New England National Park

This is about the park in New South Wales. For the region in the northeastern end of the US, see New England.

New England National Park is a national park in the New England region of New South Wales, part of the many Gondwana Rainforests of Australia and has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 2007.

Understand

History

In the 1920s there was a push to have this area declared a national park. Much of the area was declared a reserve in 1931, dedicated for public recreation in 1935 before becoming a national park in 1937. Between 1934 and 1956 mining leases for antimony were granted.

While officially opened by Governor General Lord Gowrie in 1937 the wilderness area was recognised for its beauty as early as the 1920s.

The park was World Heritage listed in 1986 and forms part of the New England Group of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, which was added to the Australian National Heritage List in 2007.

Landscape

Located on the precipitous escarpment east of the undulating Northern Tablelands plateau, the wilderness consists of impressive cliffs, rugged ridges, spurs and streams. To the park's west the Nymboida, Guy Fawkes and Styx Rivers drain across the tablelands and to the park's east is the thickly forested Bellinger River valley.

Flora and fauna

Snow Gums and ferns on the Lyrebird Walk

The park is particularly known for its diverse flora and fauna, having vegetation from sub-tropical, warm temperate and cool temperate rainforests in such a high altitude. Still, the park also includes areas of sclerophyll forest, sub-alpine woodland, heathland and swampland.

Mammals that live in this park include dingos, koalas, tiger quolls, common bentwing bats, brown antechinuses, and northern brown bandicoots.

At least 100 species of birds have been recorded. Larger species include the wedge-tailed eagle, greater sooty owl, sulphur-crested cockatoo and superb lyrebird. Eastern whipbirds, eastern bristlebirds, crimson rosellas, Australian king parrots and several kinds of honeyeaters also inhabit the reserve. Additionally, because the park supports one of five remaining populations of rufous scrub-birds, as well as of flame and pale-yellow robins, paradise riflebirds, green catbirds, regent bowerbirds and Australian logrunners, it has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Birding Area (IBA).

Climate

The park's climate is generally cool all year around, although it can get quite cold during the winter thanks to its high altitude, and you will most likely need no more than a small jacket with you.

Visitor information

• Park website
• Coffs Harbour office (Park office), 4/32 Edgar St, Coffs Harbour, ☏ +61 2 6652 0900, npws.coffscoast@environment.nsw.gov.au. M–F 8:30AM–4:30PM. (updated Mar 2024)

Get in

Like most parks in New South Wales, New England National Park is only accessible via car; if you don't drive, you're out of luck.

If you don't have a car with you, car rental services are available at Coffs Harbour and Armidale, two large regional cities. Ensur that your rental car company allows you to go on unpaved roads; otherwise, you won't be able to explore the park since the roads leading to the park are unpaved.

From Armidale, take the B78 Waterfall Way east and head for about an hour for around 65 km (40 mi). Just about 7.6 km (4.7 mi) before the town of Ebor, and turn onto Point Lookout Rd and continue for about 15 km (9.3 mi) to the park. The road is mostly unpaved, but it can still be done with a good 2WD, but the conditions are not suitable for caravans. Smaller 2WDs are also unlikely to make it.

From Dorrigo, take the B78 Waterfall Way west and head for about forty-five minutes for around 55 km (34 mi). After about 7.6 km (4.7 mi) after the town of Ebor, turn onto Point Lookout Rd and continue for about 15 km (9.3 mi) to the park, and then follow signage.

From Coffs Harbour, head south onto the M1 Pacific Motorway down and then exit onto B78 Waterfall Way near Raleigh. Then head west for about 100 km (62 mi) and then follow the same directions given from Dorrigo.

Although there is an entry from Darkwood Road on the eastern end of the park, that route is often slow and doesn't even connect to the other roads of the park.

If you are going using a GPS to get here, don't enter "New England National Park" as it will take you smack bang into the centre of the park. Try entering "Point Lookout" instead, or use it up to Ebor and then follow signage from there; it's well signposted.

Fees and permits

As of March 2024, there is no fee for the park (camping fees are handled separately). Do note this park can close within hours' notice if there are bushfires or a severe risk of bushfires.

Get around

There is only one unpaved road within the park (can still be accessed via a 2WD); Point Lookout Road, which only goes as far east as 3.3 km ENE, where almost everything is concentrated. While you may have to walk everywhere else, you also don't need to since there's not much apart from where the road goes up.

See

The view from Point Lookout

Given the (relatively) high elevation of New England National Park, much of its beauty lies in its mountains and the Gondwana Forests. But as with any mountain, it has to come with lookouts, and so much of what's there to see in the park is lookouts.

