This is a circuit drive of half a day which can be accessed from the Mount Lindesay Highway. The total distance is 64km on sealed roads. The drive is in the northern region of the Upper Clarence, an area noted for its unique and complex natural environment. Much of the complexity of the natural surrounds is due to activity associated with the Focal Peak Volcano, which was active some 23 million years ago. The eroded volcanic remains of Mt Lindesay, Dome Mountain, Edinburgh Castle and the North and South Obelisks dominate the landscape during the drive.
Duration: Half day from Woodenbong
Highlights include:
- Mount Clunie and Koreelah National Park
- Border Ranges National Park
- Tooloom Falls
- Urbenville Pioneer Cottage
From Woodenbong: travel west along the Mount Lindesay Highway. For the first part of your trip, you will be absorbed by the diversity of the rich farmland and forest. To your right, the road is overlooked by Mount Clunie and Koreelah National Park. 27km from Woodenbong, turn left towards Urbenville, watching for crimson rosellas and listening to the call of the bellbirds. Here the road climbs into Tooloom National Park. Before reaching a rest area at the top, there is a layby on the left which provides a lookout on your right with views of the Koreelah Valley. Tooloom National Park encompasses Tooloom Scrub, a World Heritage listed area.
From the rest area, with a picnic table, barbecue and toilet, a 30 minute loop walk takes you through some magnificent subtropical rainforest. Leaving the rest area, the road has a spectacular canopy of rainforest trees, eventually opening to a hardwood forest with kangaroo grass understorey. After travelling 7km from the rest area, look on the left-hand side for the turnoff to Wallaby Creek where Eastern Grey Kangaroos have been studied for the past 25 years, and it will be well known to television nature lovers. 9km further along this road from Wallaby Creek, look for the Tooloom Falls sign, this time on the right-hand side. Turn here and shortly you come to the camping and picnic area maintained by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. The falls drop 8m into a deep pool and are spectacular.
The word Tooloom is corrupted from the Gidabal word Dooloomi, meaning headlice, named to keep children away from the dangerous pool. Tooloom Falls is one of the most significant sites in Gidabal country and was declared an Aboriginal Place in 1977 under the National Parks and Wildlife Act. Respect the site, admire the view and take photographs, but stay well back from the edge of the falls and keep away from the slippery rocks.
Returning to the Urbenville Road, continue for another 3km to this small township dominated by Coutts Crown Mountain on your left. On approaching Urbenville, view Ford Timbers Mill on the left. The timber industry has been an economic mainstay of the region for generations. Entering the village, watch for the Pioneer Cottage on your right, well worth a visit. Phone 6634 1254 for an appointment to inspect. Admire the many period buildings throughout the village, which has interesting shops, arts and craft stores, fuel and accommodation.
Some 200m past the main shopping centre, on your right is the Urbenville Forestry Park with shaded picnic areas, barbecues and toilets. A National Park display board provides details of the parks in the region. When leaving town, take the left-hand turn for Woodenbong, passing through prime agricultural land where you may see corn or soybean crops scattered amongst the paddocks of grazing beef and dairy cattle, before returning to your starting point, always keeping a sharp lookout for the mountain peaks that dominate the skyline.
