September. October 55continents of South America, Africa and Asia, it’s the
rainforests of Queensland, NSW and Tasmania that have
the best examples of plants whose lineages date back
beyond the Age of Dinosaurs.
It’s 10am on a crisp but blue-skied winter’s day and
the forest glistens. Under the canopy of the rainforest
it’s cooler still and the sunlight that warmed us on the
park’s Skywalk – a 70m-long raised walkway on the
edge of the Dorrigo escarpment – is heavily filtered.
Fingers of golden light reach through the upper branches
and around the heavy trunks, caressing the leaf litter on
the forest f loor.
“Everything has its place in these forests,” George
says. “From the grand old beeches to the southern angle-
headed d ragon cl i ng i ng to a t ree t r un k, it’s evolved overmillennia to exist in harmony.” He stops to point out
a lime-green frond of a tree fern, delicate in its unfurl-
ing and perfect in its symmetry.
“The first ferns appeared nearly 365 million years
ago and brought with them evolutionary innovations,
including roots and leaves,” George says. “It’s astound-
ing to think they’re still here today.”
A few steps further on and I’m marvelling at a superb
lyrebird that’s just drifted into view. It’s a male, George
tells me, pointing out its tail, which it fans out in spec-
tacular fashion when courting a female. “And they’re
incredible mimics,” he says, admiration in his voice.
“They’re superb by name and by nature.”
Deep in the rainforest, George stops again. “We’ll
pop out in a minute at Crystal Shower Falls,” he says.
“Head on over the suspension bridge and we can walk
behind the waterfall.”
We do, and find ourselves standing in a large rocky
cavern that’s smeared in moss and sits behind a torrent
of water, the spray wetting our faces. It’s sublime.
An hour later we’re back on the Skywalk, standing
on the 21m-high elevated structure and gazing out across
the rainforest canopy and beyond, to the picturesque
Bellinger Valley – its verdant hills and paddocks run
to the sea.NSW NPWS supervisor at Dorrigo Rainforest Centre
George Bradford suggests a wander on the Wonga Walk and to
Crystal Shower Falls to immerse yourself in the rainforest.The buttressed roots of a fig tree are shrouded in afternoon
mist as the sunlight breaks through the canopy and illuminates
lush foliage in Dorrigo NP, NSW.“Gondwana Rainforests of
Australia include the most
extensive areas of subtropical
rainforest in the world.”
Continued page 58Wander the Walk with the Birds Boardwalk in Dorrigo NP
and see how many of the park’s 150 species of bird,
including the tawny frogmouth, you can spot.