Barren Grounds picnic area
Barren Grounds Nature Reserve
Overview
Barren Grounds picnic area is a secluded spot away from the crowds and the gateway to discovering the wonders of Barren Grounds Nature Reserve.
- Type
- Picnic areas
- Where
- Barren Grounds Nature Reserve in South Coast
- Accessibility
- Medium
- What to
bring - Drinking water, hat, sunscreen
- Please note
- Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch
- The weather in this area can be extreme and unpredictable, so please be well-prepared for your visit.
- There is limited mobile reception in this park
Set among bloodwood and silvertop ash trees, Barren Grounds picnic area is a secluded spot away from the crowds. It makes a great day trip for the family or a scenic stop on your drive through Jamberoo Pass.
Spend the afternoon here and enjoy this peaceful setting. Spread out your lunch on one of the picnic tables and listen to the sounds of the bush coming to life, with wallabies passing in the distance and birds darting about overhead.
Feeling energetic or just want to explore some more? Why not go on one of the many walks that start here? Whether you want to wander in the bush for an hour or half a day, there’s something for everyone. Take a short stroll along Illawarra lookout walking track for dramatic views or spend a few hours in the rich heathlands of Barren Grounds Nature Reserve on either Cooks Nose walking track or Griffiths walking track.
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/picnic-areas/barren-grounds-picnic-area/local-alerts
General enquiries
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Park info
- in Barren Grounds Nature Reserve in the South Coast region
Barren Grounds Nature Reserve 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 the Barren Grounds picnic area.
Maps and downloads
Visitor centre
-
Fitzroy Falls Visitor Centre
1301 Nowra Road, Fitzroy Falls NSW 2577 - 9am to 4pm daily. Closed Christmas Day.
- 02 4887 8270
Learn more
Barren Grounds picnic area is in Barren Grounds Nature Reserve. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Go wild for flowers
Barren Grounds Nature Reserve is famous for its heath wildflowers in spring and summer and flowering banksias in winter. The heathland is also one of only 4 large areas of heath on the NSW South Coast, making it an important habitat for many species of plants and animals. A large number of threatened or regionally rare ferns and other species also occur in wet sheltered sites below the escarpment, including several species of filmy fern. Around 180 bird species can also be found here, including honeyeaters, southern emu wrens, lyrebirds, crimson rosellas, cockatoos and grey currawongs. If you're really lucky, you might even spot the bright green ground parrot or an eastern bristlebird. In fact, it was to protect these two threatened heathland birds that Barren Grounds Nature Reserve was set up in 1956.
- 6-day birding and natural history tours Explore the beauty and diversity of Australian wildlife at Sydney’s doorstep on this 6-day tour with the knowledgeable guides of Inala Nature Tours. Visiting parklands, you'll see amazing birds, mammals and reptiles in their natural habitat.
- Cooks Nose walking track Stroll through the park's rich heathlands on Cooks Nose walking track and you’ll be rewarded with striking scenic views from the escarpment overlooking Kangaroo Valley.
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Historic heritage
Barren Grounds Nature Reserve holds a very special place in the history of conservation in NSW, as it was the third faunal reserve to be gazetted under the Fauna Protection Act. Led by early conservation leaders like Myles Dunphy, Paddy Pallin and Allen Strom, it was protected in 1956. Since then, it has been an important place for researchers and students alike to record and learn about the incredible biodiversity of this area. The stone building at Barren Grounds picnic area - once known as The Lodge - was used for accommodation by researchers and honorary rangers.
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Plants and animals protected in this park
Animals
-
Spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus)
The spotted-tailed quoll is the largest remaining carnivorous marsupial on the Australian mainland. It’s protected as a vulnerable species in NSW.
-
Eastern bristlebird (Dasyornis brachypterus)
The endangered eastern bristlebird is a shy, ground-dwelling songbird. Less than 2,500 birds are left in the wild, restricted to 3 isolated areas in eastern NSW and southern Queensland.
-
Eastern ground parrot (Pezoporus wallicus wallicus)
The eastern ground parrot is a beautiful, ground-dwelling native bird that lives in low heathland habitat along the NSW North and South coasts and escarpments. It’s listed as a vulnerable species in NSW.