Nightcap National Park
Nightcap National Park
4.5
Monday
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
15 reviews
Excellent
11
Very good
3
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
1TraveltheWorld
Alice Springs, Australia12,211 contributions
May 2015 • Solo
Protestor Falls are situated within the Western end of Nightcap National Park and is not accessible from the Minyon Falls area that is located at the South/ Eastern area of the park.
It is a totally different rainforest environment, compared to the later if you have visited the here first.
You could easily think you are in Far North Queensland in places like the Daintree, as it is surprisingly very similar. Excellent photo opportunities, both at the falls and along the way.
The falls are located, 15km form the right hand turn off at, The Channon Tavern.
The road is a winding bitumen road for 9km, before travelling the last 6km on a dirt surface will get you to your destination.
Be aware there are many tight bends and several, “one lane only” bridges, so beware of oncoming traffic.
You will experience a great drive, which incorporates lush rainforests along the way, with Tree ferns, Palms, Elkhorn’s, Staghorn’s, Bird nest ferns and many other epiphytes’ along the way.
From the carpark, the falls are reachable by approximately a 500 metre walk, part of which is a timber boardwalk in the beginning.
There are also drop toilets and a picnic area onsite right across from the carpark.
It is a totally different rainforest environment, compared to the later if you have visited the here first.
You could easily think you are in Far North Queensland in places like the Daintree, as it is surprisingly very similar. Excellent photo opportunities, both at the falls and along the way.
The falls are located, 15km form the right hand turn off at, The Channon Tavern.
The road is a winding bitumen road for 9km, before travelling the last 6km on a dirt surface will get you to your destination.
Be aware there are many tight bends and several, “one lane only” bridges, so beware of oncoming traffic.
You will experience a great drive, which incorporates lush rainforests along the way, with Tree ferns, Palms, Elkhorn’s, Staghorn’s, Bird nest ferns and many other epiphytes’ along the way.
From the carpark, the falls are reachable by approximately a 500 metre walk, part of which is a timber boardwalk in the beginning.
There are also drop toilets and a picnic area onsite right across from the carpark.
Written May 21, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ian S
London, UK712 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
It was 1979, people were angry, people who didn’t want to lose something. The oft despised Greenies were out in force, a forest was in peril, 300 year old blackbox and brushbox trees were listed to be cut down and 300 protesters dug in for starters.
A rally of 2,000 people eventually woke the government up and an impact study was set up. Its findings led to a national park being declared in 1984 called Nightcap. In the year 2000 they discovered a tree for the first time and called it the Nightcap Oak.
I’d seen the protests on T.V. and wondered what all the fuss was about, wondered for a long time in fact. Wondered for 35 years, but my curiosity never abated. So it was that when Lorraine and I went house sitting at Skennars Head, I noted that Protesters was within striking distance and we pencilled in a day to visit this place.
Strong winds had pounded the seas for days and some rain had arrived with them but, on our allocated day we drive inland beneath sunny skies and soft white clouds, skirting Lismore and plunging further north, up past The Channon and into alternative life style country. Here voluminous vines cluttered up fence lines, secondary growth shielded houses from prying eyes and the road turned from bitumen to gravel.
There’s a sense when you enter places like this; a sense of peace, a sense of quiet, a feeling of freshness. At the end of this entry road there’s a ford and then a carpark. Had we known better we’d have parked before we crossed the ford; reason being that once you unpacked, dressed properly and were on your way, you had to come back across the concrete ford which entailed taking your footwear off to get through Terania Creek.
As you entered the walkway to the falls, it wasn’t brushbox or blackbox that caught your eye, it was the vast amounts of piccabeen palms with their lichen lined trunks, tubular root systems and voluminous discarded fronds. The abstract patterns they formed were a constant distraction, as was the occasional strangler fig and different fungi that we stumbled across.
