New England National Park, NSW: stunning lookouts and mystical forest walks.

We combined the Tea Tree Falls Walking Track with the northern section of the Lyrebird Track via Tree Fern Valley. Altogether, the walk was about 6 km and was listed as Moderate. However, we found the Tree Fern Valley section quite challenging.

Tea Tree Falls Walking Track

Tea Tree Falls

A feature of the walk is the different types of lichen and moss.

Tea Tree Falls Track

Rufous Fantail

Another part of the walk is through eucalypt forest with a coral fern under-story. We saw Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos in the gum trees.

Eucalypts and Coral Ferns.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo.

The walk goes past Toms Cabin which is available for hire; a bargain at $50 a night.

Tom's Cabin

Tree Fern Valley Track:

This track is listed as a way to shorten the Lyrebird Track but as we discovered it is very steep and there are many steps to negotiate. As this walk was listed as a Grade 3 and at 6 km was relatively short, we decided to carry our heavy camera equipment. In the end I had to pack my camera away and concentrate on clambering out of Tree Fern Valley unencumbered. Nevertheless, if you have the fitness to do this detour, it is an enchanting valley with a remote feel. 

It is worth noting here that Queensland walks are classified by Class and New South Wales walks are classified by Grade. It is our experience that walks in New South Wales tend to be slightly harder than walks in Queensland with the same number. We wouldn't hesitate to do a Class 4 walk in Queensland but we sometimes find a Grade 4 walk in New South Wales pushes our capabilities a bit.  

Tree Fern Valley

Crimson Rosella

After joining the Lyrebird Track we saw a Superb Lyrebird but it was too quick for a decent photo. We made our way to Banksia Point where there are magnificent views. Although we walked to Banksia Point from Thungutti Campground it is an easy drive along Point Lookout Road. National Parks NSW have two properties for hire at Banksia Point. The Residence is a large house that would accommodate several people. The Chalet is a small cottage which accommodates up to four people. The back veranda looks right out over the view. I priced the Chalet for two people and it was $105 a night. Definitely worth considering for a future visit.

View at Banksia Point

The next morning we drove up to Point Lookout. At the car park there are toilets and a beautiful stone shelter with tables and an internal fireplace. A walking group was just finishing up their breakfast there as we arrived.

Inside the stone shelter at Point Lookout.

It is only 200 m to the lookout via a track suitable for wheelchairs. This would have to be one of the most beautiful views we have ever seen. The forest covered mountains appeared to stretch on and on into the distance and the early morning mist made us feel like we were standing in the clouds.

Point Lookout

There are several other walks in New England National Park. We will definitely be back! 

Information about Thungutti Campground and the wildlife we saw in New England National Park is in my previous blog.

Thungutti Campground, New England National Park, NSW.

After setting up at Thungutti Campground, the first thing we noticed was that a number of Bassian Thrush were wondering around on the grass out in the open. Usually we see them along forest trails and the dim light makes it hard to get a clear photo. 

In the afternoon, a hare and a rabbit came out to graze. They are both introduced pests, although rabbits seem to pose more of a problem than hares.

Red-necked Wallabies are more welcome visitors.

There is a large kitchen shelter in the center of the park which has gas hot plates, tables and a water tap with non-potable water. Unusually, there is also a free-standing shower cubicle plumbed with cold water in the campground.

Camp Kitchen at Thungutti Campground

Enclosed shower at Thungutti Campground.

Bollarded sites at Thungutti Campground

To our delight, Flame Robins frequented the campground. 

One evening we were visited by a Frogmouth. It was making a sound we hadn't heard before but seems to be a regular Tawny Frogmouth. 

I'll write about the walks we did and the beautiful lookouts we saw in the next blog.

Details for Thungutti Campground:
Where: 81 km east of Armidale or 134 km south-east of Coffs Harbour. Turn off the Waterfall Way onto Point Lookout Road. The campground is about 15 km along Point Lookout Road.
Access: 2WD, all weather roads
Booking and Fees: $6 per adult, $3.50 per child. Self-register. No bookings.
Sites: Designated for tents and camping beside your vehicle. Shaded, grassy sites behind bollards. Listed as having 10 sites but there appear to be a lot more. 
Facilities: Large camp shelter with gas BBQ's and tables. Taps with non-potable water. One cold water shower in cubicle. Non-flush toilets.
Prohibitions: No pets, no smoking.
Note: Little Styx River RV Campground is a few kilometers before Thungutti, along Point Lookout Road. It is a free camp alongside the Styx River. Suitable for tents and all rig types such as caravans and camper trailers. There are trout in the river. 

