Forest Tops campground
Border Ranges National Park
Overview
Set up your campsite at Forest Tops campground – the ultimate place to relax under the stars and enjoy the World-Heritage beauty of Border Ranges National Park.
| Number of campsites | 3 |
|---|---|
| Camping type | Tent, Don't mind a short walk to tent |
| Where | Tweed Range Scenic Drive, Border Ranges, NSW, 2474 - in Border Ranges National Park |
| Facilities | Picnic tables, barbecue facilities, toilets |
| What to bring | Drinking water, cooking water, firewood |
| Entry fees |
Park entry fees apply and are not included in your camping fees. |
| Group bookings | Bookings for up to 5 sites and 20 people can be made online. School groups and commercial tour operators can submit a group booking enquiry form. |
| Please note | Sites are marked. |
Forest Tops campground is fairly secluded and a great spot to pitch your tent for the weekend if you’re travelling light.
At Forest Tops, you’ll be completely immersed in World Heritage-listed rainforest. It’s a good idea to arrive when it is still light and, once you’ve set up camp, start on a hot cuppa. While you’re waiting for your billy to boil, work out tomorrow’s adventure. Try a short trip along Booyong walking track or walk the entire track – it finishes at Sheepstation Creek campground.
You’ll have all the barbecue facilities you need to cook up a rainforest feast. After a tasty meal, you can relax under the starry night sky and look forward to another day of exploring Border Ranges National Park.
Take a virtual tour of Forest Tops campground captured with Google Street View Trekker.
Map
Map legend
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/campgrounds/forest-tops-campground/local-alerts
Operated by
- Kyogle office
- Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.
- 02 6632 0000
- npws.richmondriver@environment.nsw.gov.au
- 136 Summerland Way, Kyogle NSW 2474
Park info
- in Border Ranges National Park in the North Coast region
Border Ranges National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
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Park entry fees:
$8 per vehicle per day.
Buy annual pass.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Forest Tops campground.
Getting there and parking
Forest Tops campground is located just off the Tweed Range Scenic Drive, 6km from Sheepstation Creek.
From Kyogle:
- Drive north along the Summerland Way to Wiangaree.
- Turn right onto Lynches Creek Road.
- Continue on Lynches Creek Road and Forest Road (follow signs) for 16km to the park entrance.
- Continue on Tweed Range Scenic Drive for 6km to Forest Tops campground.
From Lismore:
- Drive to Kyogle and then follow the directions from Kyogle.
From Murwillumbah:
- Drive to Kyogle and then follow the directions from Kyogle.
- You can also enter the park via Williams Road and Creegans Road at Lillian Rock, then travel through the park on the Tweed Range Scenic Drive for 26km to Forest Tops campground.
From Beaudesert and Rathdowney:
- Take Running Creek Road from Mt Lindesay Highway to Grady’s Creek Road (Lion’s Road) in NSW.
- Continue on Grady’s Creek Road 12.5km to Simes Road.
- Follow Simes Road 3km to Forest Road.
- Turn left onto Forest Road and travel 4.5km to the park entrance, then continue 6km to Forest Tops campground.
Road quality
Check the weather before you set out as the road to Forest Tops campground can become boggy when it rains
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- 4WD required in wet weather
Parking
Parking is available near Forest Tops campground in a small gravel carpark. From the carpark, it’s a short walk to your campsite.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Border Ranges National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Autumn
A picnic at Border Loop lookout and picnic area is a must during autumn. It's also a popular spot to see the historic Border Loop railway line.
Spring
The perfect time to get away from it all on a family camping trip. Sheepstation Creek campground is a great base for exploring Border Ranges National Park.
Summer
Watching the sunrise from Pinnacle lookout offers the best views of the crater escarpment, Wollumbin-Mount Warning and the coast. You're bound to find it a breathtaking experience.
Winter
Take in the park's scenery from the comfort of your car or motor home as you drive along the Tweed Range Scenic drive. Be sure to take some breaks along the way though – you don't want to miss the views.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
18°C and 30°C
Highest recorded
42.9°C
Winter temperature
Average
8°C and 22°C
Lowest recorded
-0.3°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
February
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
321mm
Facilities
- Rubbish bins are not provided. Please take your rubbish with you when you leave.
- The water at the campground is unsuitable for drinking.
- Firewood is not provided and collecting firewood in the park is not permitted
Toilets
- Non-flush toilets
Picnic tables
Barbecue facilities
- Wood barbecues (bring your own firewood)
Step-free access
The campground is flat and step-free, but there are no pathways. You'll need to cross over flat grass and hard-packed ground to get from the carpark to the facilities.
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - easy
Forest Tops campground is flat and step-free with the following accessible facilities:
- Accessible non-flush toilets, with a raised walkway that leads up to the entrance. The walkway has handrails on both sides.
- Accessible picnic tables set on concrete slabs that are suitable for wheelchairs
There are no pathways so you'll need to cross over flat grass and hard-packed ground to get from the carpark to and around the campground. People with reduced mobility may need some assistance to cross the grassy surface.
