By Julie Olsen

Explore a little of the ‘Big Scrub‘ from Byron Bay to Lismore. Julie Olsen unearths a treasure trove of local rainforest delights. If you’re into rainforest, Byron Bay and Lismore offer the perfect base from which to explore the little-known beauties of northern New South Wales.

Get ready to be swept off your feet as you meander along cute country roads between Byron Bay and Lismore.

Locals affectionately refer to these stunning rainforests as “the Big Scrub” and as far as self drives go, this is one of those secret little gems you won’t find in any guidebook. Plus there’s something extra special about touring pockets of rainforest saved by the sweat, blood and tears of caring locals.

For starters, it clears your mind and gets you thinking.

Breakfast in Byron Bay is a great way to start the day and once you’ve checked out the surfing action on the beach, it’s time to wind down the window (for some fresh air of course) and follow Old Bangalow Road for the narrow, scenic ascent to the top of the range.

The Hayter’s Hill rainforest remnant skirting both sides of the road offers a glimpse of the rainforest to come. But stay in your car. There are no walking tracks and the barbs of the native lawyers vines will leave you with no doubt as to why they’re called ‘wait-a-whiles’.

With stunning views across the bay, this country has to be heaven on earth. Nature converts, Neil and Erica Holland, have views to die for as well as seven acres of magnificent regenerated rainforest. Not a bad effort for a couple of beef cattle farmers. In fact, their remnant is so precious it was recently nominated for inclusion in the register of the National Estate. Neil’s eyes light up when he tells you about the wildlife. He sees plenty of platypus as well as rare birds galore. Little wonder their cabins have become a runaway ecotourism success.

If you’re a visitor to the region, you’ll probably agree that Byron Bay Farmstay would make the perfect base camp for this drive. Just make sure you book ahead.

Check out the couple’s remnant as you drive past. It’s on the left just past Hayter’s Hill.

Next up is Booyong Nature Reserve.

Head for the delightful town of Bangalow and follow signs off Bangalow Road until you reach the little blip known as Booyong.

You’ll find the 18.62-hectare reserve tucked away to the right, just under the bridge. The noisy squabbles of the local fruit bat colony should alert you to the start of the walking track and the information board offers a great read. The short walk towards the river is a must for any true blue tree-lover but cover up and take care to avoid the lawyer vines.

More than 150 plant species have been recorded in this reserve, along with some rare and fascinating creatures like the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly. If you’re ready for a cuppa, there’s a quaint little picnic spot just a short walk away, up the road on the left. Here, you can marvel at the Giant Water Gum. They don’t come much bigger than this beauty.

Alstonville is the next port of call.

It’s a pretty drive to get there and from the car, you can sneak a peak at the Willowbank remnant on the left. As soon as you arrive, park opposite the rainforest remnant at Lumley Park – this is an essential stop for anyone who has ever given the bush a helping hand. It’s also a good toilet stop.

Rainforest regeneration work commenced here in 1934, making it one of the earliest regeneration sites in Australia. Check out the old croquet clubhouse and enjoy an easy stroll through the rainforest.

Taking Wardell Road, continue south towards the most southern remnant of the Big Scrub – Victoria Park. It’s well worth keeping aside some loose change for the $6 permit as well as the fruit and vege stalls dotted along the roadsides. Limes, pumpkins, avocados and macadamias are just a few of the goodies available in season.

As you get nearer, the park is signposted. Plenty of picnic tables and a barbecue are provided on the edge of this little wonderland but the real treat is the 300m boardwalk through the rainforest. As well as boasting strangler figs and a monstrous tree propped up by huge buttress roots, this 17.5 hectare reserve is a haven for pademelons, potaroos, mountain possums and bizarre creatures like the land mullet. Bird watchers, too, can have a field day here spotting Wompoo fruit doves, noisy pittas and other rainforest residents.

First dedicated as a public reserve in 1898, this magical spot is a tribute to the hard work of local community groups.

