The western part of Broken Bago State Forest 184 and the northern part of
Lorne State Forest 58 is the core of this park. It has an unusual boundary. A
large salient intrudes from the east and a case for boundary rationalisation can
be made to take the park up to the Sandy Hollow Road. The current park does
include the Lorne Flora Reserve 79936 and Black Creek Flora Reserve 80023. In
the north the old Bago Bluff Flora Reserve 97531 and Six B Flora Reserve 98005
are within this park too.
Easiest access to this park is through Wauchope on the Oxley Highway. Several
old forest roads then enter the park to the south. Forest roads from Kendall to
Swans Crossing also allow access.
Swans Crossing is in Kerewong State Forest 54 and is an excellent camping and
picnic facility. It is situated on Upsalls Creek road and the area comprises 150
hectares. It was revoked from the State Forest in 1932 to create the Swan family
dairy and beef property. It was re-purchased in 1964 by the then Forestry
Commission. They planted out the cleared flats with blackbutt but frosts on the
creek flats killed the seedlings and in 1976 it was turned into a picnic and
camping area.
At this site we took the Gorge Trail along Upsalls Creek through riparian
rainforest of coachwood and related species. Between 9.00am and 10.30am there
was no light at all in this gorge and it remained moist and quiet. No birds
here. Only when we joined the logging track up the hill, into light and amidst
moist eucalypt forests did we begin to see the flocks of Striated Thornbills.
Golden Whistlers, Spotted Pardalotes, Grey Fantails, Green Winged Pigeon and
Large Billed and White Browed Scrub Wrens. But back in Swans Crossing there were
Pied Currawong, Kookaburra, Magpie (the accoutrements of a good picnic area) and
four Guinea Fowl!
The forest roads enabled us to explore the edges of Lorne Flora Reserve,
along the Dividing Ridge and up along Rollover. From here the main feature of
the park is a steep and spectacular cliff line. The Rollover trail skirts this
cliff and there are a number of places where people can stop and explore. Views
over the Hastings are breathtaking and it is so good to know that to the north
there is Kumbatine, Willi Willi and Werrikimbe, all within view.
Brian Everingham
