Lismore

Soon after writing the last blog in the park, the phone rang and everything was finished on the Kimberly and an hour later, we were heading to Lismore, 35 kms (or so) from Ballina.  Only two caravan parks in this large old town and we chose the one with the least stars, but it’s on the river, it’s small and each site is surrounded by palms and large trees.  Very old toilet facilities, but each toilet is set up as a “shared ensuite” – toilet, shower and basin – and very clean.  We’ve extended our stay to four nights!

We are surrounded by many beautiful National Parks, which have been set up to protect the remnant areas of rainforest, which are World Heritage Listed.

Yesterday we went to Nightcap N.P. and BBQ’d in the magnificent Protester Falls picnic area, so named because of the actions of the Terania Native Forests Action Group, who, between 1976 and 1979, focused national attention on the extent of logging in the Nightcap area.  Nightcap N.P. was declared in 1983.

We walked 1.4kms to the falls, through forest so stunning it was hard to remember to look where you were walking.  The falls were flowing from a drop of 30m into a pristine pool, but swimming is not allowed because it is the habitat of  the endangered Fleay’s barred frogs.

Protestors Falls Nightcap (Small)

Protestors Falls Nightcap (Small)

Walk to Protestors Fall Nightcap NP (Small)

Today we wanted to check out Rummery Park, where camping is allowed and a long walk can be taken to the Minyon Falls (100m drop)!, but on arrival, we were greeted by hundreds of cars and people all there to see the finish of a cycling race, so we headed to Rocky Creek Dam (within Nightcap N.P.), a water catchment area for a number of North Coast towns.

We took the Platypus Walk, across the spillway and onto a pontoon bridge over Rocky Creek, but unfortunately were not lucky enough to see any platypus.  We had very noisy people walking behind us, maybe that was the reason why?

The weather is cloudy, about 21 degrees and fairly humid.  There’s a lot more to do from here, so let’s hope those roads are drying out further inland while we are having fun!!  Not so the Magnomen, they are still sulking because they wanted to stay on the coast and do some more surfing!

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One Response to Lismore

  1. Pete and Shelby says:

    Glad the campers all go AGAIN. Love the look of the falls, hopefully you get to the big ones. We’re off to Pambula tommorow morning with the giffords for ten days so we hope our weathers like yours so we can get some swimming in (lucky us old guys have wetsuits). Keep safe Pete and Shelb

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