Nightcap National Park

Nightcap National Park, part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, is a dramatically beautiful park full of ancient rainforests, magical waterways and spectacular views. The lush rainforest provides a home for the newly discovered nightcap oak as well as a number of threatened animal species, including Albert’s lyrebird and Fleay’s barred frog which takes shelter under leaf litter and makes an ‘ok-okok-ok-ok’ after rain.

With easy access from Lismore and Nimbin, you can enjoy a picnic, bushwalk or overnight camping trip amid the park’s escarpments, waterfalls and crystal clear creeks and enjoy incredible views of the 20 million year-old Wollumbin shield volcano.

Native vegetation

Rainforests

Nightcap National Park has the highest annual rainfall in New South Wales. Warm temperate rainforest is found throughout the park on soils with a rhyolitic base, while subtropical rainforest is supported by nutrient-rich basalt soils.

The subtropical and warm temperate rainforest communities found in the park have links to the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana.

The park also supports lowland species associated with the former Big Scrub, such as southern ochrosia and southern fontainea and vulnerable flora species such as red lilly pilly and ball nut.

Native animals

Mammals

Mammal species such as the vulnerable spotted-tailed quoll and parma wallaby occur at mid-to-high level in these forests. Open dry forest communities provide habitat for the yellow-bellied glider, koala and rufous bettong.

Birds

The park's subtropical rainforests support the threatened rufous scrub bird, white-eared monarch and the marbled frogmouth, as well as fruit-eating rainforest pigeons and other birds that pass the winter at lower altitudes. Tall wet forest areas support the endangered red goshawk and vulnerable sooty and masked owls.

Landscape and Geology

This World Heritage national park, with its spectacular massif of peaks, ridges and gullies, delineates the southern edge of the 20 million year-old Mount Warning shield volcano

Minyon Falls lookout

The view from Minyon Falls lookout is simply stunning; not only of the falls themselves, but on a clear day you might be lucky to see all the way out to the coast.

From the lookout, watch as the flow cascades over Minyon Falls to a deep palm-shaded gorge roughly 100m below. The tops of the cliffs are forested with Australian eucalypts, like blackbutt and scribbly gum and at the base is a beautiful natural pool that was made for swimming.

Minyon Falls is a great place for a quick stop, but if you’d like to spend longer at this pretty place, there's a picnic area with plenty of shady trees, barbecues and picnic tables. There are also a couple of bushwalks that leave from the picnic area, including Boggy Creek Walk, which takes you to Rummery Park Campground and Minyon Falls loop walk, which takes you down to the base of the falls.

© State of New South Wales through the Office of Environment and Heritage

Click the link for more information about Nightcap National Park  

Terania Creek - Nightcap National Park

Photos of Nightcap National Park, Minyon Falls, Protestor Falls, Terania Creek

Bushwalking Kayaking / Canoeing Bicycle Rides Car Camping Social Activities Monthly Meetings

Gallery 1 Gallery 2

Arakoon - Trial Bay Bindarri Bongil Bongil Border Ranges Bundjalung Dorrigo Gibraltar Range Guy Fawkes River Kwiambal Mount Kaputar New England Nightcap Nature Reserves Oxley Wild Rivers Springbrook Washpool National Park Yaraygir

Point Lookout Cathedral Rocks

Mann River Nature Reserve Moonee Beach Nature Reserve

Bushwalkers Code Leader Guidelines Guidelines for Participants Camping Gear Checklist