Wildlife List: Swamp Wallaby, Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Red-necked Wallaby, Hare, Rabbit.
Bird List: Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Pied Currawong, Superb Fairy-wren, Grey Fantail, Rufous Fantail, Tawny Frogmouth, Superb Lyrebird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Flame Robin, Crimson Rosella, Forest Raven, Large-billed Scrubwren, Brown Thornbill, Bassian Thrush, White-throated Treecreeper, Red-browed Treecreeper.

Ebor Falls, Guy Fawkes River National Park, NSW.

Ebor Falls

There is a lovely picnic area with plenty of parking at Ebor Falls. While we were there, golden everlasting daisies were flowering in profusion.

Picnic Area at Ebor Falls

Carpet of everlasting daisies.

It is only a 700 m walk to the Lower Ebor Falls, or you can drive.

Lower Ebor Falls

We may have been there to see the falls but I couldn't resist a photo out over the valley as the sky was drawing my attention.

If you would like to take your time to explore while supporting the local community, the Ebor Sports and Recreation Area is a great little spot to stay the night.

Ebor Sports and Recreation Area.

Ebor Sports and Recreation Area:
Where:  79 km east of Armidale. About halfway along the Waterfall Way. Just south of Ebor Falls Road, on the other side of the road.
Access: Just off the highway. Suitable all rig types.
Cost:  Please place your donation in the pillar near the toilets.
Facilities: Toilets, Tank Water, Sheltered Picnic Tables, Fire place, Bins, Phone and Internet Reception. Pets are allowed. There is a walkway from here to the village of Ebor and to Ebor Falls.

Native Dog Campground and Woolpack Rocks, Cathedral Rock National Park, NSW

Woolpack Rocks

Our primary reason for going to Native Dog Campground was to do the Woolpack Rocks Walk. We had thought, that due to this campground being closer to the road and having access to more rig types than Barokee Campground, it would be the busier of the two however, this was not the case when we were there.

Woolpack Rocks Walk: Grade 4, 8 km return, 2.5 to 3.5 hours.

The start of Woolpack Rocks Walk 

The walk gently climbs towards Woolpack Rocks in the distance for 3.7 km before turning towards the summit. The climb to the top is about 300 m and, by all accounts, much easier than climbing Cathedral Rock. There are a couple of obstacles to overcome but National Parks NSW has put in a couple of structures to aid with getting up. The first structure is a step that looks a bit like a saw horse and is used to help get through a narrow gap between two large granite rocks. I found this easy enough going up but a bit of a challenge coming down.

The second aid to climbing Washpool Rocks is a ladder which was easy to use both going up and down.

The views at the top are truly stunning. This is one of those walks that offers some challenges but also produces a great sense of achievement when accomplished.

Details for Native Dog Campground:

Native Dog Campground

Where: In Cathedral Rock National Park, NSW. 84 km east of Armidale. 122 km west of Coff's Harbour. Turn off the Waterfall Way onto Guyra Road. After 8 km turn left into the park entrance. 
Access: Roads are sealed until entering the park. The park entrance is fairly short but is unsealed and narrow. 
Booking and Fees: No bookings. $6.00 per adult, $3.50 per child per night.
Sites: Suitable for tents, camping beside your vehicle, camper trailers, motorhomes and Caravans.
Facilities: toilet, tables, fire places, wood supplied, information, walks.
Prohibitions: No pets, no smoking.

Barokee Campground, Cathedral Rock National Park, NSW.

Once again, we chose a nice shady site to get some relief from the hot weather. Each site had plenty of room, a table and fireplace.  

Barokee Campground.

Our site backed onto natural bushland and a small creek. We could sit in our campsite and see plenty of birds.

Scarlet Robin

Brown Thornbill

Red-necked Wallabies grazed in the campground in the afternoons.

