Border Ranges National Park, 636 km north of Sydney, Australia, is a World Heritage listed area, part of the UNESCO CERRA World Heritage listing,^[1] in northern New South Wales with a small portion located in Queensland. Together with a number of other parks in the region they form the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.

The Border Ranges region, which includes the McPherson Range, Tweed Range, Lamington Plateau and Levers Plateau, were formed from the erosion of the Tweed Volcano over many years. A number of volcanic plugs remain in the Border Ranges National Park.^[2] Notable for extensive stands of Nothofagus moorei (Antarctic Beech), the park offers a 64 kilometre gravel road circuit through sub tropical, cool and warm temperate rainforest types. The area was extensively logged during the 20 th century, providing timber to a number of nearby sawmills.^[2] The Lions Road and the Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor pass through the park at its narrow middle section.

Brindle Creek in the Border Ranges National Park is one of the most impressive rainforest streams in Australia

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[edit] Flora and fauna

Border Ranges and Lamington National Park are recognised as a biodiversity hotspot, containing a mixture of northern and southern flora species (the McPherson-Macleay overlap) with a number of endemic, rare and endangered species. Fauna is similarly diverse and species like the Hastings River Mouse, have been rediscovered in the park in recent years.^[3]

A diverse set of subtropical rainforest flora is preserved along Brindle Creek.

Lower areas of the park contain eucalypt forests that provide habitat for grey kangaroos, red-necked wallabies and koalas.^[2] Pademelons and potoroo are also found in the park as well as a diverse array of birdlife including the rare Albert's Lyrebird.^[2]

[edit] Fact sheet

• Area: 318 km²
• Coordinates: 28°21′35″S 152°59′10″E / 28.35972°S 152.98611°E / -28.35972; 152.98611Coordinates: 28°21′35″S 152°59′10″E / 28.35972°S 152.98611°E / -28.35972; 152.98611
• Date of establishment: June 8, 1979
• Managing authorities: New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service
• IUCN category: II

[edit] Facilities

Two camp grounds (car/camper and walk-in tent camping only) and plentiful picnic areas, some with shelters, water and composting toilets, are available at various points in the rainforest adjacent to the road, and one picnic spot at Blackbutts Lookout, offers spectacular scenic views to Mount Warning, and of the Tweed Valley, an erosion caldera which, while broken by the sea on its eastern flank, is considered larger in size than the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania.

From a lookout in Border Ranges National Park, NSW Australia looking over the Tweed valley with The Pinnacle distinctive in the centre right.

[edit] See also

New South Wales portal

• Protected areas of New South Wales

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official site
• Official UNESCO CERRA Listing
• Photo gallery of the Sheepstation Creek section of the park
• Brief description of Border Ranges National Park