Nightcap National Park Park

Nightcap National Park is a protected area in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, conserving subtropical rainforest remnants and escarpment country within the Nightcap Range. The park forms part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage area.

Its principal attraction is Minyon Falls, where visitors use rim lookouts and walking tracks to view the waterfall and the rainforest gullies below; the park also contains a network of walking trails, ridgelines and lookout points used for short walks and day hikes. The rainforest pockets protect a range of plant and animal species typical of the region and are important for local conservation.

The park lies inland in the Northern Rivers hinterland, accessible from nearby towns in the Byron Bay-Lismore-Murwillumbah area and is reached by sealed and unsealed roads that approach the various trailheads and lookouts.

• World Heritage inclusion: Part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage area, the park protects subtropical rainforest remnants and significant biodiversity.
• Practical visiting note: Lookouts above Minyon Falls provide widely used viewpoints; many walking tracks and fire trails require reasonable fitness and can be slippery after rain.

What to See#

• Minyon Falls: A prominent waterfall on the park’s escarpment with a plunge pool and lookout points on the rim popular for day visits and short walks.

About 25-40 minutes’ drive from Lismore or Byron Bay depending on the entrance used. Regional roads lead to carparks at trailheads; local maps detail access points.

• Arrive early in spring to see wildflowers along the trails; avoid the park on rainy weekends when tracks get muddy.
• Bring a topo map: some walking paths are informal and poorly signposted.
• Check for canvasback and other migratory waterfowl in the wetlands during winter months.