Middle Brother National Park
Overview
Created to protect two of the largest blackbutt trees in NSW, Middle Brother National Park offers places to picnic, easy walks, birdwatching, and scenic lookouts.
Read more about Middle Brother National Park
Tall, stately, magnificent forest, with glimpses of the coast to the east, and native birds circling overhead; this is Middle Brother National Park. It’s heavily wooded with old growth and subtropical rainforest that sometimes floods with mist in early mornings. North Brother Mountain rises in the distance, while creeks and waterfalls scattered through the valleys lend the area a tranquil harmony. Come here to escape the jungle of Port Macquarie, with a packed lunch, and leave your stresses and concerns behind.
Middle Brother was created to protect two of the largest (by volume) coastal blackbutt trees in NSW – Bird Tree and Benaroon. Bird Tree, for example, is 69m high, with a girth of 11m. Scientists estimate it’s an astonishing 300 years old, meaning it predates the arrival of Captain Cook to Australia.
Visitors will find an easy stroll to the trees, perfect for walking with children, and tables for picnicking afterwards to while away a quiet afternoon. There’s excellent wildlife viewing both day and night, and intrepid hikers will want to pack the boots and GPS for some wild backcountry bushwalking. Climb the mountain for a scenic lookout over the Hannam Vale valley and South Brother Mountain. Sunrises and sunsets here are superb.
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/middle-brother-national-park/local-alerts
Contact
- in the North Coast region
Middle Brother National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
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Port Macquarie office
02 6588 5555 for general enquiries only, no bookings.
Contact hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm. - 22 Blackbutt Road, Port Macquarie NSW 2444
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Email: npws.hastingsmacleay@environment.nsw.gov.au
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Port Macquarie office
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Middle Brother National Park.
Map
Map legend
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
From Port Macquarie:
- Drive west along Oxley Highway for about 15mins until you reach Pacific Highway.
- Turn left onto Pacific Highway, heading south for about 25mins.
- Turn right at Haydons Road or Middle Brother Road and follow the signs to the national park.
Parking
- Bird Tree picnic area See on map
By bike
Check out the Bicycle information for NSW website for more information.
By public transport
For information about public transport options, visit the NSW country transport info website
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Middle Brother National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Autumn
Any time of year is great for visiting Bird Tree and Benaroon, but come in autumn to escape the summer heat and settle down for a relaxing picnic.
Spring
In late spring, North Brother wattle flowers with bright yellow spikes, adding a scenic flourish to the park.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
16°C and 25.6°C
Highest recorded
25.8°C
Winter temperature
Average
5.9°C and 17.3°C
Lowest recorded
5.3°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
March
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
310.6mm
Facilities
Picnic tables
Maps and downloads
Prohibited
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.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Nearby towns
Kendall (22 km)
Named after the Australian poet, Henry Kendall, this small mid-north-coast town celebrates its literary past each year with the Watermark Literary Muster in October. And in September, the Kendall National Violin Competition attracts young violinists from around Australia to compete in the finals of this exciting event that's open to the public. Now in its second decade, the event has allowed many past finalists and winners the chance to go on to forge impressive international careers.
Taree (50 km)
Taree is a major mid North Coast city, ringed by superb beaches. It's situated on the Manning River and set against rolling hills.
Port Macquarie (52 km)
Vibrant Port Macquarie is surrounded by beautiful waterways - the Hastings River, canals, creeks, bays and the Pacific Ocean. The city also has a five-star collection of golden-sand beaches stretching from Port Macquarie Beach to Town Beach and north along the 16-km swathe of North Beach.
Learn more
Middle Brother National Park is a special place. Here are just some of the reasons why:
Plantlife great and small
Middle Brother National Park features two of the largest living blackbutt trees in the state, Bird Tree and Benaroon. But it also plays host to acacia courti, a species of wattle found only in the area of the Three Brothers Mountains. Visit the park in late spring to see the wattle in full bloom.
- Bird Tree picnic area Bird Tree picnic area offers access to some of the largest blackbutt trees in NSW, with a short trail perfect for walking with children and plenty of places to picnic.
Aboriginal influence
Middle Brother has significant cultural importance to the local Birpai people, the traditional owners of this land. Middle Brother Mountain is part of Aboriginal legend and is connected, through story, to North Brother Mountain in nearby Dooragan National Park. The influence of Aboriginal culture is so large here that Benaroon, the enormous tree that draws many visitors every year, is actually named after the local word for 'blackbutt'.
A history of timber harvesting
The Three Brothers Mountains have also become a symbol of shared heritage between Aboriginal people and European settlers. Without knowing it, Captain Cook gave the mountains the same name when he passed through the area hundreds of years ago. More recently, Middle Brother Mountain has a long history of timber harvesting, which links it with nearby towns in the Camden Haven area like Johns River, Batar and Kew. Thankfully, the timber harvesters did not take all of the area's natural treasures, which you can see during a visit to Bird Tree picnic area.
Education resources (1)
What we're doing
Middle Brother National Park has management strategies in place to protect and conserve the values of this park. Visit the OEH website for detailed park and fire management documents.