Antarctic Beech picnic area
Border Ranges National Park
Overview
At Antarctic Beech picnic area in World Heritage-listed Border Ranges National Park, near Murwillumbah, enjoy a picnic, walking and birdwatching in a rainforest setting.
- Type
- Picnic areas
- Where
- Border Ranges National Park in North Coast
- Accessibility
- Medium
- Entry fees
- Park entry fees apply
- Opening times
Antarctic Beech picnic area is always open, but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
- What to
bring - Clothes for all weather conditions, drinking water, sunscreen
- Please note
- This park is in a remote location. Please be well-prepared and tell a family member or friend about your travel plans.
- Consider having reasonably full fuel tanks before arriving, as there are no service stations near the park. The closest fuel is at Kyogle, Nimbin or Mount Burrell.
- There is limited mobile reception in this park
Picnic amongst the dark green canopies and gnarled trunks of ancient Antarctic beech trees at Antarctic Beech picnic area in Border Ranges National Park.
This is a great place to stop and rest if you’re camping, bushwalking or car touring, as there are picnic tables as well as wood barbecues and toilets. Or, just sit down with a thermos and enjoy a cuppa. Here, you can relax, recharge, and enjoy expansive views north across the Lost World wilderness area to the Queensland border and Lamington National Park and beyond.
Be sure to bring your binoculars and camera if you enjoy birdwatching, wildlife-spotting and photography. Pademelons and bandicoots graze around the picnic area in the early mornings and evenings, and interesting native birdlife you may see include lyrebirds, sooty owls, fruit doves, noisy pitas, green catbirds, honeyeaters and olive whistlers. Dingoes can also sometimes be seen and heard, most often in the early morning.
During springtime, beech orchids bloom high on the trunks and branches of the trees, while in summer the Illawarra flame tree can be spotted glowing red amongst the dark green canopy.
Map
Map
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Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/picnic-areas/antarctic-beech-picnic-area/local-alerts
General enquiries
- 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
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.
-
Park entry fees:
$8 per vehicle per day. The park uses a self-registration fee collection system at entry. Please bring the correct change and display your receipt.
Buy annual pass.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about the Antarctic Beech picnic area.
Getting there and parking
Antarctic Beech picnic area is in the Brindle Creek precinct of Border Ranges National Park. To get there:
From Murwillumbah:
- Travel south-west on Kyogle Road to Lillian Rock, then turn right onto Williams Road.
- Travel 2.7km along Williams Road to Creegans Road. Travel 5.8km along Creegans Road to the park boundary.
- From the park boundary, continue 26km along Tweed Range Scenic Drive to the Brindle Creek Road intersection, which is clearly signposted to your right.
- Travel 6.8km along Brindle Creek Road to the Antarctic Beech picnic area carpark
From Lismore:
- Travel north to Nimbin, then continue north on Blue Knob Road to Kyogle-Murwillumbah Road.
- Turn left (west) towards Kyogle, continue for 5km to Williams Road, then turn right onto Williams Road.
- Travel 2.7km along Williams Road to Creegans Road. Travel 5.8km along Creegans Road to the park boundary. From the park boundary, continue 26km along Tweed Range Scenic Drive to the Brindle Creek Road intersection, which is clearly signposted to your right.
- Travel 6.8km along Brindle Creek Road to the Antarctic Beech picnic area carpark
From Kyogle:
- Travel north along Summerland Way 14km to Wiangaree
- At Wiangaree, turn right onto Lynchs Creek Road and travel east along Lynches Creek Road 12km to Forest Road, following the signs to Border Ranges National Park.
- Turn right onto Forest Road and continue 4.5km to the park boundary. From here, continue on Tweed Range Scenic Drive for 6.6km to Brindle Creek Road, which is clearly signposted on your left.
- Travel 6.8km along Brindle Creek Road to the Antarctic Beech picnic area carpark
Road quality
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles (no long vehicle access)
Weather restrictions
- 4WD required in wet weather
Parking
Parking is available within the picnic area. Access to the start of the walking track is directly opposite.
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
Toilets
- Non-flush toilets
Picnic tables
Barbecue facilities
- Wood barbecues (bring your own firewood)
Carpark
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - medium
- Assistance may be required to access this area
- Toilet facilities are wheelchair-accessible
- Picnic tables are wheelchair-accessible
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
Antarctic Beech picnic area 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.
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.
- 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 you may see
Animals
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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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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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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.