Border Ranges National Park
Encyclopedia
Border Ranges National Park, 150 km south of Brisbane
, Australia
, is in northern New South Wales
with a small portion located in Queensland
.
The Park is part of the Shield Volcano Group of the World Heritage Site
Gondwana Rainforests of Australia inscribed in 1986 and added to the Australian National Heritage List
in 2007.
The Border Ranges region, which includes the McPherson Range
, Tweed Range
, Lamington Plateau and Levers Plateau, were formed from the erosion of the Tweed Volcano
over many years. A number of volcanic plug
s remain in the Border Ranges National Park. Notable for extensive stands of Nothofagus moorei
(Antarctic Beech), the park offers a 64 kilometre gravel road circuit through sub tropical, cool and warm temperate rainforest types. The area was extensively logged during the 20th century, providing timber to a number of nearby sawmills. The Lions Road
and the Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor
pass through the park at its narrow middle section.
.
are recognised as a biodiversity
hotspot, containing a mixture of northern and southern flora species (the McPherson-Macleay overlap) with a number of endemic
, rare and endangered species. Fauna is similarly diverse and species like the Hastings River Mouse
, have been rediscovered in the park in recent years.
Lower areas of the park contain eucalypt forests that provide habitat for grey kangaroos, red-necked wallabies
and koala
s. Pademelon
s and potoroo
are also found in the park as well as a diverse array of birdlife including the rare Albert's Lyrebird
. The park is part of the Scenic Rim
Important Bird Area
, identified as such by BirdLife International
because of its importance in the conservation of several species of threatened birds.
, and of the Tweed Valley, an erosion caldera
which, while broken by the sea on its eastern flank, is considered larger in size than the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania
.
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, is in northern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
with a small portion located in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
The Park is part of the Shield Volcano Group of the World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
Gondwana Rainforests of Australia inscribed in 1986 and added to the Australian National Heritage List
Australian National Heritage List
The Australian National Heritage List is a list of places deemed to be of outstanding heritage significance to Australia. The list includes natural, historic and indigenous places...
in 2007.
The Border Ranges region, which includes the McPherson Range
McPherson Range
The McPherson Range is an extensive mountain range, a spur of the Great Dividing Range, heading in an easterly direction from near Wallangarra to the Pacific Ocean coastline. It forms part of the Scenic Rim on the border between the states of New South Wales and Queensland. Further west of the...
, Tweed Range
Tweed Range
The Tweed Range is the western extension of the Tweed Volcano caldera rim in northern New South Wales, Australia. The range marks the southern extinct of the Scenic Rim. The Bar Mountain massif is the highest point on the range, rising to 1130 m above sea level...
, Lamington Plateau and Levers Plateau, were formed from the erosion of the Tweed Volcano
Tweed Volcano
Tweed Volcano was an early Miocene shield volcano in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. In the course of about three million years, Tweed Volcano was formed over the East Australia hotspot when this part of the continent passed over it around 23 million years ago...
over many years. A number of volcanic plug
Volcanic plug
A volcanic plug, also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is a volcanic landform created when magma hardens within a vent on an active volcano. When forming, a plug can cause an extreme build-up of pressure if volatile-charged magma is trapped beneath it, and this can sometimes lead to an...
s remain in the Border Ranges National Park. Notable for extensive stands of Nothofagus moorei
Nothofagus moorei
Nothofagus moorei, is an important Gondwana relict of the rainforests of the southern hemisphere. It occurs in wet, fire free areas at high altitude in eastern Australia....
(Antarctic Beech), the park offers a 64 kilometre gravel road circuit through sub tropical, cool and warm temperate rainforest types. The area was extensively logged during the 20th century, providing timber to a number of nearby sawmills. The Lions Road
Lions Road
The Lions Road is a road running between the Summerland Way in New South Wales and a junction at the Mount Lindesay Highway near Rathdowney. Strictly speaking, it is the road that joins two pre-existing sections of rural road, namely Wilson Avenue in New South Wales and Running Creek Road in...
and the Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor
Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor
The Sydney-Brisbane railway corridor is a standard gauge railway corridor that runs between the state capitals of Brisbane and Sydney in Australia....
pass through the park at its narrow middle section.
Flora and fauna
Border Ranges and Lamington National ParkLamington National Park
Lamington is a national park in Queensland, Australia, lying on the Lamington Plateau of the McPherson Range on the Queensland/New South Wales border...
are recognised as a biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
hotspot, containing a mixture of northern and southern flora species (the McPherson-Macleay overlap) with a number of endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
, rare and endangered species. Fauna is similarly diverse and species like the Hastings River Mouse
Hastings River Mouse
The Hastings River Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Australia.-Habitat:These rodents often prefer damp and moist environments, along drainage lines if necessary...
, have been rediscovered in the park in recent years.
Red-necked Wallaby
The Red-necked Wallaby is a medium-sized marsupial macropod, common in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia, including Tasmania.- Description :...
and koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
s. Pademelon
Pademelon
Pademelons are small marsupials of the genus Thylogale. They are usually found in forests. Pademelons are the smallest of the macropods...
s and potoroo
Potoroo
The Potoroo is a kangaroo/rat like animal about the size of a rabbit. All three extant species are threatened, especially The long-footed Potoroo and Gilbert's potoroo...
are also found in the park as well as a diverse array of birdlife including the rare Albert's Lyrebird
Albert's Lyrebird
The Albert's Lyrebird is a pheasant-sized songbird, approximately 90cm long, with brown upper body plumage and rich chestnut below. It is very similar with the Superb Lyrebird in its habits. This bird also mimics other species sounds....
. The park is part of the Scenic Rim
Scenic Rim
The Scenic Rim is a group of forested mountain ranges of the Great Dividing Range straddling the border between south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, Australia.-Description:...
Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
, identified as such by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
because of its importance in the conservation of several species of threatened birds.
Facilities
Two camp grounds (car/camper and walk-in tent camping only) and plentiful picnic areas, some with shelters, water and composting toilets, are available at various points in the rainforest adjacent to the road, and one picnic spot at Blackbutts Lookout, offers spectacular scenic views to Mount WarningMount Warning
Mount Warning is a mountain west-south-west of Murwillumbah, near the border with Queensland in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia...
, and of the Tweed Valley, an erosion caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
which, while broken by the sea on its eastern flank, is considered larger in size than the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
.
See also
- Protected areas of New South Wales