NIGHTCAP NATIONAL PARK

    Nightcap National Park is located in far north-eastern New South Wales, 30km south-west of Murwillumbah.  Straddling the western half of the Nightcap Range, and adjoining Whian Whian State Forest to the east, this park is a scenically spectacular massif of peaks, ridges and gullies.  Its position delineates the southern caldera rim of the 20 million-year-old Mount Warning shield volcano.

    This volcanic history, combined with the highest rainfall recorded in the state, has produced a lush subtropical flora.  Magnificent rainfor4est is found on the higher altitude ridges and mountains as well as in the lower valleys and gullies.  This reflects an underlying geology of rich basalt lava flows.

    The park's midslops, derived from nutritionally poorer rhyolitic lava flows, supports a less complex warm temperate rainforest.  This rainforest includes a dense wet sclerophyll forest dominated by eucalypts and brush box.

    The Nightcap National Park was reserved in 1983 by a decision of the NSW Government, after almost a decade of controversy over continued logging of the area which was then a state forest.

Parks and Wildlife Code

    National Parks are special places.  Your co-operation is sought in the preservation of these areas.  Parks are for quiet recreation.  Therefore you are asked to:

* Leave your pets and firearms at home

* Not interfere with native plants and animals

* Remove all of your rubbish from the park and leave your campsite as you found it

* Drive only on the roads provided

* Keep to the walking tracks as they are designed to have minimal impact on the park.

Mount Nardi

    A sealed road provides all-weather access (12km) from Nimbin to Mount Nardi, one of the higher peaks within the park.  Visitor facilities are provided on the summit, with a graded walking track linking Mount Nardi to nearby Mount Matheson (1km). A longer walk (8kms) links Mount Matheson with the historic Nightcap Track to the east and extends into Whian Whian State Forest.

    Pholi's Walk is a 2km link track from the Matheson Track to Pholi's Lookout on Googarna Track.

    Googarna Track leaves the Mount Nardi Road some 500m before the summit.  It winds its way westwards through the beautiful subtropical rainforest of the Nightcap Range.  Pholi's Lookout provides panoramic views of the scenic Tweed and Doon Doon Valleys.  Remnants of the Kunghur Flying Fox used to transport logs in the login days is located at the western end of this track (7kms).

    Nightcap Track is a signposted graded walk through rainforest-clad mountain escarpments.  It was originally a pack-horse track, constituting the first overland link between the Richmond and Tweed Valleys.  Pioneering mailmen took three days to make the journey from Lismore to Murwillumbah.  A graded walking track (9kms) links the Nightcap Track to Mount Nardi via Mount Matheson.

Terania Creek

    The Terania Creek road provides access from The Channon to the Terania Creek section of the park (14kms).  There are two causeway crossings on the road before arriving at Terania Creek.  Car should be taken in crossing these causeways, especially during periods of wet weather.  Special care should also be taken to dry brakes after crossing these causeways.  A picnic area is provided at the terminus of the Terania Creek road, and a 500m walk to the stunning Protestors Falls is a definite must.

    Camping is permitted, but is restricted to one night only.  In the event of heavy rain, campers should pack and leave because of the high possibility of being caught by flooded causeways.

    Facilities include pit toilets, and a communal galley.  Open fires are not permitted.  If intending cooking on your visit, you will need to include a portable gas stove.

  WHIAN WHIAN FOREST DRIVE

    Minyon Falls is the starting point for Whian Whian Forest Drive - a scenic route which winds its way through Whian Whian State Forest.  This Forest lies on the southern flank of the old Tweed volcano about 25km north of Lismore.  From its highest point on the Nightcap Range (814 metres above sea level), the forest descends 600m through luxuriant eucalypt and rainforest stands to the Rocky Creek Dam.

    Whian Whian Drive exemplifies the beauty of this forest which, with its high rainfall and rich soils, has a great diversity of plants and wildlife.  The forest provides a habitat for some of Australia's more interesting birds and animals, including the Prince Albert Lyre-bird, the scrub turkey, rainforest pigeons, pademelons and koalas.

    Whian Whian is also a timber-producing forest, with sawlog supplies being provided for industry and house-building from a series of selective harvesting and thinings.  Only a very small proportion of the forest is disturbed in rotational fashion each year.  The growth stimulated by such logging is expected to provide a sustained yield of timber in perpetuity.