Then we came to the bridge, a.k.a. a series of planks across the stream. It was here that a returning couple tipped us off about a resting reptile only about 50 metres further on and that set our blood racing. With wary step we trod, eyes wide open and nerves at the ready. Finally we saw the resting python, whose aura was as benign as a pet dog and it moved not from its curled position while we rattled off numerous images. It’s not often you get a chance to get that close to a reptile and feel safe.
The creek’s waters were so clear, a fact that attracts the endangered Fleay’s frog apparently and you are requested not to swim in the water to avoid endangering it even more.
The steps are few but they get tricky towards the end and I had to assist Lorraine near the falls proper. The drop was much higher than I imagined, just over the 25 metre mark and more than you could cover with a normal camera wide angle lens. Tall palms sit atop a ledge halfway up on one side while the other has mosses where weeping water exudes from the cracks.
The walk had been only short, you can get up and back in an hour, but the beauty of it all made it easy to understand why it was worthy of preservation. From the red berries to the moth in its last hour there was an ecosystem worth showing your grandchildren and letting them know they, too, would be able to show their grandchildren.
A rally of 2,000 people eventually woke the government up and an impact study was set up. Its findings led to a national park being declared in 1984 called Nightcap. In the year 2000 they discovered a tree for the first time and called it the Nightcap Oak.
I’d seen the protests on T.V. and wondered what all the fuss was about, wondered for a long time in fact. Wondered for 35 years, but my curiosity never abated. So it was that when Lorraine and I went house sitting at Skennars Head, I noted that Protesters was within striking distance and we pencilled in a day to visit this place.
Strong winds had pounded the seas for days and some rain had arrived with them but, on our allocated day we drive inland beneath sunny skies and soft white clouds, skirting Lismore and plunging further north, up past The Channon and into alternative life style country. Here voluminous vines cluttered up fence lines, secondary growth shielded houses from prying eyes and the road turned from bitumen to gravel.
There’s a sense when you enter places like this; a sense of peace, a sense of quiet, a feeling of freshness. At the end of this entry road there’s a ford and then a carpark. Had we known better we’d have parked before we crossed the ford; reason being that once you unpacked, dressed properly and were on your way, you had to come back across the concrete ford which entailed taking your footwear off to get through Terania Creek.
As you entered the walkway to the falls, it wasn’t brushbox or blackbox that caught your eye, it was the vast amounts of piccabeen palms with their lichen lined trunks, tubular root systems and voluminous discarded fronds. The abstract patterns they formed were a constant distraction, as was the occasional strangler fig and different fungi that we stumbled across.
Then we came to the bridge, a.k.a. a series of planks across the stream. It was here that a returning couple tipped us off about a resting reptile only about 50 metres further on and that set our blood racing. With wary step we trod, eyes wide open and nerves at the ready. Finally we saw the resting python, whose aura was as benign as a pet dog and it moved not from its curled position while we rattled off numerous images. It’s not often you get a chance to get that close to a reptile and feel safe.
The creek’s waters were so clear, a fact that attracts the endangered Fleay’s frog apparently and you are requested not to swim in the water to avoid endangering it even more.
The steps are few but they get tricky towards the end and I had to assist Lorraine near the falls proper. The drop was much higher than I imagined, just over the 25 metre mark and more than you could cover with a normal camera wide angle lens. Tall palms sit atop a ledge halfway up on one side while the other has mosses where weeping water exudes from the cracks.
The walk had been only short, you can get up and back in an hour, but the beauty of it all made it easy to understand why it was worthy of preservation. From the red berries to the moth in its last hour there was an ecosystem worth showing your grandchildren and letting them know they, too, would be able to show their grandchildren.
Written May 16, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
petaurus
Wollongong, Australia51 contributions
Jul 2012 • Couples
Nightcap National Park is divided into two sections, one featuring Terania Creek and Protesters falls and another featuring Minyon Falls. If you have 4 hours, then visit both, but if you dont and only have 2 hours, it is best to visit only Terania Creek and complete the walk to Protesters Falls (30 mins return). The area around Terania Creek was the site of the first rainforest logging protests in 1979, over the logging of Brushbox timbers. Fortunately these protests allowed for the succession of all rainforest logging in NSW in 1984. Consider the legacy of these protesters when visiting Terania Creek as it adds an extra dimension to the place.
