Loop branches off Palm Forest Walk and later from Booyong Walk. The route requires a number of ascents and descents as it passes rosewoods, beech trees, flooded gums, palms and booyongs. Not as well used as Palm Walk the track is narrower and overgrown in places. Return by the same route to Sheepstation Creek Campground, or turn left and follow the harder uphill route along Booyong Walk to Forest Tops Campground.

Vines entangle coachwoods and palms. Christmas orchid.

Vegetation along the Bar Mountain Circuit.

NORTH COAST

Bar Mountain Circuit

From Sydney: 850 km north Nearest major towns: Lismore, Murwillumbah

Access: From Lismore head north-west to Kyogle (48 km) then Summerland Way north for 15 km to Wiangaree. Follow Lynches Creek Road, then Simes Road, to Tweed Ranges Scenic Drive and follow it for approximately 21 km to the signposted walk. From Murwillumbah follow Kyogle Road west, turn right onto Creegan Road, then meet Tweed Ranges Scenic Drive as above.

Distance: 5 km, 3 hrs, easy to medium. Beech Glade: 150 m, 10 mins, easy.

Condition: earthen surface, slippery when wet, steep in places. Check for leeches.

Environment: cool temperate rainforest, lookout, ancient beech trees

Rucksack: insect repellent, water, camera

Cool temperate rainforests are almost devoid of birdlife when compared to tropical rainforest but one bird, which scratches through the leaf litter in search of insects and other soil-dwelling invertebrates, is Albert’s lyrebird. They are timid and solitary birds seldom seen in pairs, but you may hear their rough but mellow ‘caw-cree-craw-craw-craw-wheat’ call. They also mimic other sounds such as satin bowerbirds and green catbirds. With a bit of patience, you might sight the 90-cm-long bird with its rufous-buff underparts and folded wing of dark red-brown to rufous-brown.

The beech orchid or the falcon’s beak are the common names for a tufted epiphytic orchid, Dendrobium falcorostrum. This orchid is usually found growing high above the ground, on the upper branches of Antarctic beech trees, Nothofagus moorei, in cool temperate rainforests at elevations of 700 to 1400 m. Although you will not see them close-up, beech orchid flowers are off-white to white with purple markings and have up to 20 flowers on a single raceme. They bloom from spring to summer.

An ancient Antarctic beech struggles to remain upright.

Bar Mountain Circuit winds its way down a ridge towards the western escarpment.

Beech Glade leads through a stand of Antarctic beech trees along with plumwood, coachwood and tree ferns. Groundcover ferns and mosses cover rocks, tree trunks and branches and leaf litter carpets the ground.

From the Bar Mountain Carpark head west for about 200 m to where the Bar Mountain Circuit begins to descend and provides a journey through distinct vegetation changes. Leave the cool temperate rainforest with its leaf litter and fern-covered ground and enter a warm temperate rainforest that seems to be more uniform with slender trees such as coachwood and ferns.

Further down the slope and nearer the western escarpment the vegetation changes again due to slightly drier conditions to an area of wet eucalypt forest dominated by massive New England blackbutts.

Continue to the lookout, at the westernmost point of the track, that provides vistas west to mounts Lindesay and Barney. Here you can see some of the country of the Border Ranges which are part of the Tweed Volcano that 23 million years ago was once 100 km in diameter and nearly twice as high as Mount Warning. Erosion changed the landscape, leaving Bar Mountain Picnic Area as the highest point on the remnant caldera surrounding the volcanic plug of Mount Warning.

Follow the loop track back to the carpark.

Beech Glade 150 m, 10 mins

Also starting from the picnic area, Beech Glade is a short and dramatic walk. Pass old and twisted Antarctic beech trees with their moss-covered trunks and under tree ferns through a cool temperate rainforest. Falcorostrum orchids can be seen clinging to tree trunks as well as bird’s nest ferns, staghorns and other epiphytes.

These usually mist-shrouded pockets of cool temperate rainforest only occur in small patches within the Border Ranges and are possible remnants of past times when Australia was part of the super continent of Gondwana.

Mount Warning standing over 1156 m high is almost the centre of the Tweed Valley Caldera.

NORTH COAST

Pinnacle Lookout Walk

From Sydney: 850 km north Nearest major towns: Lismore, Murwillumbah

Access: From Lismore head north-west to Kyogle (48 km) then Summerland Way north for 15 km to Wiangaree. Follow Lynchs Creek Road, then Simes Road, to Tweed Ranges Scenic Drive and follow it for approximately 21 km to the signposted walk (pass Sheepstation Creek and Forest Tops campgrounds on the way). From Murwillumbah follow Kyogle Road west, turn right onto Creegan Road, then meet Tweed Ranges Scenic Drive and follow it to the signposted walk.