• 1 Point lookout, Point Lookout Rd, Ebor. Perched at an elevation of 1563 m, this lookout is a panorama of parts of the Gondwana rainforests of Australia come into reality. Easily accessible, as it's only a 200m walk from the carpark. Since this lookout is located on the second tallest mountain in the region, if you do happen to come here on a clear fine day, there is a good chance you might see the Tasman Sea. (updated Oct 2021)
• 2 Wrights lookout, Wrights Lookout Trail, Comara. It is quite a challenge to get to this lookout for most beginner bushwalkers, although it's a trivial challenge for most others. Regardless, once you come here, you're on a remnant piece of Ebor Volcano, a now-extinct volcano and you'll be looking down at the valleys of the Bellinger River. And not to forget, you're also viewing the ancient Gondwana Rainforests of Australia as well. (updated Oct 2021)

Do

The Tea Tree Falls Track

New England National Park is particularly known for its numerous bushwalking opportunities of all kinds through the Gondwana Rainforests. Despite the bushwalking trails, no MTB (mountain bike) trails exist.

There are numerous bushwalking trails in the park, which include the Cascades walking track, a 5.7 km (3.5 mi) loop which takes you down the valleys of the park filled with moss, liverworts and ferns, and should take about 2.5-3.5 hours to do.

Other trails include the Eagles Nest walking track, a 2.2 km (1.4 mi) walking trail that takes about a 1-2 hours to do, taking you through the snow gum forests, the Wrights lookout walking track, a 3.4 km (2.1 mi) return trail taking you to Wrights lookout, the Weeping Rock walking track, a 2 km (1.2 mi) return trail passing through some rocky cliffs, or even the Point lookout walking track, a simple 0.5 km (0.31 mi) walking track going to Point lookout.

Some of the more scenic trails include the Lyrebird walking track, or the Tea Tree falls walking track, both beauties in their own right.

Longer walks include the New England Wilderness walk, a 33 km (21 mi) walk that takes about 2-3 days to do, from the western end of the park to the eastern end of the park.

Buy, eat and drink

There are no shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, pubs etc. in New England National Park. The nearest are in Ebor, 19 km (12 mi) from the park via Point Lookout Rd and B78 Waterfall Way.

Sleep

Lodging

• 1 The Chalet, 1316 Point Lookout Road, Ebor (near Lyrebird Walking Track, Brinerville.). Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Surrounded by the immense Gondwana forest, this is certainly a unique lodge in its own right. You can relax on the verandah, watch the lyrebirds go on not get bored. Unfortunately, it comes with a cost as it only has one room, and only a maximum of three guests is allowed. $220.38 per night. (updated Jul 2024)
• 2 The Residence, 1316 Point Lookout Road, Ebor. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. A larger alternative to The Chalet, having four rooms and being able to accommodate ten people max, and you'll be surrounded by the Gondwana Rainforests in every direction you'll be looking at. The lookouts and walking trails are also nearby. $373.10 per night. (updated Aug 2024)
• 3 Toms Cabin, 1388 Point Lookout Road, Ebor. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. A much bushwalkers cabin, this cabin has two rooms and can accommodate up to eight guests, suitable for most and not too far away from most of the trails and lookouts. However, there is no electricity – you will need food supplies, pots and pans, bed sheets, blankets etc. (updated Oct 2021)

Camping

• 4 Thungutti campground, Tea Tree Falls Walk, Ebor. Being the only campground in the park, you'd expect it to be packed – but you could be hardly more wrong if you thought that. Because this campground doesn't get many visitors except during easter when all campgrounds are packed. Has 20 campsites, and has the essentials of a campground. You're also fully surrounded by eucalyptus trees. (updated Oct 2021)
• 5 Little Styx River Camping Area, 971 Point Lookout Rd, Ebor. A nearby small camping area with about 8 sites at absolutely no cost. Dogs and firepits are also allowed, but it does only contain just one drop toilet. It operates on a first-come first-served basis, so do be warned that it can fill up very quickly during peak holiday season. Free. (updated Aug 2024)

Backcountry

There are no backcountry sites in New England National Park, and camping can only be done in designated camping areas.

Stay safe

Large parts of the park were severely affected during the 2019-20 bushfires, and some of its impacts can still be seen. The threat of the bushfires is low, but be aware of it.

Most of the park doesn't have coverage. If you are going to go anywhere in the park apart from the western end, let someone know, and if you're going to the centre of the park alone, carry a satellite phone.

Nearby

• Cunnawarra National Park is another world heritage site, as part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. It may not have much, but the 3 Beech Lookout is definitely a worth if you don't mind diverting off Point Lookout Road. The park is home not only to the imposing eucalyptus trees (which are the tallest in NSW) but also to various endangered wildlife species. Here you can see glossy black cockatoos, rufous scrub-birds, powerful owls and spotted-tailed quolls. The road to the lookout is not sealed but can still be visited on a 2WD.

Go next

• Head east onto Waterfall Way and head to Dorrigo National Park or head west onto Waterfall Way and head to Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, both a piece of beauty in their own right