Dunggir National Park

Dunggir National Park is a small reserve with some big draws: scenic driving routes, quiet picnic spots, a stellar lookout, and bushwalking for serious hiking.

Dunggir is the Gumbaynggirr word for ‘koala,’ which tells you a great deal about what sort of national park this is – one with deep Aboriginal roots and precious native habitat. Indeed, the connection of Dunggir National Park to its traditional owners runs back countless generations; there are many sites of spiritual significance scattered throughout the rugged ridges of the landscape, and Gumbaynggirr People still visit them today for bush foods and medicine.

There are also at least twelve threatened animal species (including koalas and yellow-bellied gliders), 400 native plants, and three types of rainforest, though Dunggir is otherwise a low-key sort of place. It’s great for hiking and for visitors looking for a quiet picnic spot. A place of spectacular extremes, the park offers a stunning forest drive past tallow woods and ironbarks, and a must-see scenic lookout with wide views over the Nambucca Valley all the way to the coast. Not to mention some of the best birdwatching opportunities in the region.