Cambridge Plateau scenic drive
Richmond Range National Park
Overview
From Casino, Cambridge Plateau scenic drive is a comfortable drive along the ridge through scenic rainforest, offering fantastic views.
- Where
- Richmond Range National Park in North Coast
- Distance
- 32km one-way
- Time suggested
- 1hr
- Grade
- Easy
- What to
bring - Hat, sunscreen, drinking water
- Please note
- Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch.
- Check the weather before you set out as Cambridge Plateau scenic drive can become boggy when it rains.
- There is limited mobile reception in this park.
You may be sharing your enjoyable tour along Cambridge Plateau scenic drive with scurrying goannas, red-necked pademelons darting across the path, brush turkeys or carpet pythons basking by the roadside during warmer months. The road skirts along the ridge through Richmond Range National Park, overlooking steep slopes toward Richmond Valley below.
This 32km scenic stretch of well-maintained road is an easy drive that takes you through superb examples of World Heritage rainforest, drier landscapes of grass trees, tall eucalypt forest and open woodland before pulling into the Peacock Creek campsite.
The picnic area and camping spot await you whenever you’re ready to stretch your legs. Near a bend in Peacock Creek, a peaceful and picturesque clearing is available to park your tent or caravan before heading to the Cambridge Plateau picnic area to unwind.
Map
Map legend
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://uat.nswparks.cloud/things-to-do/4wd-touring-routes/cambridge-plateau-scenic-drive/local-alerts
Park info
- in Richmond Range National Park in the North Coast region
Richmond Range National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Cambridge Plateau scenic drive.
Maps and downloads
Learn more
Cambridge Plateau scenic drive is in Richmond Range National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
All creatures, great and small
It's a great pleasure to see the golden-tipped bat, listed as a vulnerable and threatened species in NSW, thrive in this environment. Other rare mammal species include Parma wallabies, koalas, spotted-tailed quoll and long-nosed potoroos. Birds listed as vulnerable in this park include rose-crowned fruit-dove and wompoo fruit-dove. The fruit dove's deep, repeated ‘whoop whoop’ call is often heard high up in the trees of thick forest. Brush-turkeys are occasionally seen and if you’re lucky, you’ll even spot the yellow and black flash of a male regent bowerbird as it flitters overhead.
- Cambridge Plateau picnic area Cambridge Plateau picnic area, close to Casino and Kyogle, is an idyllic spot for picnicking that’s also great for birdwatching.
- Culmaran loop trail Culmaran loop trail is an easy walk on the rainforest edge, especially suited to families. Admire the exotic plants found in the drier parts of Richmond Range.
- Culmaran Valley track Culmaran Valley track, near Kyogle, takes you through diverse World Heritage-listed rainforest ecosystems and offers scenic views from its lookouts.
World class listing
Rainforests are the earth’s oldest living ecosystems, and the Cambridge Plateau and Bungdoozle area rainforests within the park are part of Australia’s World Heritage Area. They’re a highly significant habitat for a medley of vulnerable and threatened species, which are able to live and breed freely among the protective wet rainforest vegetation.
- Cambridge Plateau scenic drive From Casino, Cambridge Plateau scenic drive is a comfortable drive along the ridge through scenic rainforest, offering fantastic views.
Yesterday is today
This landscape lies within traditional country of the Githabul People. Forests within the park have provided Aboriginal people with food, medicine, shelter and materials for tools and weapons for thousands of years. A landmark agreement involving co-management of the park with the local Githabul People brings ongoing benefits to the community.
Plants and animals protected in this park
Animals
-
Albert's lyrebird (Menura alberti)
The Albert’s lyrebird is much rarer than the superb lyrebird. Distinguished by its richer brown plumage and less elaborate tail feathers, it’s protected as a threatened species in NSW.
-
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
One of the most renowned Australian animals, the tree-dwelling marsupial koala can be found in gum tree forests and woodlands across eastern NSW, Victoria and Queensland, as well as in isolated regions in South Australia. With a vice-like grip, this perhaps most iconic but endangered Australian animal lives in tall eucalypts within a home range of several hectares.