Bongil Bongil National Park
Bongil Bongil National Park
A place where one stays a long time
Bongil Bongil National Park is the traditional land of the Gumbaynggir people, whose ancestral lands extend from Grafton in the north to the Nambucca river in the south, and from the coast west to the headwaters of the Nymboida river. The park provided abundant seafood and bushtucker, and was a site for gatherings and sacred ceremonies.
Birdwatcher’s haven
In addition to being home to one of NSW’s largest koala populations, Bongil Bongil
National Park also boasts more than 165 species of birds. The park provides breeding,
roosting and feeding habitats for a number of migratory birds like the little tern
and the pied oystercatcher. The Bundagaree Rainforest walk is the best place to see
the birds of the rainforest, like the dramatically beautiful wompoo fruit dove and
the colourful rose-
Beaches and waterways
The waterways within Bongil Bongil National Park carry water across the coastal plains from the steep foothills to the west, providing a home for many types of birds, animals and reptiles. For visitors, the waterways and beaches in Bongil Bongil National Park offer a range of water activities, including excellent fishing and kayaking. Try your luck on the Bonville river for flathead and whiting.
Bongil Bongil National Park, south of Coffs Harbour, has plenty to offer, including wild beaches, sweeping coastal views and peaceful streams.
The park is popular with locals for a spot of fishing, either on the pontoon by Bonville
creek or on the beach around Bundagen Head. Picnic and barbecue facilities are available
nearby and there are opportunities for both beach and rainforest walking. The park
is also a regional favourite for mountain bike adventures.
The rainforest of Bongil
Bongil National Park provides habitat for migrating birds and animals, and surrounding
eucalypt forests are home to one of NSW’s largest koala populations. You might see
them sleeping in the treetops or munching on leaves.
With so much to offer visitors, it’s no wonder Bongil Bongil is a popular beach holiday destination. Guided tours are available during school holidays and holiday accommodation is available at Bundagen Cottage at Tuckers Rocks.
Plants, animals and landscape
Bongil Bongil has an array of diverse plant and animal communities and helps to complete a forested corridor from the coast to the Dorrigo Plateau, providing an important component in Australia's coastal reserve system.
Native plants
You may encounter a variety of interesting plant communities while you're exploring Bongil Bongil. The park protects important wetlands and littoral rainforest, and you can also see mangrove, saltmarsh, sedgelands, wet and dry heath, swamp rainforest, wet and dry sclerophyll forest and paperbark forest. The attractive crinum lily is a common understorey plant in the wettest areas and you can also find luxuriant bangalow and cabbage palms.
Native animals
With such a broad range of habitats in a relatively small area, it's hardly surprising
that the park protects over 165 bird species. It includes breeding, roosting and
feeding habitat for wading birds protected by migratory bird agreements between Australia,
China and Japan. Threatened species found in the park include the black-
Koalas, red-
The park landscape: geology and landforms
Most of the park is less than 10 m above sea level and some areas are subject to flooding after heavy rain. The steep foothills west of Bongil Bongil are drained by numerous streams which flow onto the coastal plain. These either join watercourses such as Bonville and Pine creeks or drain into swamp and wetland areas. The geology of the park consists of rocks formed during the Palaeozoic period, up to 570 million years ago.
© State of New South Wales through the Office of Environment and Heritage
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