Red-necked Wallaby

Cathedral Rock Loop Walk: Grade 4, 5.2 km. Extension to the summit: Grade 5, 800 m return. Another option is to walk from Barokee Campground to the summit and return:  Grade 4 and 5, 4.2 km. The last 400 m to the summit involves scrambling over boulders and jumping over crevices. I've been a bit wary of rock hopping since breaking my ankle so we decided to do the loop walk around Cathedral Rock without doing the extension to the summit. Instead, we planned on climbing to the top of Woolpack Rocks when we moved to Native Dog Campground. We set off in a clockwise direction early in the morning and surprised a wallaby and a lyrebird with our presence.

Superb Lyrebird

The loop walk will disappoint those looking for great views of Cathedral Rock as the best it offers are glimpses through the trees. However, it's a great wildlife walk and covers a variety of habitats from swampland to granite rocks and Manna Gum forest. Lots of eucalypts were in flower which attracted a variety of birds.

Cathedral Rock is in there somewhere.

Common Brown Butterfly

Whites Skink Liopholis whitii

Eastern Grey Kangaroos

Red Wattlebirds

Wildlife: Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Red-necked Wallaby, Swamp Wallaby, Sugar Glider, White's Skink.
Bird List: Wedge-tailed Eagle, White-winged Chough, Pied Currawong, Crow, Superb Fairy-wren, Grey Fantail, New Holland Honeyeater, Stripped Honeyeater, Laughing Kookaburra, Superb Lyrebird, Australian Magpie, Eastern Yellow Robin, Flame Robin, Scarlet Robin, Crimson Rosella, Grey Shrike-thrush, Brown Thornbill, Russet-tailed Thrush, Red-browed Treecreeper, White-throated Treecreeper, Red Wattlebird.

Details for Barokee Campground:
Where: 82 km east of Armidale or 123 km south-west of Coff's Harbour. 5 km west of Ebor, turn off the Waterfall Way onto Round Mountain Road.
Access: 8 km of unsealed, narrow road. 2WD suitable in dry conditions. 4WD in the wet. This road can be quite rough.
Sites: Suitable for tents, camping beside your vehicle and camper trailers.
Booking & Fees: No bookings. Self-registration. $6 per adult, $3.50 per child per night.
Facilities: Tables, fire places, wood supplied, non-flush toilet, walks. No bins. No water.
Prohibitions: No pets. No smoking.

Gara Gorge, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, NSW.

Gara Gorge

After packing up at Dangars Gorge Campground we drove to Gara Gorge. We pulled up at Blue Hole Picnic Area for a quick look then we drove on to Threlfall Picnic Area and started the walk from there.

The Threlfall Walking Track: Grade 3, 5.5 km Loop.
The Threlfall Track leaves from either Blue Hole or the Threlfall Picnic Area. As well as passing through spectacular scenery the walk passes by remnants of the 1894 Gara Gorge Hydro-electric Scheme.

Flumes still remain from the Hydro-Electric Scheme

We were't sure which direction to walk the loop so we chose clockwise which meant we walked back past Blue Hole. 

Looking back over the Gara River to Blue Hole Picnic Area

Kingfisher fishing the Gara River

The walk continues on to open eucalypt forest before gently climbing to Gara Gorge Lookout. Then descending back to the picnic areas.

Threlfall Track

View from Gara Gorge Lookout

It was a very hot day which made the walk seem longer than it is. However, it was a perfect day for reptiles. We saw numerous Jacky Dragons as well as some Eastern Water Dragons and one Nobbi Dragon.

Jacky Dragon

Jacky Dragon

Nobbi Dragon

Eastern Water Dragon

There were plenty of Common Brown Butterflies here as well.

Common Brown Butterflies

See the Bird List below for the birds we saw along the walk.

White-eared Honeyeater

Wildlife:
Eastern Grey Kangaroo,Jacky Dragon, Nobbi Dragon, Eastern Water Dragon, White's Skink, Orchard Swallowtail, Common Brown Butterfly.
Bird List: Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Pacific Black Duck, Superb Fairy-wren, Red-browed Finch, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, White-eared Honeyeater, Sacred Kingfisher, Crimson Rosella, White-browed Scrubwren, Silvereye, Buff-rumped Thornbill, White-throated Treecreeper.