Where

Barren Grounds Nature Reserve in South Coast

Distance

120km one-way

Please note

• If you’re stopping for a swim along the way, please take care in the water and please supervise children at all times.
• Be sure to bring drinking water with you, along with supplies for your vehicle.
• A current NSW recreational fishing licence is required when fishing in all waters

Take in the beauty of the Southern Highlands, Illawarra and Morton National Park from the comfort of your car on the Illawarra tourism route.

After fuelling up with petrol and a cuppa in Bowral take Nowra Road to Fitzroy Falls, travelling through the rolling hills and pretty pastures of farming country. Stop to walk to the falls and collect maps from the Fitzroy Falls Visitor Centre, then continue on to Belmore Falls, absorbing striking views over the sandstone escarpment and deep valleys as you drive.

From Belmore Falls in Morton National Park, drive through lush rainforest to Robertson; be sure to stop and enjoy a range of cafés, restaurants and bakeries in Robertson.

Stopping for a family photo in front of the Big Potato is a must, and then continue down Jamberoo Mountain Road via Carrington Falls in Budderoo National Park. Enjoy a picnic and the fantastic lookouts at Barren Grounds Nature Reserve before making your way to lovely Kiama. Check out the blowhole, go fishing or relax in one of the seaside cafes.

Then, whenever you’re ready, return to Sydney via Wollongong or head up Macquarie Pass to Bowral and on to Canberra or Sydney.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Visitor info

Maps and downloads

Learn more

Go wild for flowers

Barren Grounds Nature Reserve is famous for its heath wildflowers in spring and summer and flowering banksias in winter. The heathland is also one of only 4 large areas of heath on the NSW South Coast, making it an important habitat for many species of plants and animals. A large number of threatened or regionally rare ferns and other species also occur in wet sheltered sites below the escarpment, including several species of filmy fern. Around 180 bird species can also be found here, including honeyeaters, southern emu wrens, lyrebirds, crimson rosellas, cockatoos and grey currawongs. If you're really lucky, you might even spot the bright green ground parrot or an eastern bristlebird. In fact, it was to protect these two threatened heathland birds that Barren Grounds Nature Reserve was set up in 1956.

Historic heritage

Barren Grounds Nature Reserve holds a very special place in the history of conservation in NSW, as it was the third faunal reserve to be gazetted under the Fauna Protection Act. Led by early conservation leaders like Myles Dunphy, Paddy Pallin and Allen Strom, it was protected in 1956. Since then, it has been an important place for researchers and students alike to record and learn about the incredible biodiversity of this area. The stone building at Barren Grounds picnic area - once known as The Lodge - was used for accommodation by researchers and honorary rangers.

Plants and animals protected in this park