Sherwood Nature Reserve
Overview
Sherwood Nature Reserve provides opportunities for picnicking, birdwatching, car touring and bushwalking in a peaceful setting – all just a short drive from Coffs Harbour.
Read more about Sherwood Nature Reserve
Discover the spectacular biodiversity and natural beauty of Sherwood Nature Reserve. Just a short drive from Coffs Harbour near Woolgoolga, you can explore striking landscapes ranging from rugged sandstone escarpments and coastal ridges to dry open forests, heaths and vibrant subtropical rainforests.
There’s an abundance of wildlife to see, with old-growth forests and other habitats providing refuge for over 50 native animals including the brush-tailed rock wallaby, long-nosed potoroo, powerful owl, giant barred frog and leaf-tailed gecko. Not to mention the incredible birdlife that makes Sherwood a birdwatching mecca.
Go forest driving on Sherwood Forest drive and admire panoramic views of the coastline and Orara Valley. Enjoy peaceful bushwalking and outstanding birdwatching in the rainforest on Falls walking track. Or just sit back and relax at Woolgoolga Creek picnic area and immerse yourself in the tranquillity.
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/sherwood-nature-reserve/local-alerts
Contact
- in the North Coast region
Sherwood Nature Reserve is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather, fire danger or damage to trail network.
-
-
Grafton office
02 6641 1500
Contact hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm. - Level 4, 49 Victoria Street, Grafton NSW 2460
-
Email: npws.clarence@environment.nsw.gov.au
-
Grafton office
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Sherwood Nature Reserve.
Map
Map legend
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
From Woolgoolga:
- Turn west at the Pullen Street roundabout in Woolgoolga, which later becomes Woolgoolga Creek Road.
- Follow for approximately 3km until the end of the bitumen road
- Turn left at the junction with Gentle Annie Road to reach Woolgoolga Creek picnic area
- To explore the reserve, continue driving along Gentle Annie Road.
Parking
- Woolgoolga Creek picnic area See on map
By bike
Check out the Bicycle information for NSW website for more information.
By public transport
Sherwood Nature Reserve is accessible by bus from Coffs Harbour to Woolgoolga, followed by a 4km walk. For information about public transport options, visit the NSW country transport info website.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you at Sherwood Nature Reserve. Here are some of the highlights.
Autumn
See magnificent quandong trees as their fruits turn blue and fallen leaves carpet the rainforest floor with red.
Spring
A fantastic time to see rainforest birds while they're nesting and wildflowers in the heathland.
Summer
Enjoy the tranquillity in the rainforest and some cool respite from the summer heat.
Winter
Bask in the winter sun at Woolgoolga Creek picnic area and enjoy a sheltered walk in the rainforest.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
16°C and 28°C
Highest recorded
28.3°C
Winter temperature
Average
4°C and 20°C
Lowest recorded
4.2°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
March
Driest month
August
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
953.1mm
Facilities
Amenities
Picnic tables
Barbecue facilities
Drinking water
Maps and downloads
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.
Nearby towns
Woolgoolga (4 km)
Woolgoolga is a busy rural service town with a large Sikh population. It features a coastal setting surrounded by banana farms and forested hills.
Coffs Harbour (29 km)
Coffs Harbour is a coastal city on the North Coast, packed with things to do. It's surrounded by lush forests and national parks.
Grafton (63 km)
Grafton is a gracious, historic city in the Clarence Valley farming district. It's situated on the broad Clarence River and surrounded by river flats.
Learn more
Sherwood Nature Reserve is a special place. Here are just some of the reasons why:
Precious plant life
Sherwood Nature Reserve protects one of the few subtropical lowland floodplain rainforests remaining on the NSW North Coast, as well as dry and warm temperate rainforest and old-growth forest. A highlight is the magnificent stand of blue quandong around Woolgoolga Creek, with its whitish trunk covered in lichen and large buttresses. You might also spot the giant climbing orchid, the only known climbing orchid in Australia.
- Falls walking track Falls walking track in Sherwood Nature Reserve is an easy walk through the rainforest, offering spectacular waterfall views of Woolgoolga Creek Falls and fantastic birdwatching.
- Sherwood Forest drive Enjoy driving through diverse landscapes on Sherwood Forest Drive. This scenic trail offers picturesque places to picnic, lookouts and spectacular views along the way.
Changing landscapes
Early settlers began logging here in the 1800s, and this continued right up to 1961, when it was prohibited. In 1907, they built a tramline to take timber to the mill in Woolgoolga. In the early 1900s, banana plantations were established and from the 1960s, parts of the rainforest were cleared for plantations of flooded gums and bunya pines, some of which you can still see today. Along Falls walking track, you may also see remnants of a pipeline, built in 1966 to take water from Woolgoolga Creek Falls to Woolgoolga township.
Bird watching paradise
Birdwatchers will find an incredible diversity of birdlife at Sherwood. Wander through the rainforest on a spring or summer morning and you’ll see and hear up to 30 different species. It’s home to white-eared monarch and other common species like yellow-throated scrub wren, rufous fantail, little shrike thrush, noisy pita and log runner. It’s also an important place for threatened migratory pigeons such as the rose-crowned fruit dove and wompoo fruit dove.
- Falls walking track Falls walking track in Sherwood Nature Reserve is an easy walk through the rainforest, offering spectacular waterfall views of Woolgoolga Creek Falls and fantastic birdwatching.
- Woolgoolga Creek picnic area Woolgoolga Creek picnic area is the ideal destination for a family daytrip. There are picturesque places to picnic, barbecues, excellent birdwatching and a nearby walking track.
Aboriginal culture
The landforms, creatures and plants of Sherwood continue to have cultural significance for the Gumbaynggir People. Plants found in the rainforest such as figs, rosella leaves, tamarinds, ginger fruit and wombat berries are important for local cultural knowledge. There are also many special Aboriginal sites in the reserve, like Woolgoolga Creek, which is important for Gumbaynggir Women. This gives visitors a fascinating insight into Aboriginal culture and heritage.
Education resources (1)
What we're doing
Sherwood Nature Reserve has management strategies in place to protect and conserve the values of this park. Visit the OEH website for detailed park and fire management documents.