Cambridge Plateau scenic drive
Richmond Range National Park
Overview
From Casino, Cambridge Plateau scenic drive is a comfortable drive along the ridge through scenic rainforest, offering fantastic views.
- Where
- Richmond Range National Park in North Coast
- Distance
- 32km one-way
- Time suggested
- 1hr
- Grade
- Easy
- What to
bring - Hat, sunscreen, drinking water
- Please note
- Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch.
- Check the weather before you set out as Cambridge Plateau scenic drive can become boggy when it rains.
- There is limited mobile reception in this park.
You may be sharing your enjoyable tour along Cambridge Plateau scenic drive with scurrying goannas, red-necked pademelons darting across the path, brush turkeys or carpet pythons basking by the roadside during warmer months. The road skirts along the ridge through Richmond Range National Park, overlooking steep slopes toward Richmond Valley below.
This 32km scenic stretch of well-maintained road is an easy drive that takes you through superb examples of World Heritage rainforest, drier landscapes of grass trees, tall eucalypt forest and open woodland before pulling into the Peacock Creek campsite.
The picnic area and camping spot await you whenever you’re ready to stretch your legs. Near a bend in Peacock Creek, a peaceful and picturesque clearing is available to park your tent or caravan before heading to the Cambridge Plateau picnic area to unwind.
Map
Map legend
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/4wd-touring-routes/cambridge-plateau-scenic-drive/local-alerts
Park info
- in Richmond Range National Park in the North Coast region
Richmond Range National Park 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 Cambridge Plateau scenic drive.
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
Cambridge Plateau scenic drive is in Richmond Range National Park.
To get there from Casino:
- Drive 40km west along the Bruxner Highway
- Turn north into Cambridge Plateau scenic drive near Mallanganee
- Drive along Cambridge Plateau scenic drive for 9km until you reach Cambridge Plateau picnic area
To get there from Kyogle:
- Drive 12km south along Summerland Way
- Turn west into McDonalds Creeks Road for 5km
- This road becomes Sextonville Road. Drive along this road for 25km to reach the northern entry to the park at Cambridge Plateau scenic drive.
Parking
Parking is available near Peacock Creek campground and Cambridge Plateau picnic area.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Richmond Range National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Autumn
Peacock Creek campground is a great place to camp in autumn. This clean, open, sunny campground is perfect for camping with wood fires, while watching an array of birdlife by your tent.
Spring
This is a lovely time to drive along Cambridge Plateau scenic drive. See new red tips on the rainforest trees, creamy clusters of flowers on wonga vines, and white flowering clematis vines in full bloom.
Summer
Enjoy the cool of the rainforests during these hot months. The Culmaran Creek walking track is a perfect place to cool off.
Winter
Watch mists rising in the valley below from Cambridge Plateau picnic. On a clear winter's day, you can see all the way east to Wollumbin and Nightcap national parks.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
25°C and 27°C
Highest recorded
27°C
Winter temperature
Average
15°C and 21°C
Lowest recorded
15°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
February
Driest month
August
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
214.6mm
Maps and downloads
Prohibited
Gathering firewood
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
If you're travelling through a national park or reserve on a public road you can have pets inside your vehicle. However, you must keep them inside your vehicle while driving through national parks or reserves. You must also comply with any conditions in the park’s plan of management, and you cannot stop to visit the park or use park facilities (unless for safety reasons, or to use publicly accessible toilets).
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Learn more
Cambridge Plateau scenic drive is in Richmond Range National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
All creatures, great and small
It's a great pleasure to see the golden-tipped bat, listed as a vulnerable and threatened species in NSW, thrive in this environment. Other rare mammal species include Parma wallabies, koalas, spotted-tailed quoll and long-nosed potoroos. Birds listed as vulnerable in this park include rose-crowned fruit-dove and wompoo fruit-dove. The fruit dove's deep, repeated ‘whoop whoop’ call is often heard high up in the trees of thick forest. Brush-turkeys are occasionally seen and if you’re lucky, you’ll even spot the yellow and black flash of a male regent bowerbird as it flitters overhead.
- Cambridge Plateau picnic area Cambridge Plateau picnic area, close to Casino and Kyogle, is an idyllic spot for picnicking that’s also great for birdwatching.
- Culmaran loop trail Culmaran loop trail is an easy walk on the rainforest edge, especially suited to families. Admire the exotic plants found in the drier parts of Richmond Range.
- Culmaran Valley track Culmaran Valley track, near Kyogle, takes you through diverse World Heritage-listed rainforest ecosystems and offers scenic views from its lookouts.
World class listing
Rainforests are the earth’s oldest living ecosystems, and the Cambridge Plateau and Bungdoozle area rainforests within the park are part of Australia’s World Heritage Area. They’re a highly significant habitat for a medley of vulnerable and threatened species, which are able to live and breed freely among the protective wet rainforest vegetation.
- Cambridge Plateau scenic drive From Casino, Cambridge Plateau scenic drive is a comfortable drive along the ridge through scenic rainforest, offering fantastic views.
Yesterday is today
This landscape lies within traditional country of the Githabul People. Forests within the park have provided Aboriginal people with food, medicine, shelter and materials for tools and weapons for thousands of years. A landmark agreement involving co-management of the park with the local Githabul People brings ongoing benefits to the community.
Plants and animals protected in this park
Animals
-
Albert's lyrebird (Menura alberti)
The Albert’s lyrebird is much rarer than the superb lyrebird. Distinguished by its richer brown plumage and less elaborate tail feathers, it’s protected as a threatened species in NSW.
-
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
One of the most renowned Australian animals, the tree-dwelling marsupial koala can be found in gum tree forests and woodlands across eastern NSW, Victoria and Queensland, as well as in isolated regions in South Australia. With a vice-like grip, this perhaps most iconic but endangered Australian animal lives in tall eucalypts within a home range of several hectares.