Platypus picnic area
Gibraltar Range National Park
Overview
Close to the Gwydir Highway, Platypus picnic area gives travellers a small glimpse of Gibraltar Range National Park, with birdwatching opportunities and a place to picnic with barbecues.
- Type
- Picnic areas
- Accessibility
- Medium
- Entry fees
- Park entry fees apply
- What to
bring - Drinking water, hat, sunscreen
- Please note
- Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch.
Not far from the popular Dandahra picnic area, Platypus picnic area is a quieter alternative for travellers on the Gwydir Highway who want to get a sense of Gibraltar Range National Park without driving too far off the road.
A good pit stop for a leisurely lunch, Platypus picnic area allows you to see wildflowers in spring like the famous Gibraltar waratah. Native birds roost in the trees overhead, making this a tidy spot for birdwatching too. Plus, it isn’t called Platypus for nothing: you might glimpse one of these elusive creatures swimming in Little Dandahra Creek.
Platypus picnic area has wood barbecues and plenty of table space – all the basics for an enjoyable afternoon. But if this small taste of the park has you intrigued, try the short hike to Anvil Rock, with superb scenic views over the surrounding area. Alternatively, pack the bicycle and hit the service trails.
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/things-to-do/picnic-areas/platypus-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 Gibraltar Range National Park in the North Coast and Country NSW regions
Gibraltar Range National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather, road damage, or high fire danger.
-
Park entry fees:
$8 per vehicle per day. The park uses a self-registration fee collection system. Please bring the correct change and display your receipt.
Buy annual pass.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about the Platypus picnic area.
Getting there and parking
Platypus picnic area is in the Dandahra precinct of Gibraltar Range National Park. To get there:
- From Glen Innes, drive 65km along the Gwydir Highway, and 300m along Mulligans Drive.
- From Grafton, drive 92km along the Gwydir Highway, and 300m along Mulligans Drive.
Road quality
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- All weather
Parking
Parking is available at the carpark along Mulligans Drive, a short walk from the attraction.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Gibraltar Range National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Spring
The most popular time of the year to visit, spring sees the park erupt into a vibrant display of wildflowers, including the Gibraltar waratah.
Summer
Take in an early morning bushwalk before the day heats up, then cool down in one of the many waterways, like the Little Dandahra Creek.
Winter
It can be below freezing at night, but the daytime temperatures make this the best time of the year to take in some of the longer treks like the Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
13°C and 24.1°C
Highest recorded
35°C
Winter temperature
Average
1°C and 13.2°C
Lowest recorded
-8.9°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
January
Driest month
August
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
258.4mm
Facilities
Picnic tables
Barbecue facilities
You’re encouraged to bring gas or fuel stoves, especially in summer during the fire season.
- Wood barbecues (bring your own firewood)
Carpark
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - medium
- Assistance may be required to access this area
Prohibited
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
Platypus picnic area is in Gibraltar Range National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Lands of plenty
The European heritage of the park may be shorter, but look around and you'll find its traces clearly etched in the natural environment. Living around the range are direct descendants of graziers, lumberers and miners who made their livings here. Bullock teams and horses once struggled through the bush and granite tors, attempting to tame a landscape that today inspires for its wild ruggedness. Evidence of their work can be glimpsed at Mulligans campground and picnic area, where an aborted hydro-electric scheme from the 1900s is memoralised by a remaining hut and several weirs. Hikers on the wide-reaching Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk might also notice relics of pre-WWII tin and gold-mining operations in the Grassy Creek area.
- Dandahra Crags walking track Dandahra Crags walking track, in Gibraltar Range National Park, is a hiking route with scenic views and birdwatching opportunities.
- Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk Keep an eye out for birds and wildflowers on the 45km Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk through eucalypt forests, rainforests, wetlands and granite tors in the rugged Northern Tablelands.
World Heritage Area
Part of the Gondwana Rainforests Reserves of Australia, Gibraltar Range is listed on the World Heritage register for rainforest plants that have existed since Australia was part of the Gondwana super-continent. Gibraltar Range National Park is home to several threatened species of animal: the endangered giant barred frog, which can grow to the size of a small adult's hand; and glossy black cockatoos, under threat from a loss of breeding habitat. Feeding locations are very important to the continuing survival of the cockatoo.
- Dandahra Falls walking track Suitable for fit and experienced bushwalkers only, Dandahra Falls walking track in Gibraltar Range National Park offers impressive waterfall views in stunning World Heritage surrounds.
- Duffer Falls walking track Within easy reach of Glen Innes or Grafton and ideal for a day trip, Duffer Falls walking track offers waterfall views in the beautiful forest setting of Gibraltar Range National Park.
- Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk Keep an eye out for birds and wildflowers on the 45km Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk through eucalypt forests, rainforests, wetlands and granite tors in the rugged Northern Tablelands.
- Junction Spur walking track For experienced bushwalkers only, Junction Spur walking track in Gibraltar Range National Park will suit adventure seekers who want to get off the beaten track and explore the tablelands.
- The Needles walking track The Needles walking track offers jaw-dropping views of granite rock formations in Gibraltar Range National Park, near Glen Innes. Part of the Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk, it’s a great shorter walk option.
Years in the making
Long stewarded through history by Aboriginal people in the area, the Gibraltar Range continues to hold significance for contemporary descendants. The Range is rich in cultural sites and sacred places, with Aboriginal groups having moved regularly between the tablelands and coastal plains, conducting ceremonies and gathering food along the way.
- Dandahra Crags walking track Dandahra Crags walking track, in Gibraltar Range National Park, is a hiking route with scenic views and birdwatching opportunities.