Next up is Lismore and a patch of urban rainforest. You can either follow the main drag or, like us, take the backroads through lush macadamia farming country. If you like vegetarian food, Henry’s Bakery on Keen Street serves up a great selection and you can steal away to the serenity of Rotary Park – six hectares of dry rainforest just three kilometres from the CBD. It’s worth picking up the pamphlet for the rainforest walk, available from the Lismore Visitor Information Centre, corner Ballina and Molesworth Streets.

Follow the boardwalk and check out the huge Moreton Bay Fig, believed to be 300 years old.

As an alternative, you might prefer to push on to Boat Harbour Nature Reserve, about five kilometres north of Lismore, another relaxing spot with toilets, picnic areas and gentle walking. Once you’ve checked out the fascinating old photos on the information board, take the short walk to the viewing platform overlooking the river. At dawn or dusk, and providing you don’t make a sound, the waters below are said to come alive with platypus. From this pleasant vantage, it’s easy to see why Boat Harbour was a popular swimming and fishing spot in days gone by.

Make sure you leave plenty of time to explore Rocky Creek Dam because it’s the kind of place that leaves rainforest lovers wanting more. It’s a great drive north and the charming rural scenery will have you oohing and ahhing at every turn. The dam lies at the base of the rugged Nightcap Range at the southern extremity of the Mount Warning Caldera. You can tell this is one part of Australia that receives plenty of rain. When full, the dam holds 14,000 megalitres which supplies some 100,000 consumers on the far north coast of New South Wales.

But what strikes you most about this place is the natural beauty. Local water authority, Rous Water, has gone to extraordinary lengths to restore and extend the rainforest surrounding the dam. As well as planting local native species, they’ve assisted natural regeneration by removed weeds like lantana. Catchment manager, Anthony Acret, works closely with the community on ecological initiatives, the idea being to promote good water quality and a healthy catchment. On show are some farming innovations, like planted lots of local native cabinet timber.

To soak it all up, there’s the option of a couple of short, easy strolls and those with energy to burn can take a longer walk across the spillway to the Big Scrub and back. (Be prepared to get you feet wet). The picnic facilities are hard to beat and there’s a great children’s playground.

If you’re into landcare, you may be back before you know it because Rocky Creek Dam is the site of the Big Scrub Rainforest Day – the largest annual landcare education event in Australia. Keep Sunday 7th September free for this mega event that includes everything from stalls, guided walks and kids activities to bush dancing and yoga in the rainforest. It’s all free and you can get hold of a program by phoning (02) 6627 0120.

For those who can’t help but linger, watching the sunset over the mountains at Rocky Creek Dam is a great way to top off a full day of rainforest exploration. It’s nice just to sit by the water, spell-bound by the reflections, and do a bit of your own reflecting on the inexplicable beauty of nature.

In this magic part of the world, these stunning pockets of rainforest offer special glimpses of what this part of northern New South Wales was once like. In its heyday, the Big Scrub was the greatest single stand of subtropical rainforest in the world. It covered a whopping 75,000 hectares; an area the size of metropolitan Sydney. Just imagine. An endless sea of rainforest encircling what is now Lismore, Ballina, Byron Bay and Mullumbimby.

Today, less than half a percent remains and local community groups pour their hearts and souls into keep these remnants viable. But it’s a labour of love. These surviving forests offer the only refuge for hundreds of species of rainforest plants and animals, so many in fact that collectively, the Big Scrub remnants boast the third highest terrestrial ecosystem biodiversity in Australia. But you’ll just have to explore a little of the Big Scrub for yourself.

To support local efforts to restore the Big Scrub Rainforest, you can make a donation to the Big Scrub Restoration Project at the Rainforest Rescue web site or phone (02) 6684 4360. Rainforest Rescue is a not for profit, non-government organisation committed to saving Australia’s rainforests for current and future generations.

The Lismore Visitor Information Centre can assist with a range of maps and brochures for the region (phone 1300 369 795). For starters, the ‘Byron Lismore Ballina Hinterland – Gateway to the Forests’ brochure and ‘Bush to Beach’ brochure that covers National Parks, State Forests, Nature Reserves on the Far North Coast of NSW are both recommended.