Macquarie Pass National Park – Established in 1969 – Illawarra Subtropical Rainforest
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T N ARPM E SC E A R Macquarie Hill R Macquarie PassA National Park W A L IL NSW National Park v v v v v vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv Main Roads v v vvvvvvvvvvvvv v v v v Sealed roads Mc v v v v G Fire trails u i No Wood Dogs not No n v v e ad s v v vRo v Fires permitted camping Walking tracks s v v v v v y a v rr D u M M Power lines r a i v t c q e n u u v v v o a Railway line M r v v v v v v v v ie v v v v P vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv v Glenview a v v v v v v s Waterfalls v v s warra vvvvvvvvvvvvvv v / Illa H v v v v v v i v g G vvvvvvvvvvvvvv MACQUARIE PASS h l v v v v v To Robertson w e n a Bird watching v v v v y ie w v NATIONAL PARK F ir Information Clover Hill et ra Carpark il FORD Parking l Picnic Tables ai tr ire F ill C H asc er ade ov s Cl W Clover a Hill Cascade lk Falls Cascade Falls YOU ARE Carpark & HERE Picnic Area uarie cq a Ri Rainbow M vu le Falls tt To Wollongong ra Min gar e Road N Ton IL L A W A R R A E 0 1km k SC arra Cree ane A ng L RP o ra M T ar EN ng T To Macquarie Pass National Park – established in 1969 – Illawarra SubTropical Rainforest. This rainforest is nestled on the edge of the escarpment between provides habitat for an endangered plant called the Southern Highlands and the Shellharbour coast. Irenepharsus trypherus or ‘Illawarra Irene’. Illawarra This 1,064 hectare park boasts an amazing array of Irene is a short lived perennial shrub and is often cliffs, creeks, rainforest and waterfalls. mistaken as a weed. It has white flowers and narrow toothed stems. The fruit is a small, upright curved Escarpment Geology pod and its tiny seeds (a millimetre long) become The Illawarra Escarpment plays an important part sticky when wet. Illawarra Irene grows on steep in the climate and rainfall of the coast. Today’s rocky slopes near cliff lines and ridge tops, out of landforms were shaped by volcanic activity 230-280 rock crevices or on narrow benches along cliff lines. million years ago, with Hawkesbury sandstone cliffs To help us protect this fragile and special overlaying seams of Illawarra coal and laterite soils. vegetation, please stay Remnant Rainforest on the formed paths. The Illawarra subtropical rainforests are the most southerly of the five major concentrations of rainforest vegetation in NSW. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the development of the timber and dairy industries saw most of the Illawarra’s rainforest cleared. Macquarie Pass National Park protects an exquisite example of these once extensive rainforests. Top: Superb Lyrebird. Image: © OEH Bottom: Topknot Pigeons (Lopholaimus antarcticus). The rainforest around Cascade Falls is an Image: © OEH Endangered Ecological Community called For more information please contact: Illawarra Area Office 84 Crown Street Wollongong NSW 2520 Phone 42233000 NSW National Park MACQUARIE PASS NATIONAL PARK Main Roads e quari Pas Sealed roads Mac s Cascade Falls Fire trails To Wollongong ALBION Illaw PARK arra Walking tracks To Mossvale Highway arra Illaw Highway Railway line ROBERTSON Power lines d oad J a s R a o n m R d so a r a b n Waterfalls o Pe e i R r a o d o t a M n h o s u o R o a u Minnamurra M Bird watching w n s l t l p a o e a in Rainforest o e F r R e h e o b S r Carrington a d Centre m o Information a d Fitzroy Falls m J a l Falls e o B Visitors R e MINNAMURRA al Centre V FALLS NATURE Toilets yre JAMBEROO M RESERVE Parking Belmore Jamberoo Falls Lookout Fitzroy BUDDEROO Picnic Tables Falls NATIONAL PARK angar K oo N Barren Cafe/Kiosk V a l Grounds l e y To Nowra MORTON R 0 5km Nature o Gas BBQs NATIONAL PARK a d Reserve Woodfire BBQs Viewing platforms active after rain, when amazing displays of brightly Waterfalls galore Cascades Rainforest coloured fungi can also be found on logs and Macquarie Pass National Park is the Walk hidden in leaf litter on the forest floor. beginning of a circuit showcasing Distance: 2km return Take care with large heart shaped leaves – these a number of the region’s waterfalls Grade: easy leaves come from the Giant Stinging Tree with their spectacular gorges, cliff Time: 30 minutes return (Dendrocnide excelsa). They give a painful sting lines and panoramic views. Once if touched. you have enjoyed Cascade Falls, The walking track starts at the rear of the picnic area drive west along the Illawarra and follows the creek for about one kilometre to the Highway past Robertson to enjoy base of the 20-metre Cascade Falls. Return to the car Clover Hill Walk Morton National Park’s Belmore park using the same route. Distance: 5.75km return Falls. Continue on to the stunning Grade: easy Fitzroy Falls and take advantage Along the path, you will be transported into a cool, Time: 1.5 hours return of the visitor centre’s café facilities. lush, green world miles away from the everyday Return east on the Illawarra hustle and bustle. Ancient Cabbage Tree palms filter light through their fronds, and the tree canopy Highway down Jamberoo protects visitors from the wind. Mountain Road to view Budderoo Clover Hill is a clearing with magnificent views to National Park’s spectacular Rainforests provide shelter for the many birds that the coast. Once a dairy farm owned by the Thomas Carrington Falls and then to the depend upon rainforest fruit for their diet. Look family, it was purchased by Ben and Jean Turner out for the grey Topknot Pigeon (Lopholaimus award-winning Minnamurra who practiced mixed farming and offered visitors antarcticus) with its red bill and eyes and long Elvis- the opportunity to explore the adjacent waterfalls. Rainforest Centre near Jamberoo. like crest swept-back. Listen for little Yellow-throated This site is now a managed ruin. The visitor centre, elevated Scrubwrens (Sericornis citreogularis) chattering away boardwalk and suspension in the shrub layer or the distinctly green Green To get to Clover Hill, head west along the Illawarra bridges provide an accessible and Catbird (Ailuroedus crassirostris) calling like a wailing Highway. Clover Hill Road car park is a small pull off inspiring rainforest experience for cat. The cheeky Logrunner (Orthonyx temminckii) can on the left side going up Macquarie Pass. people of all ages and mobility. also be heard on the rainforest floor making excited After parking, walk along the management trail Viewing Minnamurra Falls is a ‘weet weet’ sounds, while the beautiful Emerald which meanders through rainforest for 2.1km to reward for those undertaking the Dove (Chalcophaps indica) with its purple-brown Clover Hill clearing. Walk up the top of the rise for longer Falls Walk (4.2 km return). body and emerald wings can often be heard coastal views and the chance to imagine what life cooing gently. was like there 80 years ago. Continue along the trail Most days, visitors will hear the mimicking call for another 750 metres to reach Macquarie Rivulet. – and occasionally glimpse the wispy tail – of a A scramble upstream at the end of the track will take Superb Lyrebird, as they jump from log to log and you to the beautiful Rainbow Falls. scratch for food on the ground. They are especially Return to the car park using the same route. Giant Stinging Tree (Dendrocnide excelsa). Image: © OEH Endangered Illawarra Irene (Irenepharsus trypherus). Image: © OEH Cabbage Tree Palm (Livistona australis). Image: © OEH.