Prohibited
Gathering firewood
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Learn more
Forest Tops campground is in Border Ranges National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Aboriginal heritage
The dramatic landscapes of the Border Ranges National Park echo the historical ties connecting the region's Aboriginal people to Country. The Githabul People trace their identity and spirituality to this Country and it is central to their Dreaming. The park protects many ancient sites and continues to be a place of great significance today.
Abundant wildlife
Being part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, makes this park a truly special place to visit. This region has the highest concentration of marsupial, bird, snake and frog species in Australia, so you're bound to come across a cute creature or two during your visit. While you're in the heart of this remarkable rainforest make sure you listen out for the call of the Alberts lyrebird, and while you're picnicking, keep your eye out for the rare, local fauna that thrive in this lush, protected wilderness.
- Border Loop walk Walk the short and easy Border Loop walk through World Heritage-listed rainforest. Enjoy spectacular views from the lookout and finish with a picnic at the end.
- Border Ranges 360 experiences Discover some of the rare and remarkable animals, plants and habitats that make Border Ranges National Park special, with our interactive 360-degree images.
Picture perfect
A landscape photographer's dream, you'll be spoilt for choice in trying to capture the sheer scale and beauty of this epic rainforest from the many lookouts dotted throughout the park. Be sure to carry your camera up to the Pinnacle lookout at sunrise for a breathtaking birds-eye view of the crater escarpment all the way down to the NSW coastline. Don't forget to change your camera setting to panoramic for the perfect mantelpiece shot.
World Heritage wonder
The rainforests of the Border Ranges National Park are part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. World Heritage Areas are irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration - places of such value that the international community has agreed they must be conserved for all time. You can explore this World Heritage-listed rainforest on one of the many walking tracks, like the short Pinnacle walk that provides spectacular views of Wollumbin and the Tweed Valley 1km below.
- Bar Mountain circuit Take the short and easy Bar Mountain circuit walk to the lookout where you’ll enjoy panoramic views of World Heritage-listed rainforest.
- Border Loop walk Walk the short and easy Border Loop walk through World Heritage-listed rainforest. Enjoy spectacular views from the lookout and finish with a picnic at the end.
- Border Ranges 360 experiences Discover some of the rare and remarkable animals, plants and habitats that make Border Ranges National Park special, with our interactive 360-degree images.
- Brindle Creek picnic area Pack up a picnic and set off along the Tweed Range Scenic drive to explore Border Ranges National Park. Stop off at Brindle Creek picnic area for a picnic and walk.
Plants and animals protected in this park
Animals
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Albert's lyrebird (Menura alberti)
The Albert’s lyrebird is much rarer than the superb lyrebird. Distinguished by its richer brown plumage and less elaborate tail feathers, it’s protected as a threatened species in NSW.
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Spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus)
The spotted-tailed quoll is the largest remaining carnivorous marsupial on the Australian mainland. It’s protected as a vulnerable species in NSW.
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Satin bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus)
With vibrant blue-violet eyes and curious antics, the satin bowerbird is a favourite for bird watching and easy to spot as it forages for food in open forest. Relatively common across eastern Australia, in NSW they’re found in coastal rainforests and adjacent woodlands and mountain ranges.
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Wompoo fruit-dove (Ptilinopus magnificus)
The wompoo fruit-dove is a marvellously multi-coloured pigeon that makes its home in rainforest along coastal ranges from mid-north NSW to southern Queensland. It’s protected as a vulnerable species in NSW.
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Rufous scrub-bird (Atrichornis rufescens)
The vulnerable rufous scrub-bird is a small, ground-foraging bird that lives only in isolated rainforest areas of south-eastern Australia.
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Common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)
Commonly found in forests, woodlands and leafy gardens across eastern NSW, the Australian ringtail possum is a tree-dwelling marsupial. With a powerful tail perfectly adapted to grasp objects, it forages in trees for eucalypt leaves, flowers and fruit.
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Long-nosed bandicoot (Perameles nasuta)
A nocturnal marsupial and one of the smaller Australian native animals, the long-nosed bandicoot is found across eastern Australia. Populations in the Sydney region have dwindled since European settlement, leaving only endangered colonies in inner western Sydney and at North Head, near Manly. The long-nosed bandicoot has grey-brown fur and a pointed snout which it uses to forage for worms and insects.
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Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
One of the most renowned Australian animals, the tree-dwelling marsupial koala can be found in gum tree forests and woodlands across eastern NSW, Victoria and Queensland, as well as in isolated regions in South Australia. With a vice-like grip, this perhaps most iconic but endangered Australian animal lives in tall eucalypts within a home range of several hectares.
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Fleay's barred frog (Mixophyes fleayi)
The Fleay’s barred frog is an endangered species restricted to rainforest stream habitats in north-east NSW and south-east Queensland.
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Eastern bristlebird (Dasyornis brachypterus)
The endangered eastern bristlebird is a shy, ground-dwelling songbird. Less than 2,500 birds are left in the wild, restricted to 3 isolated areas in eastern NSW and southern Queensland.
Plants
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Grass tree (Xanthorrea spp.)
An iconic part of the Australian landscape, the grass tree is widespread across eastern NSW. These Australian native plants have a thick fire-blackened trunk and long spiked leaves. They are found in heath and open forests across eastern NSW. The grass tree grows 1-5m in height and produces striking white-flowered spikes which grow up to 1m long.