Summary

A world heritage listed park adjacent to Lamington National Park on the QLD-NSW border.

Walks in Border Ranges National Park

Easy

1 km return

30 mins

Helmholtzia Loop

Helmholtzia loop walking track takes you on a short, easy walk through a beautiful section of Border Ranges National Park. It takes you across pristine Brindle Creek on low bridges and into World Heritage rainforest.

The name of this track comes from the helmholtzia plant that grows in the area. Also referred to as the stream lily, this rare plant is found only in the rainforest of north-east NSW and south-east Queensland. Helmholtzia are large strap-leafed plants which require a reliable water supply and are usually found along the banks of creeks and in gullies.

Helmholtzia loop walking track is also home to hoop pines, stands of Antarctic beech and abundant epiphytes - a plant that grows on another without being a parasite, while sourcing moisture and nutrients from the atmosphere and nearby debris.

Be sure to bring your binoculars along for a spot of birdwatching and keep your eyes and ears out for some endangered frog species including Fleay's barred frog and pouched frog.

Medium

4.5 km return

2.5 hrs

Bar Mountain Circuit

Located at the Border Ranges National Park, Bar Mountain circuit winds its way down the ridge towards the western escarpment. Starting from Bar Mountain picnic area, you’ll be walking beneath towering eucalypt giants and Antarctic Beech trees on your way to Bar Mountain lookout. At the lookout, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of Collins creek, exquisite wilderness, Mount Lindesay and Mount Barney, all part of the World Heritage-listed rainforest.

Medium

10.5 km one-way

5 hrs

Booyong Walk

A rainforest walk linking The sheepstation Creek campsite with the Forest Tops campsite in the Boarder Ranges National Park.

Easy

1.2 km return

30 mins

Border Loop Walk

A short walk through wet eucalypt and rainforest close to the Queensland/New South Wales border in the Border Ranges National Park.

Medium

6.9 km return

3 hrs

Brindle Creek Walking Track

A beautiful walk starting at Brindle Creek Picnic Area, Border Ranges National Park. Stunning rainforest with well maintained track. Numerous easy creek crossing and a waterfall with large boulders you can sit on for a relaxing lunch break mid walk. The track is moderate (easy in many places).

If you love waterfalls and ancient rainforest, then you can’t go past Brindle Creek walking track in the high country of Border Ranges National Park. Following the creek line, this medium walk passes through unspoilt wilderness from Brindle Creek picnic area to Antarctic beech picnic area in the north-east of Border Ranges National Park, near Kyogle.

Passing the turn off to Helmholtzia loop, you’ll think you stumbled into a timeless rainforest wonderland. Here you’ll see huge hoop pines and massive ancient Antarctic beech trees whose trunks grow thick and hairy with lichens and fragrant ferns. Keep your eye out for the huge helmholtzia lillies that thrive in the damp moist air. This high mountain plateau is a cloud factory all year round and you could be enveloped in mist even in the middle of summer.

Unpack a picnic beside picturesque Evans Falls where the swimming hole below the waterfall is ideal for a dip. Further along at Selva Falls, clean mountain water cascades over large moss-covered boulders.

Easy

2 km return

40 mins

Brushbox Falls Lookout

Also known as the Palm Forest Walking Track.

Brushbox Falls lookout can be reached via an easy walk along Palm Forest walking track from Sheepstation Creek campground, and is a great spot for families as well as larger groups of children. Tall brushbox and dainty Christmas orchids are dotted along the mostly downhill walk, with strangler figs and Bangalow palms adding to the charming scenery. Bring along your binoculars for birdwatching, as this World Heritage-listed park is teeming with birdlife. Keep a look out for green catbirds, paradise riflebirds, rose-crowned fruit-doves and wompoo fruit-doves. Brushbox Falls is particularly impressive during the wet season in late summer, or after heavy rains at any time of year.

An easy walk through the subtropical rainforest near Sheepstation Creek campground, Palm Forest walking track follows a historic old logging track into the heart of the lush wilderness of Border Ranges National Park. The short track leads through forests of bangalow and piccabeen palms where you’ll feel the cool calm of the rainforest descend. The towering brush box in the tall forests that you’ll enter, are estimated to be hundreds of years old. If you’re into birdwatching, watch for the brightly coloured wompoo fruit-dove or the bell birds with their distinct call.

Passing booyong and strangler figs, you’ll hear the soothing tinkering of water before arriving at the picturesque Brushbox Falls lookout. Be sure to look for the historic moss-covered carvings, on a sandstone rockface to the north of the creek, where cedar getters carved their names. If the waters are high enough, you can have a refreshing swim in the crystal clear waters and soak in the tranquility.

Behind the old sign for Brushbox falls a short side trail descends to the base of the falls. Whereas the lookout from above is situated around a short loop at the far end of the walk before heading back the way you came to Sheepstation Creek Campground.

Easy

650 m return

30 mins

Falcorostrum Loop Walking Track

Falcorostrum loop walking track winds its way through one of the largest stands of beech in Border Ranges National Park.

Very Easy

800 m return

30 mins

Pinnacle Walk and Lookout

“We’ve seen sunrises all around Australia – the one from Pinnacle lookout is our favourite and has to be one of the best, and the walk there is easy as.”

Without a doubt, the journey along the Pinnacle walk to Pinnacle lookout is one of the highlights of the whole park and not to be missed.

It’s a short walk through World Heritage-listed rainforest before the track reaches Pinnacle lookout. You’re bound to be mesmerised by uninterrupted views of the whole park along with spectacular 360° views all the way to the coastline, the crater escarpment and to Wollumbin-Mount Warning.

If you’re an early riser, and even if you aren’t, it’s definitely worth making the effort to see the silhouette of Wollumbin when the sun rises – it’s a completely inspiring way to start your day in Border Ranges National Park.

Easy

750 m return

20 mins

Red Cedar Loop

Go for a wander in the bush through Red Cedar loop and be rewarded with a grand finale. The scenic walking track leads you to the foot of a 48m red cedar tree. It’s a sight to behold and possibly 1000 years old. Look for epiphytes growing on the bark, such as bird’s nest fern, orchid and staghorn.

Cedars often grow close to creek lines, which made them easy pickings for the early European settlers who used flooded creeks and rivers to float the logs down to waiting ships and saw mills. This particular one was lucky enough to not be too close to the water’s edge.

Medium

6 km return

3 hrs

Rosewood Loop

Beautiful rainforest with examples of mature rosewood, flooded Gum and white Beech.