Lavender Vale Cottage

Kwiambal National Park

Open, check current alerts 

Overview

This well-equipped but budget accommodation offers a weekend getaway of hiking, swimming and fishing, without sacrificing any of the luxuries like air-con and hot showers.

Accommodation Details
Accommodation type Cottage
Where 2531B Limestone Road, Wallangra, NSW, 2360 - in Kwiambal National Park
Bedrooms 3
Maximum guests 8
Facilities Barbecue facilities, drinking water, showers, toilets, electric power, kitchen, plates and cutlery, pots and pans, air conditioning, tv, washing machine, rubbish bin
What to bring Bed sheets, blankets, pillows, pillow cases, towels, food supplies
Please note
  • Check in 2pm. Check out 10am. Fees may apply for late checkouts.
  • Bookings can be made for Monday or Friday check ins only: Friday to Monday (3 nights), Monday to Friday (4 nights), Monday to Monday or Friday to Friday (7 nights).
  • After booking we’ll email you a PIN combination to access the keys. Fees apply for lost keys.
  • The cottage is in a remote location so please pick up your supplies before you arrive.

Standing on the porch, you watch eastern grey kangaroos and emus feed on a wide scenic plain at dusk – nature is, quite literally, right on your doorstep. Lavender Vale Cottage and the neighbouring Lavender Vale Homestead are perfectly positioned to help you get the most out of a visit to Kwiambal National Park, whether you’ve come for wildlife, Macintyre Falls, or simply to stroll through white cypress pines and ironbarks on a pleasant day walk.

Just three kilometres away, Macintyre Falls lookout is the best place to head for hiking, fishing, and swimming opportunities. But Lavender Vale Cottage offers enough comforts to make you want to linger with a book on the shaded verandah, or fire up the barbecue for a family picnic on a Sunday afternoon.

The cottage is spacious, sleeping 6 people comfortably (with enough room for 8), and it features a well-equipped kitchen suitable for larger groups. Air-conditioning makes it perfect for summer, too: strike out into the bush in the early morning, then retreat to cool comfort during the hottest hours of the day.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Map


Map legend

Map legend

Current alerts in this area

There are no current alerts in this area.

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/accommodation/lavender-vale-cottage/local-alerts

Bookings

Operated by

Park info

See more visitor info

Visitor info

All the practical information you need to know about Lavender Vale Cottage.

Getting there and parking

Lavender Vale Cottage is in the northwest precinct of Kwiambal National Park. The Cottage is around 1hr 45min drive from Tenterfield and 1hr 15min drive from Inverell. 

From Tenterfield:

  • Travel west along the Bruxner Highway for approximately an hour.
  • Turn left on to the Ashford-Bonshaw Road just before Bonshaw and travel south to the small town of Ashford
  • From here, travel along Inverell Street in Ashford and turn right on to Limestone Road. Follow this road for 16km and at the intersection of Limestone Road and Sandy Creek Road turn right, and continue on to Kwiambal National Park.
  • Continue past the Limestone Caves and turn left on to Macintyre Falls Road. 
  • The entrance to Lavender Vale Precinct has a post and rail fence, and is directly opposite the intersection with Lemon Tree Flat Road.  Access to the cottage is through the locked gate with the ‘Authorised Personnel Only’ sign. 

From Inverell:

  • From the Gwydir Highway follow the signs at Mansfield Street and turn right on to Byron Street. Travel north along Byron Street which turns into Ashford Road and passing Kamilaroi Park on your left. Alternatively, take the Jardine Road bypass on the western side of town to reach Ashford Road.
  • Travel north along Ashford Road for about an hour, and once at Ashford turn left on to Frazer Street.
  • Follow Frazer Street as it turns on to Wallangra Road and head west to the intersection with Sandy Creek Road.
  • Turn right on to Sandy Creek Road and follow for 6km until the intersection with Limestone Road.
  • From here turn left and continue on to Kwiambal National Park.
  • Continue past the Limestone Caves and turn left on to Macintyre Falls Road. 
  • The entrance to Lavender Vale Precinct has a post and rail fence, and is directly opposite the intersection with Lemon Tree Flat Road.  Access to the cottage is through the locked gate with the ‘Authorised Personnel Only’ sign.

Road quality

There's no vehicle access from the cottage to the river. 

  • Unsealed roads

Vehicle access

  • 2WD vehicles

Weather restrictions

  • All weather

Parking

Off-street parking is available for a number of vehicles at Lavendar Vale Cottage.

Best times to visit

There are lots of great things waiting for you in Kwiambal National Park. Here are some of the highlights.

Spring

Between the warmer months of September and March, spectacular wildflower displays decorate the bush beneath white cypress pines.

Summer

The many swimming opportunities, including rivers, secluded beaches, and even a plunge pool, makes Kwiambal a terrific destination in the height of summer.