Distance: 750 m, 10 mins, paved and earthen surface, easy

Environment: ancient volcanic caldera, rainforest

Rucksack: camera

This walk is a highlight of the Border Ranges National Park and not to be missed. It provides a dramatic encounter with the Tweed Valley Caldera, Mount Warning and The Sisters from a vantage point high above the Tweed River Valley, some 1000 m below. For photographers this is one of the best locations (along with Blackbutts Lookout) to watch the dawn, as the silhouette of Mount Warning is bold and dramatic.

Leave the small carpark and immediately walk upwards through a subtropical rainforest, where mosses and vines hang from tree trunks and limbs, that changes to stands of New England Blackbutt as you get closer to the escarpment. The 200 m track finishes at the lookout platform right on the edge of the eastern escarpment. Here the vegetation again changes to grass trees on the exposed positions and rainforest covers the steeply-sided landforms right to the valley floor. The actual landform, The Pinnacle, cannot be seen from the lookout. Bar Mountain, the highest point on the caldera is across to the right (south).

Return by the same route

Moss-draped vines line the track.

The steeply-sided east facing wall of the caldera from Pinnacle Lookout.

Mount Warning from Kyogle Road.

NORTH COAST

Wollumbin–Mount Warning Summit Walk

From Sydney: 900 km north Nearest major towns: Lismore, Murwillumbah

Access: 12 km south-west of Murwillumbah. Turn off from Kyogle Road, onto Mount Warning Road, cross two bridges, and continue through World Heritage-listed rainforest to the carpark. Toilets and picnic area are available but no camping is permitted.

Distance: 9 km, 5 hrs return, hard with a challenging final rock scramble. Allow enough time to return before sunset. Elevation gain 1000 m and very steep.

Condition: formed track with variable surfaces. If you are unfit consider another walk.

Environment: extinct volcanic caldera, mountain summit and rainforest

Rucksack: water, hat, sunscreen, energy food, camera

Indigenous Australians have long called their sacred mountain Wollumbin which means ‘cloud catcher’. ‘Cloud Catcher’ has the ability to attract clouds which hover directly above the summit, even if the remaining sky is clear. ‘Cloud Catcher’ is the first peak on mainland Australia to be hit by the rising sun due to its height and easterly position. Mount Warning holds the central position in the largest erosion caldera in the southern hemisphere and one of the largest calderas in the world, ranking it above Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. Calderas are large depressions commonly formed by the collapsing of the ground following explosive volcanic eruptions of a large body of magma. In this case it was created mainly by erosion. The huge area of the Tweed Valley, which is virtually the caldera of the Mount Warning volcano, gives us an idea of its size. Today the caldera valley is over 1000 m deep and has a diameter of 40 km.

Mount Warning erupted approximately 23 million years ago and over the following 3 million years many eruptions, separated by long periods of inactivity, formed into a large, complex, central volcano. Most of the volcanic material was extruded from the central vent located at Mount Warning.

It is believed these eruptions were in three phases: phase 1 was the initial extrusion of lavas, phase 2 was more explosive where acid material, mainly rhyolites, were thrown out and phase 3 was probably a quieter extrusion of basalt.

By the time Captain James Cook named it Mount Warning in 1788, in respect of the dangerous reefs he encountered off Point Danger, the mountain had eroded to 1156 m high.

It was originally much higher and larger. The volcano probably reached a height of over 2 km, with layers of ash and lava extending about 100 km, when it ceased erupting about 20 million years ago.

What remains is impressive; the rim of the caldera has resisted erosion, being protected by a cap of very hard basaltic rock, and forms a virtual semicircle of vertical cliffs around the western side of Mount ι Warning. It is also encircled by the more erosion-resistant McPherson, Tweed, Nightcap and Koonyum ranges located principally within the caldera.

With such a geological history the striking landform of Mount Warning is high on the list of Australia’s best climbs and walks. Please note that under Bundjalung law only certain people are allowed to climb Wollumbin due to its spiritual and cultural significance and National Parks encourages visitors to respect the indigenous heritage. Although I have not climbed to the summit I have included the walk as ‘Cloud Catcher’–Wollumbin–Mount Warning is also one of the great natural wonders of Australia.

Take notice of the National Park’s advice.

Trackside, Mount Warning Summit Walk.