    The forest is managed according to the Forestry Commission's multiple use policy.  This policy provides for recreation, catchment protection, wildlife and conservation values whilst recognising the forest's value as an everlasting timber resource.

    The full trip through the forest covering all points of interest is about 30km.  Visitors should allow at least two hours to enjoy the drive.

    Forest roads are used by log trucks and forestry vehicles as well as by visitor's cars.  Forest roads, whilst generally adequate, are not sealed and are occassionaly rough, providing problems for low-clearance vehicles and inexperienced drivers.

 Minyon Falls

    From the top of rhyolitic cliffs (extruded as lava flows many millions of years ago), these beautiful falls plunge 100 metres into the deep palm-shaded gorge below.  The top of the cliffs is forested with Blackbutt and Scribbly Gum, while subtropical Booyong rainforest and Brush Box occupy the gully beneath.

    Minyon Falls is part of a larger area known as Minyon Falls Flora Reserve which, because of its high scientific, recreational and scenic value, is excluded from all logging operations carried out in the surrounding forest.  A board erected at the large picnic and recreation site adjacent to the Falls shows the location of a walking trail complex nearly.  Toilets and picnic/barbecue facilities are provided.

Rummery Park

    On leaving the Falls, follow the main Forest Drive (marked clearly on the map).  Turn right at Peates Mountain Road and follow this detour 200m off the main Drive until you reach a grassy clearing.

    This is Rummery Park, a good spot to enjoy a picnic or barbecue lunch.  It is also suitable for camping, having barbecue facilities and a cooking galley, reticulated water, cold showers and bush toilet facilities.  The regrowth forest around the park is home to a colony of koalas, unfortunately not often seen during the day.

Peates Mountain Lookout

    Further along Peates Mountain Road, 3.5 km past Rummery Park, a signpost indicates Peates Mountain Lookout.  Leave you car here, as the lookout may be reached on foot (a 5-10 minute walk).  The view is well worth the effort.  The panorama takes in Jerusalem Mountain to the north, Byron Bay/Brunswick Heads to the east, and Lismore/Casino to the south.  After visiting the lookout, return to the main Drive and continue the trip.

Flooded Gum and Blackbutt Plantations

    Back on the main Forest Drive, the road leads through Blackbutt and Flooded Gum plantations established in the thirties and forties.  The Blackbutt stands are potentially among the most highly productive native eucalypts in the State.

Rocky Creek Crossing

    1.3 km along Rummery Road the Drive crosses Rocky Creek via a concrete causeway.  This is a delightful spot surrounded by moist hardwood forest and rainforest.  Rocky Creek itself is the main source of water for Rocky Creek Dam, which in turn supplies Lismore and district and the town of Byron Bay, and therefore swimming is not allowed.

Rummery Road Young Plantation Areas

    This section of the Drive gives visitors a chance to see the effects of various forestry practices in the area.  This part of the forest was logged in the early 1970's and replanted with Blackbutt seedlings.  Areas of virgin forest retained along Rummery Road add further interest to the Drive.

Gibbergunyah Roadside Reserve

    The Gibbergunyah Roadside Reserve is an unloged 40m strip of forest either side of this road that has been reserved from logging.  During this part of the trip you will pass through forest that has been logged for many years.  This Reserve contains fine examples of Brush Box, Blackbutt and associated species like Tallowwood, White Mahogany and Turpentine.  Some individual trees are labelled to help with identification of the different species.

    The name 'Gibbergunyah' originated from a stone and timber hut used by early timber cutters.

Big Scrub Flora Reserve

    The last 2km of the drive passes through the Big Scrub Flora Reserve, which is the largest surviving remnant of the "Big Scrub" - the great rainforest stand that originally covered much of the low basalt country of the Richmond valley.  Most of the original rainforest species of the "Big Scrub" are represented in this 196 hectare Reserve.

    The Drive ends as the forest road meets the tarred council road.  A left turn leads to the County Council picnic area at Rocky Creek Dam.

Please Remember:

- Others depend on the forest for their livelihood; don't do anything to obstruct their work

- Use fire with the utmost care

- Drive carefully on the forest roads at all times.

- Keep the forests clean and tidy.