Written April 26, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
one_fang
Brisbane, Australia4 contributions
Jun 2015 • Family
We picked this location to check out the bushwalks at Nightcap. Having read lots about the spectacular walk to the falls we were not disappointed. The local knowledge also helped us choose other good walks. Signposting was tricky at times if not approaching from the popular roads, but we found our way eventually.
Written July 12, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ian_Fraser1951
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia75 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
NIghtcap is one of those places we'd always wanted to visit, for its own sake and for its place in Australian environmental history. Obviously it didn't disappoint, with some superb rainforest walks from Rummery campground, and of course the incomparable Terania Creek section. From Rummery the Boggy Creek walk to Minyon Falls, and another along the nearby Blue Fig Falls management track, are excellent introductions. Rummery is a grassy campground surrounded by rainforest - excellent visitors included a Nthn Brown Bandicoot, a big Carpet Python which settled in to digest dinner near our tent, and the resident Lace Monitor. While we were there mesh frames for drainage on which to erect tents were being installed at the top of the camp ground, but other than that the ground showed signs of government neglect of parks. The toilets were in very bad condition (the ventilation and flush systems weren't working at all, which is unpleasant) and no, we're very used to and comfortable with long drop systems. Moreover they're sited right on the creek bank, which can't be best practice. There is a wood bin, but it was quite empty. We don't think there's an obligation on the service to provide wood, but we'd just come from Gibraltar Range, a larger camp ground with plenty of wood supplied and the bin suggests it's been the norm at Rummery. Finally, there has been no attempt to provide any privacy for sites, which is common elsewhere. You need to book in advance. So great park, but at present you might be a bit disappointed by the camping.
Written May 22, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fiona G
Adelaide, Australia341 contributions
Sep 2016 • Couples
If the rating was based on the environment only I would give it 5 stars however there were a couple of issues. Information states that the park is well signposted and once you are on a track it is. Signposting to get to parking bays to get onto the tracks are very poor. We did the base walk at Minyon falls and the views across the hinterland to the ocean were magnificent. Walking through ancient forest was amazing. The last section to get to the actual falls is quite difficult, a lot of rock scrambling, but worth the effort. Be wary of distances. This was listed as a 4.5 km walk and the map indicates a loop however it is actually a 9 km walk to do the loop. Worth the visit.
Written September 16, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thatonegirl80
Melbourne, Australia206 contributions
Jul 2016 • Family
Drove 1hr outside of Byron bay. It is secluded rainforest. There trail is nice but toward the falls there is a bit of rock climbing. It is truely amazing.
Written July 16, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ian N
Brisbane, Australia66 contributions
Jul 2014 • Family
Take the drive to Minyon Falls on the eastern edge of Nightcap from Byron or Mullum. An hour or two of teetering on the edge of "off the GPS" roads (that 2WDs will still cope with) looking out for Nightcap Oaks and listening out for Paradise Riflebirds and Albert's Lyrebirds will make you think seriously about moving here for good. Although gazing out from the top of the 100m tall falls slicing through a tiny gap in the Tweed Shield escarpment may make you wonder who on earth ever did, and what they sought. 60% of this complex of rainforests is World Heritage Listed and that's well-deserved. If you love hiking, you probably won't beat it in NNSW. Just don't expect a cappuccino and pizza very often or the tracks to all be open if it's been raining hard.
Written July 23, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tony W
Sydney, Australia4,598 contributions
Sep 2020
Knowing the activist history of this park it is great to see the effort to save this rainforest area was not in vain. It is spectacular and being able to allow the younger kids to see, smell and experience a rainforest is a great thing for a parent to do.
Written September 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Candace H
Adelaide, Australia12 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
This is a very special place, beautiful awe inspiring ( not just awesome) and humbling to think activists versus the timber industry came to old forest logger heads here in 1975. We can thank the greenies for prevailing and saving this part of the planet.
Written December 12, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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