Start at the Breakfast Creek Reserve Carpark at the base of the mountain and prepare well. Carry plenty of water (2 litres plus). A hat, sunscreen and fruit or energy foods are essential. Wear strong, comfortable, lightweight bushwalking shoes or walking boots. Loose clothing is a must and if wet, a light raincoat. Keep to the formed tracks. If you cannot start the climb before lunchtime save the hike for another day.

Almost immediately the track begins to climb with a series of steps which are quite steep. You get occasional glimpses of the peak through the trees. Stairs of placed logs of varying heights and width continue upwards through the rainforest where trees are strangled and twisted with vines. Brush-turkeys inhabit the rainforest and can be quite common and tame sometimes. In places the track is a jumble of rock and tree roots where care is needed, other places it is lined by mosses.

In all there are more than 1000 steps with no handrails. It is a good idea to rest often. The last 400 m is by the aid of a climbing chain attached to steel posts and then finally another chain near the summit.

The viewing platform provides 360° vistas and takes in some truly spectacular country. In the distance to the north-east you can see the Gold Coast skyline and to the south-east Byron Bay. Directly east is the South Pacific Ocean and to the west hectares of rainforest, the Tweed Valley and Border Ranges.

The walk back down is much easier but concentration is still required.

Return by the same route.

Strangler fig, Lyrebird Track.

Lyrebird Track 150 m, 20 mins one-way, easy to medium Lyrebird Track begins opposite the Mount Warning Summit Walk at Breakfast Creek Reserve Carpark at the end of Mount Warning Road. It leads down some rocky steps, crosses Breakfast Creek via a concrete ford and begins a gradual climb through palms and majestic rainforest trees such as brush box. Continue uphill along a planked stepped surface to an elevated timber platform above a small feeder valley within a stand of palms. If there are not too many visitors nearby you might see brush-turkeys foraging the leaf litter. The surrounding rainforest is similar to that enclosing the Mount Warning Summit Walk for much of the route.

Return by the same route.

Fungi begin to break down an old tree stump, Summit Walk.

Distinctive signs clearly identify the walk.

NORTH COAST

Cape Byron Walking Track

From Sydney: 815 km north Nearest major towns: Byron Bay, Ballina, Murwillumbah

Access: Pacific Highway then Ewingsdale Road, Shirleys Street and Lawson Street to Lighthouse Road.

Distance: approximately 6 km, 4 hrs return, easy to medium

Condition: sealed and earthen tracks, steep sections, some steps

Environment: pockets of rainforest, coastal scenery, cliffs, lighthouse, Australia’s most easterly point

Rucksack: water, camera

Cape Byron Lighthouse, on top of a 25-m tower, is the most powerful in Australia as its 3-million candle power light shines out to sea for over 43 km. Just short of the most-easterly point of Australia, the lighthouse was built in 1901, roughly 130 years after Captain Cook sighted and named Cape Byron and Byron Bay (after John Byron, grandfather of the poet Lord Byron, who had commanded HMS Dolphin on Byron’s Voyage of Discovery in 1764–66). Described by Captain Cook ‘as a tolerable high point of land’ Cape Byron rises 100 m above the sea and has sheer-sided cliffs on two faces of the headland.

Today the high point of land is run, jogged and walked by thousands of people each year. Others come to stand at Australia’s east coast extremity at longitude 153° 38’E, to be photographed and enjoy the achievement.

The cape is also a great whale-watching site. From May to July humpback whales and lesser numbers of southern right whales head north and between September to November return south to Antarctica. But during earlier times Byron Bay was also a player in the whaling industry. Even though the southern right whale was almost hunted to extinction during the 1840s that failed to deter the establishment of a whale industry as late as 1954. But due to commercial fleet hunting in Antarctic waters the enterprise closed down in 1962.

The route forms a loop that climbs a headland, heads through remnant rainforest, passes a lighthouse to drop down again almost to sea level and follow a beach back to the starting point.

Begin at Captain Cook Lookout near a beachside carpark off Lighthouse Road almost opposite Lee Lane. Cross Lighthouse Road walk along Lee Lane and head into the bush at the sign to begin a steady climb through stands of rainforest. Once up the first hill cross a low saddle and pass a hang gliding takeoff site before joining with the two-way traffic section of Lighthouse Road. Head further up the slope beside the road to arrive at a suite of buildings and the lighthouse. From here there are great vistas across the town, north over Cape Byron to Julian Rocks and part of the north coast, then southwards towards Skennars Head and Iluka.

A side track from Little Wategos Beach leads to the cape.

Cape Byron Lighthouse Tours operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and on Saturdays during school holidays.