- Avoid visiting the forests during very wet, windy or fire-dangerous periods

- Don't damage or disturb the plants and animals

- Watch out for plants or creatures that might make your visit uncomfortable: ticks, leeches, nettles, etc

- If going to a remote are, make sure someone knows where and when you are going

- Follow the signposts

- Enjoy yourselves, and come again.

WALKING TRACKS AT RUMMERY PARK & MINYON FALLS (WHIAN WHIAN STATE FOREST)

Introduction

    Rummery Park was formerly the campsite of the forest workforce when working in the surrounding State Forest during the week.

    The men of the workforce carried out the forest treatment that has given rise to the magnificent Blackbutt and Flooded Gum forests surrounding the camp.  As part of their work they built the roads and protected these fine forests from the ravages of bushfires.

    From the small seeds sown in the period 1939-1945, the forest has already provided logs for industry as it  is thinned to make room for the remaining trees to reach maturity.

Peates Mountain Walking Track

From Rummery Park to Peates Mountain is about three kilometres.

    This walk to the mountain takes about 70 minutes and is a gently graded track for the most part.  Although the last few hundred metres to the lookout on top of the mountain is quite steep, the track is well-formed and easy to walk along.

    The track starts in the Flooded Gum plantation surrounding the camp, then runs through a short section of rainforest before winding up through Blackbutt forest to the summit.

    The lookout on top of Peates Mountain with an altitude of 600m provides a broad vista stretching from Mount Warning in the north, down to Byron Bay on the coast in the east, and Lismore to the south, surrounded by rich farmlands.

Walking Track to Minyon Falls

    The spectacular Minyon Falls and associated picnic area can be reached by two easy walking tracks from Rummery Park.

1.  The Boggy Creek Track is about 2km long and is an easy 45 minutes walk with flat to gentle gradients all the way.

    This track starts in the Blackbutt plantation which was established in 1950 after the former forest was logged.  Koalas are sometimes seen here.

    Many small waterfalls and quiet pools along Boggy Creek provide an interesting contrast with the surrounding tall forest.

    The track finishes at Minyon Falls Picnic area at the top of the breathtaking Minyon Falls.

2. The Eastern Boundary Track.  This track is an alternate route from Rummery Park and provides an interesting contrast to the Boddy Creek track.  It is about two and a half kilometres and takes a little over 45 minutes to talk.  While generally gentle to moderate it has some short steeper sections.

    Some fine views of Coopers Creek Valley and Byron Bay in the east can be seen from the track before it drops back into Minyon Falls Picnic Area.

Walking Track Around Minyon Falls

    Fine views of the Minyon Falls can be obtained from the walking tracks within Minyon Falls Flora Reserve.  The tracks pass through a wide variety of forest types, from the deep cool rainforest on the valley floor to the tall  Blackbutt forest of the valley rim.

    The uninterrupted 97m drop of the falls is the focal point of the area.  The sheer rhyolite cliffs surrounding them add to the experience.

    The walking track leaves the picnic area just above the falls and follows the edge of the escarpment around to Quandong Falls about 2kms away.  This track includes a lookout back to Minyon Falls and is of gentle to moderate grades, requiring about 45 minutes of easy walking.

    Quandong Falls are much smaller than the Minyon Falls but have a charm all of their own, although views are very limited.

    The track to the valley floor runs off this Quandong Falls track.  It is a well-formed but steep track which drops to the base of the falls via Repentance Creek.  Walkers are requested to keep to the track as short cutting causes erosion.

    From Repentance Creek to the base of the falls, the walker passes through beautiful rainforest of Bangalow Palms, Blue Fig and Red Cedar.  The base of the falls is about 4kms from the picnic area and takes about 90 minutes of relatively easy walking to reach.  The return along this track is slower as it rises about 100m in less than 2kms.

    The rainforest of the valley floor grows on red soils which originated from the basalt flows that underlie the Rhyolite cliffs surrounding the falls.

Minyon Grass Picnic Area

    This picnic area is maintained by Lismore City Council and is about 2 km's from Minyon Falls on Minyon Drive.

    The base of the falls can be reached along a walking track from this picnic area which is about 2kms and takes about 50 minutes along moderate grades.

Forest Resources

    Blackbutt and Flooded Gum hardwood timbers and such fine furniture timbers as Coachwood, Sassafras, and White Birch (as used in the Opera House) have long been renewable products of this forest.

    The Minyon Falls Flora Reserve preserves undisturbed samples of the forest types, in a magnificent setting around the falls.

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