Type

Lookouts

Where

Coorabakh National Park in North Coast

Opening times

Flat Rock lookout is always open but may have to close at times due to flood events, poor weather or fire danger.

What to
bring

Hat, sunscreen, drinking water

Flat Rock lookout has a tricky name. There’s nothing flat about the 500m drop, though the sheer sides of the escarpment offer some of the most scenic views in the region. This beautiful rock formation is the remnant of a vast volcano that once dominated Comboyne Plateau to the west.

A small fenced viewing platform opens out over sweeping plains. On clear days, the Coxcomb, Goonook and Killabakh nature reserves are visible far into the distance, laid out like a green and yellow patchwork of dense blackbutt forests and grassy fields. Be sure to bring binoculars and a camera too – birds of prey are known to nest in the cliffs, with peregrine falcons and wedge-tailed eagles sometimes circling overhead, making this a great spot for birdwatching.

To extend a visit, take advantage of the nearby tables and turn Flat Rock lookout into a dramatic place to picnic, perhaps using the view to mull the rest of your day and the natural bounty of Coorabakh National Park.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Visitor info

Maps and downloads

Learn more

A legacy of timber harvesting

Before it was a national park, Coorabakh had a long history of forestry operations. This was once a centre of intensive logging - particularly during the World Wars - and visitors can still find physical remnants of the industry. One evocative site is the Langley Vale tramway, which was originally used to transport timber 21km from Old North Camp to Langley Vale, first by horse and later by steam engine. The line was abandoned in the 1940s, but relics still remain: timber bridges, elevated platforms, offcuts left to moulder in the forest, reclaimed by nature.

Eighteen forest ecosystems

The astonishing variety of forest ecosystems in Coorabakh vary from wet foothills covered in blackbutts to subtropical rainforest. This makes a visit a fascinating experience as you range from high lookouts over eucalyptus canopies to cool mossy creekbeds.

Home to rare native species

The park is important at a regional level for a number of rare and significant plant species. There are also several species of threatened animal, including the spotted-tailed quoll, yellow-bellied glider, powerful owl and stuttering frog. Don’t forget your camera.

The Aboriginal connection

Before Europeans arrived, the area was the traditional domain of the Ngaamba People. Research suggests that they once used the dramatic cliff lines and distinctive volcanic formations to navigate the region. They may also have been important for cultural practices, sites of sacred ceremonies and other social gatherings.