Lavender Vale Cottage
Kwiambal National Park
Overview
This well-equipped but cheap accommodation offers a weekend getaway of hiking, swimming and fishing, without sacrificing any of the luxuries like air-con and hot showers.
| Accommodation type | Cottage |
|---|---|
| Where | 2531B Limestone Road, Wallangra, NSW, 2360 - in Kwiambal National Park |
| Bedrooms | 3 |
| Maximum guests | 9 |
| Facilities | Barbecue facilities, drinking water, showers, toilets, electric power |
| What to bring | Bed sheets, blankets, towels, pillow cases, food supplies |
| Price |
|
| Bookings | Book online or call the National Parks Contact Centre on 1300 072 757. |
| Please note |
|
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 9), 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.
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
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Operated by
- Tenterfield office
- Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.
- 02 6736 4298
- npws.ntab@environment.nsw.gov.au
- 10 Miles Street, Tenterfield NSW 2372
Park info
- in Kwiambal National Park in the Country NSW region
Kwiambal National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
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 approximately 1hr 45min drive from Tenterfield and 1hr 15min drive from Inverell.
You'll receive PIN codes with your booking confirmation to access the keys to the cottage. Contact 13000 72757 if you have not received your code. Fees may apply for lost keys.
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
- The cottage is fully furnished. It has a well-equipped kitchen, lounge room, 3 bedrooms, bathroom with hot shower and bath, separate toilet and a laundry.
- Bedding configuration: 1 double bed, 1 single trundle bed, 4 single beds, 1 double sofa bed.
- Pillows are provided
- Gas stove and oven
- Fridge with freezer, microwave, toaster, kettle, dishwasher.
- Cutlery, crockery and glassware.
- Dining table and chairs
- Gas barbecue
- Air conditioning
- Washing machine (bring your own washing powder) and clothes line/racks.
- Television (no reception) and DVD player.
- Rubbish bins and bin bags are provided. Please take any excess garbage with you.
- 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.
- Gas/electric barbecues (free)
- Wood barbecues (firewood supplied)
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.
Maps and downloads
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.
Nearby towns
Glen Innes (59 km)
Set in the most prolific sapphire region of Country NSW, Glen Innes hosts the annual Minerama Fossicking and Gem Show and the annual Australian Celtic Festival, and is home to the Australian Standing Stones.
Inverell (36 km)
Go fossicking for sapphires and other gems at several places around the city. Grab a map of local fossicking sites from the visitor information centre and try your luck.
Warialda (14 km)
Warialda is surrounded by picturesque bushland, making it an ideal location for bushwalking and relaxing in natural surrounds. There are numerous places to picnic, and Cranky Rock Nature Reserve is a popular spot for fossicking, birdwatching and exploring. The area also supports a large variety of wildflowers.
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
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
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.
- Limestone Caves walking track Limestone Caves walking track is a short, easy walk in Kwiambal National Park, near Ashford. It’s popular with families keen to explore the caves, spot the local bats and enjoy a picnic.
- 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
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
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.
- Limestone Caves walking track Limestone Caves walking track is a short, easy walk in Kwiambal National Park, near Ashford. It’s popular with families keen to explore the caves, spot the local bats and enjoy a picnic.
- 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.
