Like communities across the Northern Rivers region, national parks of the North Coast have not gone unscathed by the recent record rainfall and floods.
Our thoughts are with our local community, park neighbours and staff impacted by this incredible rain event.
The majority of parks and reserves in the Northern Rivers region are closed due to flood impacts such as landslides and road damage, particularly in the coastal hinterland areas.
Heavy rainfall and flash flooding have caused extensive damage to park roads, bridges, walking tracks and campgrounds, presenting public safety risks to staff and visitors.
What are the impacts?
Helicopter inspections have been helpful in providing an overview of the main impacts on parks of the heavy rainfall and flash flooding. The greatest impacts appear to be in the steep upper catchments of the Coopers, Doon Doon, Burringbah and Byrrill creeks and the Wilsons and Brunswick rivers.
These areas experienced the highest daily rainfall totals, with Doon Doon having 1040mm of rain in just 48 hours on top of previous falls. The parks most affected include Nightcap and Mount Jerusalem national parks and Whian Whian State Conservation Area, as well as Wollumbin and Mebbin national parks.
Some parks further west such as Border Ranges National Park seem to have avoided the worst impacts of the deluges, but the Tweed Range Scenic Drive remains closed with three landslips.
In coastal parks, the damage mainly takes the form of erosion from coastal surges and flood debris, including water tanks and structures washed up on beaches. There are several slips on the northern section of the Yuraygir Coastal Walk.
Next steps
Many parks will remain closed to allow NPWS crews to undertake detailed risk and damage assessments. Please check NPWS Alerts regularly to know if the park you want to visit has reopened.
Priorities for repair are popular visitor precincts and campgrounds, and access roads through reserves that link communities and provide sole access to neighbours.
We are working closely with the emergency services and local government to help communities regain access where they use park roads to get in and out of their properties.
NPWS has brought in work crews from less impacted areas of the North Coast to support local field staff in an effort to re-open key visitor destinations in time for the autumn school holidays where possible.
However, initial assessments suggest that it will take a considerable time to repair the major damage to visitor infrastructure.
In Nightcap National Park for example, Minyon Falls walking track and the Historic Nightcap track will require extensive restoration due to multiple landslips on very steep terrain. Protestors Falls has also suffered significant damage with the causeway approaches, walking track platform and picnic tables washed away.
What parks are open?
- Cape Byron State Conservation Area
- Victoria Park Nature Reserve
- Woody Head campground, Iluka Bluff and nearby picnic areas in Bundjalung National Park
- Illaroo, Lake Arragan and Red Cliff, Boorkoom and Sandon campgrounds in Yuraygir National Park.
- Tooloom National Park and Koreelah National Park
Please check for safety messages and closures in NPWS Alerts before visiting or driving through a national park.