Macquarie Pass National Park Park

Address: Macquarie Pass National Park, Macquarie Pass Rd, near Macquarie Pass, NSW, Australia

Website: https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/parks/macquarie-pass-national-park

Hours: Open 24 hours (visitor facilities vary)

Admission: Free entry; some park-managed parking areas may charge standard NSW national park vehicle fees (check website)

Macquarie Pass National Park is a protected area on the Illawarra escarpment in New South Wales, Australia, conserving remnants of rainforest and steep sandstone country. The park preserves a compact block of native forest and gully systems representative of the Illawarra region.

Within the park there are short walking tracks through warm temperate rainforest, lookouts over the coastal plain and cascades in wet gullies. The steep historic road known as Macquarie Pass traverses the escarpment nearby and provides the main access route into the park.

The protected area was established to conserve remaining rainforest and native vegetation on the escarpment and has been managed for conservation and low-impact recreation. The park is managed by the New South Wales national parks authority.

The park sits on the Illawarra escarpment between the coastal plain and the Southern Highlands and is accessed from the Macquarie Pass road off the main coastal routes. It is on the inland side of the Illawarra coastal strip and is reached by a steep descent from the escarpment.

• Visiting tip: The park protects remnants of warm temperate and subtropical rainforest on the Illawarra escarpment and is notable for short walking tracks and rainforest gullies. Check local road conditions before travel as access is via a steep pass road.
• Best time: Cooler months and after rain are best for lush rainforest views and waterfalls; summer can be hot and humid on the escarpment.

By car: Macquarie Pass Road links the Princes Highway near Albion Park to the Southern Highlands; the park is about 30-40 minutes’ drive south of Wollongong and roughly 90-120 minutes from central Sydney depending on traffic. Public transport options are limited-use a car or join a regional tour.

• Drive Macquarie Pass Road slowly and watch for cyclists and motorcyclists-sections are steep with tight hairpins.
• Start early on weekends to avoid motorbike groups and busy picnic areas; the rainforest trails are quietest in the morning light.
• Bring a map of walking trails-some signed walks are short and deceptively steep; the staircase down to the rainforest floor takes more time than it appears.