Continue northwards downhill, pass Australia’s most easterly point and grab glimpses of the coast far below. The track now descends steeply heading north and joins with a side track (400 m) heading to the northern tip of the cape and Little Wategos Beach.

Continue in an westerly direction and follow the footpath along Marine Parade or the sand of Wategos Beach to the headland at the end of the beach. The route now climbs to intersect with Palm Valley Drive before climbing again to an area known as The Pass. Make a short detour to the lookout to appreciate the vistas before descending again to flank Lighthouse Road and heading back to Captain Cook Lookout.

East-facing cliffs of Cape Byron.

Cape Byron Lighthouse.

The lichen on the rocks match the green of the rainforest.

NORTH COAST

Protestors Falls Walk

From Sydney: 825 km north Nearest major town: Lismore

Access: Head north from Lismore to The Channon. Turn right at The Channon onto Terania Creek Road (unsealed, narrow and rough) then 9.5 km to Protestor Falls Picnic Area. Cross a number of low-level bridges and causeways en route.

Distance: 3 km, 1.5 hrs return, easy to medium

Condition: starts with boardwalk, earthen track, steep sections, rock hopping, slippery rocks

Environment: rainforest, waterfall and pool, endangered frog habitat. Swimming is not permitted at the falls. Check for leeches.

Rucksack: wet-weather gear, camera

One of the gems of Nightcap National Park is Protestors Falls on the western side of the park made famous by an anti-logging campaign during the 1970s and early 1980s, which led to the declaration of the national park in 1983. The Terania Creek and Protestors Falls areas were central to the protestors’ and conservationists’ fight to protect the rainforests of NSW and the catalyst in creating public awareness of the forest’s importance. The result was the protection of the lush World Heritage-listed rainforest of Nightcap National Park.

This easy to medium walk winds its way through bangalow palms to the base of Protestors Falls at Terania Creek Picnic Area. The falls are within a narrow valley of subtropical rainforest and eucalypt forest at the foot of the Nightcap Range. The ridges, peaks and gullies of the national park consist of solidified and eroded lava from the extinct Mount Warning volcano which once covered 4000 sq. km from Beenleigh (in the north), Coraki (in the south) and from Kyogle (in the west) to the east coast. With the state’s highest rainfall and good soils, one of the state’s finest sections of subtropical rainforest was created. Some of the enormous brush box trees are thought to be over 1500 years old.

Protestors Falls in peak flow.

From the carpark head back along the road and cross the causeway. The track, along a boardwalk at first, flanks Terania Creek. Don’t be disheartened if it is wet as rain adds to the experience of the moods of the rainforest. The track is generally flat with some short steep sections above the cascades and rock hopping in required. Rocks can be extremely slippery at times. The track is not wheelchair friendly. The bangalow palms grow up to 25 m high with a narrow straight trunk and a graceful head of spreading fronds. It produces clusters of pink blossoms under its fronds in autumn.

At the end of the track you have a fantastic upward view of the waterfall plunging over 200 m into a pool at the base. With mist coming off the top of the falls it is a spectacular sight. Even though on a summer’s day the pool at the base of the waterfall is inviting please don’t be tempted to swim as sunscreens and insect repellents are a serious threat to Fleay’s barred frog, one of the rarest frogs in Australia.

Fleay’s barred frog, Mixophyes fleayi, was named after Australian naturalist David Fleay. The frogs are medium to large and up to 90 mm long. The body has a medium to pale brown colour with darker brown blotches and an irregular darker brown band extending from behind the eyes along the back. Limbs have seven or eight narrow dark bars. It has a distinctive eye colour; silver-blue (upper half) and brown (lower half). The call is either a short ‘op..op..op’ or longer ‘a.a.a.a.ah’. Males are sometimes heard calling from rocks in streams or from pools at stream margins. Their habitat is rainforest and wet eucalypt forest, usually close to gravelly streams and adults might be spotted in leaf litter. They have restricted distribution in Queensland and in NSW are found in Nightcap, Border Ranges, Mount Warning, Tooloom and Yabbra national parks.

Return by the same route.

Relics from the breakwater tramway.

NORTH COAST

Iluka Bluff Walking Track

From Sydney: 725 km north Nearest major town: Grafton

Access: Follow the Pacific Highway north from Grafton and turn onto Iluka Road following it to Iluka Bluff turnoff opposite the golf course.

