Border Ranges National Park

Satellite Image of Mt Warning Caldera
An ancient and violent past
Forty-three million years ago, the Border Ranges landscape was a great swampy basin. Over 20 million years ago, the rivers drained into Clarence-Moreton Basin, depositing sedimentary layer three kilometres deep. Then, approximately 20 million years ago, a phenomenon known as plate tectonics changed the landscape. Central eastern Australia had moved over one of Earth's hot spots and for a period of some three million years there were volcanic eruptions, creating much of the landscape of present-day Border Ranges. The volcanic eruptions flowed through the main dome and many side vents, all of which were plugged by cooled lava once the eruptions ended. The cooled lava formed hard, erosion-resistant rock; Over time, the softer rock surrounding these plugs was worn away, leaving behind the hard rock that can be seen in the distinctive shapes of Mount Lindesay and Mount Glennie.
Fig Tree at Border Ranges National Park
Stream at Border Ranges National Park
Waterfall at Border Ranges National Park
Sunset in the Mt Warning Caldera
©Photography by Paul Chantler
www.paulchantlerphotographer.com.au
To find out more about the Border Ranges National Park contact:
NPWS - Kyogle
136 Summerland Way, Kyogle NSW
PO Box 174, Kyogle NSW 2474
Ph: (02) 6632 0000 - Fax: 02 6632 1534
Email: kyogle.area@environment.nsw.gov.au
www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au
Picnics, lookouts and bushwalks
Eastern section
The eastern half, which is easily accessible to the motorist via the Tweed Range Scenic Drive, encompasses some of the best scenery in the park. The drive is 64 kilometres in length from the park's entrance to its exit. Because of the steep roads, buses and caravans must be left at Sheepstation Creek Camping Area.

Sheepstation Creek Camping Area is a popular spot that is ideal for families. For the walker, there is a network of tracks that radiate out from the rest areas. The Booyoong Walk, starting at Sheepstation Creek Camping Area, connects with Forest Tops Camping Area. Other walks are the Palm Forest Walk that starts from Sheepstation Creek Camping Area, and the Rosewood Loop which branches off from the Booyong Walk about one-third of the way.

Forest Tops Camping Area is another camping area in the eastern section, situated in a grassy forest clearing.

Brindle Creek Picnic Area is a picnic spot with three trails that explore the primeval rainforest. Red Cedar Loop covers 750 metres of level terrain and takes 30 minutes. Helmholtzia Loop, named for the tall lilies along Brindle Creek, is one kilometre long and takes about 30 minutes and is part of the Brindle Creek Walk, a half-day, five kilometer walk one way to the Antarctic Beech Picnic Area.

Antarctic Beech Picnic Area has a northern outlook over Grady's Creek and the NSW Queensland border to Lamington National Park. Explore Brindle Creek Walk and see the ancient Antarctic beech trees.

Tweed Valley Lookout is a spectacular caldera viewpoint along the Tweed Range Scenic Drive.

Pinnacle Lookout is reached by a short walk through rainforest. The view from this high point stretches across the caldera to the central plug of Mount Warning and the coast north of Tweed Heads.

Blackbutts Picnic Area situated high on the caldera rim also has panoramic views of the caldera and Mount Warning. Have a picnic surrounded by old blackbutt trees and take in the views of Mount Warning and the Tweed Valley.

Bar Mountain Picnic Area is the highest point on the caldera and is surrounded by a stand of cool temperate rainforest dominated by Antarctic beech trees. There are three short but interesting walks at this picnic area: Beech Glade Walk (50 metres), Falcorostrum Loop Walk (750 metres) and Bar Mountain Circuit which incorporates part of the Falcorostrum Loop (3.5 kilometres).

Central section
Access to the park's central section is via Lions Road, which provides an alternative route to an from Brisbane. Lions Road is reached by turning off the Kyogle-Woodenbong Road 22 kilometres north of Kyogle, thence to Rathdowney, which is on the Mount Lindesay Highway 24 kilometres south-west of Beaudesert.

Border Loop Picnic Area, three kilometres from Queensland, is the only picnic area maintained on Lions Road. From the lookout you can see the famous Border Loop railway. A short loop walk at the picnic area descends into wet sclerophyll forest where different tree species have been given name tags, making this a most informative walk.

Western section
The western section of Border Ranges National Park is very rugged and is accessible only on foot. There are no facilities in this section, which is best suited to fit and well-equipped walkers (a map and compass are essential). Walkers should bear in mind that it is very easy to become lost in the rainforest areas.
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