Weather, temperature and rainfall

Summer temperature

Average

16.9°C and 30.6°C

Highest recorded

41.2°C

Winter temperature

Average

2.7°C and 18°C

Lowest recorded

-6.3°C

Rainfall

Wettest month

January

Driest month

June

The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day

160mm

Facilities

  • Bedding configuration: 3 bedrooms. 1 queen bed, 4 single beds, 1 double sofa bed.
  • 1 bathroom with hot shower and bath.
  • Separate toilet.
  • Lounge room.
  • Dining table and chairs.
  • Please leave the property clean and tidy with all kitchen items washed up and put away. Additional fees may be charged for any extra cleaning required or for missing/broken items.
  • Cleaning products, toilet paper and garbage bags are provided.

Toilets

  • Flush toilets

Barbecue facilities

There's an outdoor wood barbecue and an indoor wood fire.

Drinking water

Tank water is available but you’ll need to treat or boil it before drinking.

Showers

  • Hot showers

Electric power

The cottage uses mains power. Please leave your personal electrical devices, including hairdryers and electric blankets, at home and use only the electrical devices provided in the cottage. The use of smartphone and computer chargers is accepted.

Kitchen

Gas stove and oven. Fridge with freezer, microwave, toaster, kettle, dishwasher.

Plates and cutlery

Pots and pans

Air conditioning

TV

TV with no reception and a DVD player.

Washing machine

With clothes line/racks. Bring your own washing powder.

Rubbish bin

Please take any excess garbage with you. Bin bags are provided.

Maps and downloads

Safety messages

Mobile safety

There is no telephone at Lavendar Vale Cottage. There is mobile phone coverage for Telstra phone customers but limited to no coverage for other phone providers.

Paddling safety

To make your paddling or kayaking adventure safer and more enjoyable, check out these paddling safety tips.

River and lake safety

The aquatic environment around rivers, lakes and lagoons can be unpredictable. If you're visiting these areas, take note of these river and lake safety tips.

Accessibility

Disability access level - easy

The cottage has ramp access and accessible facilities.

Prohibited

  • Amplified music 
  • Unregistered vehicles or motorbikes

Gathering firewood

Firewood is supplied.

Generators

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

Lavender Vale Cottage is in Kwiambal National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:

Aboriginal cultural heritage

Macintyre Falls, Kwiambal National Park. Photo: Michael van Ewijk

Kwiambal takes its name from the aboriginal people of the Ashford district. Rich in food, water and materials, the area provided a year-round living environment for their ancestors, with sacred sites and hunting grounds spread throughout the park.

Animals

Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), Kwiambal National Park. Photo: Michael van Ewijk

There are five rare or threatened plant species in the park: severn wattle, Rodd’s star hair, caustic vine, daisy bush and toadflax. Feel free to look, but please be careful not to damage the plants. In the warmer months of September to March, the wildflowers bloom throughout the bush. Like its flowers, Kwiambal is home to dozens of notable animal species, including 32 types of reptile, 11 frogs, and 30 species of mammal. Some 18 species are threatened or endangered, including koalas, squirrel gliders, and five-clawed worm skinks. There are also an astonishing 101 types of bird, making the park a hot spot for avid birders. Keep an eye out for painted honeyeaters, barking owls, hooded robins, and diamond firetails.

  • Dungeon lookout Where Severn River enters a steep gorge, you’ll find The Dungeon, with this lookout offering superb views down into the swell, particularly after rain.
  • Macintyre Falls lookout Adjacent to a well-equipped picnic area, Macintyre Falls lookout offers scenic views over the river, with nearby swimming, hiking and fishing opportunities.
  • Slippery Rock walking track Slippery Rock walking track in Kwiambal National Park, near Inverell, offers spectacular gorge views as well as fishing, birdwatching and vibrant wildflowers in spring.

Historic heritage

Macintyre River, Kwiambal National Park. Photo: OEH

The flat areas of the park have been subjected to farming of tobacco, giving way to cereal crops and the mining of various minerals and sapphires. Unsurprisingly then, there are a number of historical landmarks within the park, including tobacco-drying sheds, woolsheds, fruit trees, storage sheds, and the remains of a house. History enthusiasts will want to seek these out on a visit.

Native rainforest

Slippery Rock walking track, Kwiambal National Park. Photo: Michael Van Ewijk

Kwiambal contains 15 per cent of the native dry rainforest left in NSW. The vegetation is dominated by white cypress pines, silver-leaved ironbarks, and tumbledown gums. Unfortunately, much of the planning area has been subjected to logging in the past, though considerable regeneration makes it a worthy destination for nature-lovers. 

  • Dungeon lookout Where Severn River enters a steep gorge, you’ll find The Dungeon, with this lookout offering superb views down into the swell, particularly after rain.
  • Junction walk Junction walk offers a stroll through ironbarks and pine trees to the meeting of Severn and Macintyre rivers, with swimming, picnicking, and birdwatching opportunities.
  • Macintyre Falls lookout Adjacent to a well-equipped picnic area, Macintyre Falls lookout offers scenic views over the river, with nearby swimming, hiking and fishing opportunities.
  • Slippery Rock walking track Slippery Rock walking track in Kwiambal National Park, near Inverell, offers spectacular gorge views as well as fishing, birdwatching and vibrant wildflowers in spring.

Education resources (1)