Distance: Iluka Bluff carpark to Woody Head 9 km, 3 hrs return: Iluka Bluff Lookout 300 m, 20 mins return, steps

Condition: earthen and sandy surface, beach walking, rock hopping

Environment: old rock-quarrying site, relics, coastal headlands with low cliffs

Rucksack: sunscreen, hat, water, camera

Matthew Flinders anchored behind the headland at Yamba in 1799, saw nothing of interest and kept sailing. Richard Craig, an explorer, stayed a little longer in 1831 but it was the cedar-getters who began exploiting the area in 1838. Clarence River Harbour works began in the 1860s when engineer E.O. Moriarty designed a scheme of breakwaters and walls to straighten and fix the river channel while scouring the offshore sand banks at the same time.

A tramway once ran from rock quarries at Iluka Bluff to the harbour works off the northern spit of the Clarence River. Sections of line, along with pully blocks, axles and wheels protrude from a sand deposit on the north-eastern flank of Bluff Head. In front of the quarry site, on the rock platform within the high-tide zone, are several rusted wheels.

The construction of the original northern breakwater during the 1870s hastened the development of Iluka. River work began and was expanded in the 1890s, when floods both aided and hindered the plans. But the port on the Clarence was upstaged by Grafton and Byron Bay, as being more reliable and realistic.

This coastal walk is different from others in that the few cliffs are relatively low and the rock platforms relatively large.

Begin at Woody Head (north) or Iluka Bluff (south). These notes follow a south-north direction. Walk up to Iluka Bluff via the track adjacent to the shelter and information pavilion and immediately head up some steps and along an earthen path to the lookout. Here there are vistas south to the Clarence River breakwaters, Iluka and Yamba, while to the north are the prominant headlands of Frazers Reef and Woody Head. Just behind is the canopy of the Iluka Nature Reserve. Backtrack then turn left to follow the track, at the end of the roundabout, to Iluka Beach.

After looking at the rusted remains of the quarry site and the sandstone capping of the cliff face and other rock types, either backtrack again, or continue rock hopping north around the rock platform, if sea conditions allow. Pass The Needle and head onto the beach.

It is now beach walking to Frazers Reef, with its usually bird-covered low rock platform extending well out to sea. There is vehicle access to Frazers Reef Carpark. Continue along Back Beach, a professional fisherman’s beach, to arrive at Woody Head. The track, just above the rock platform, passes the low rise of the headland and pandanus palms to arrive at the southern end of the Woody Head Campground.

Masked plover.

A soft filtered light allows for extensive vine growth that extends outwards as well as upwards and comes in various sizes.

NORTH COAST

Iluka Rainforest Walk

From Sydney: 725 km north Nearest major town: Grafton

Access: Follow Pacific Highway north from Grafton and turn onto Iluka Road following it to Iluka Bluff turnoff opposite the golf course.

Distance: 2.5 km, 1.5 hrs one-way, easy (see map on page 11)

Condition: earthen and sandy surface

Environment: coastal rainforest

Rucksack: sunscreen, hat, insect repellent, water, camera

Although not as high as the southern Yamba Bluff, Iluka Bluff still catches the full force of the north-easterlies whose salt laden winds have pruned the vegetation. Ancient sand dunes—a combination of river and ocean deposits—stretch between the rocky formations of Woody Head, Frazers Reef and Iluka Bluff, and provide an unlikely environment for a rainforest. The first row of protection against the salt are the sand dunes; the second are the salt-tolerant tuckeroo and banksia trees; the third are forests of riberry and broad-leaved lillypilly.

Then comes the rainforest with vines and epiphytes hanging off massive strangler figs. Poor sandy soils have somehow provided enough nutrient as well as a deep reliable water supply to maintain the forest and a multitude of ferns.

The rainforest is the largest remaining stand of littoral rainforest in New South Wales which is the reason for its inclusion as a World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforest.

Over 140 species of birds are said to be found in the reserve. The eastern whipbird, with its whip-like cracking sound, and the chatter of the brightly-coloured noisy pittas are often heard. White-eared monarchs and the rarer barred cuckoo-shrikes are also present.

Begin at the Iluka Bluff Picnic Area (western side) just behind the information board. Pass through the gate and head along the wheelchair-accessible section of the walk. This short section swings behind some sand dunes then towards, and finally intersects with, the entrance road. From the wheelchair loading zone the track heads almost due south. A few metres down this section begins the rainforest proper with its taller overhanging canopy. Large strangler figs, coachwoods, palms, vines, along with some eucalypts line the track. A soft filtered light almost reaches the leaf-littered forest floor allowing for ferns to survive in places.

The route takes a slow curve to the south and emerges from the forest onto Long Street on the outskirts of Iluka. Here you can retrace your steps, or walk back along Iluka Road. There are no short cuts to the beach.

Coachwoods and eucalypts, with epiphytes on the upper branches, reach to the light.