Hidden Treasure track

Where

Copeland Tops State Conservation Area in North Coast

Distance

4.5km loop

Time suggested

1hr 30min - 2hrs 30min

Grade

Grade 3

What to
bring

Drinking water, hat, sunscreen, sturdy shoes, snacks

Please note

• For large, organised NPWS guided group and school tours contact the NPWS Newcastle Discovery Coordinator on (02) 4927 3267. Fees apply.
• The weather in this area can be extreme and unpredictable, so please ensure you're well-prepared for your visit.
• There is no mobile reception in this park

Hidden Treasure track is an easy walk through dry rainforest following Copeland Creek beneath a canopy of grey myrtle, shatterwood, yellow tulip and other dry rainforest species. This hike also takes you past remnants of the area’s mining history. Look out for adits, which are tunnelled entrances to underground mines. See the boiler from Criterion stamper battery, which used to provide the power to crush ore from the nearby mines.

Hidden Treasure gold reef was discovered in 1877. Despite the name, the treasure did not really stay hidden for long, and this mine became the area’s second most productive, yielding 269kg of gold after its construction. Now that all those miners have left, microbats have moved in and travel back and forth from the cave through the open mesh grill at the mine entrance, generally scavenging for insects.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info