Walks in the park
Booderee is an ideal place to see the abundance of flowering plants and animals in heath, forest and coastal tea-tree communities. A system of walking and fire trails provide access to most areas of the park and Botanic Garden. The gentle terrain, mild climate and well signposted trails of Booderee provide easy walking conditions. Walks range from a few hundred metres to several kilometres through a variety of scenery and wildlife habitats.
Heath grows in shallow soils and provides a colourful floral display in spring. Southern mahogany and blackbutt are the main trees found in the forests. Small pockets are enriched with species such as lilly pilly and hard corkwood - remnants from the warm temperate rainforests that once dominated eastern Australia. Beneath the canopy mats of ferns and creepers scramble over the ground and weave in and out of the trunks and branches. In the woodland, bloodwood and silvertop ash dominate.
Along the walking trails you see many varieties of birds, including honeyeaters sipping nectar from banksias, shy eastern bristlebirds foraging in the heath and perhaps a white-bellied sea eagle soaring above. Many insects and other small animals live in the foliage and leaf litter and sometimes quiet walkers see wallabies or grey kangaroos grazing beside the trails.
Booderee Botanic Gardens offer many walking trails on well-marked tracks including the Rainforest Boardwalk. The magnificent bird life on Lake McKenzie and displays housed in the Green Hut are other highlights. See the Booderee Botanic Gardens brochure for more information on walking trails in the botanic gardens.
- Walks around Cave Beach
- Walks around Green Patch
- Walks around Murrays Beach
- Walks around Steamers Beach
Taking care
Don't feed the animals The huge quantity of food fed to wildlife by visitors has caused an increase in the numbers of crimson rosellas. They push other birds and mammals out of nesting hollows forcing them out of the area. Feeding also attracts:
- feral black rats, currawongs and ravens that raid nests and
prey on the young of our small native birds
For your safety:
- before undertaking walks in the more remote areas give details of your intended walk to someone
- stay on the tracks and trails provided to avoid damaging vegetation and causing erosion
- times given in this pamphlet are for walking at a moderate pace - allow extra time for rest and diversions along the way
- carry your own drinking water
- wear sturdy footwear
- use the toilets provided for you
- all plants, animals, life on rock platforms, timber and soil are protected throughout Booderee and cannot be taken
- place all rubbish in bins provided - or take it home with you
- on days of total fire ban, walking trails will be closed - check at the visitor centre for the latest weather and fire hazard information
- both funnel-web spiders and venomous snakes occur in the area - do not attempt to handle these animals
- slip, slop, slap! - protect yourself from the sun
- stay away from cliff edges
