The Forest Track — Royal National Park Rainforest Walk
Most walks in the Royal National Park follow the coast — sandstone headlands, ocean views, heathland. The Forest Track is something different. It takes you into the park's interior, through eucalypt forest that gradually transitions into subtropical rainforest, along the banks of Bola Creek and the Hacking River.
It's a loop track, which means you finish almost exactly where you started. And it's quieter than the coastal walks — fewer people know about it.
The Walk
The Forest Track follows a loop inside Bola Creek and the Hacking River. The vegetation changes noticeably as you move through it — open eucalypt forest in the early sections giving way to denser, moister rainforest as you follow the creek.
Allow around 1.5 hours for the full loop at a relaxed pace.
What to Look For
The range of plant life on this track is genuinely varied and worth taking slowly.
Red cedar trees are one of the highlights. These were the target of intensive logging throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries — the timber was so valuable it was known as red gold. The trees in this section of the park were saved in the 1920s following community protest. They are now substantial, tall and worth finding.
Gymea Lilies grow in a small patch along the track — the sword-like leaves can reach exceptional heights, and when the plants flower the crimson red blooms on long narrow shoots up to six metres tall are unmistakable.
Cabbage tree palms line sections of the creek, some reaching 25 metres. In the rainforest section these are joined by lianas — long-stemmed woody vines that use trees as scaffolding on their way up to the canopy in search of light.
Epiphytes are worth looking for on the tree trunks. These are plants that grow on other plants rather than putting roots into the ground — not parasites, since they take nothing from the host tree, but opportunists that use the elevated position to access better light. The bird's nest fern and staghorn fern are both common on this track and easy to identify once you know what you're looking at.
Fungi, lichen, moss on logs and boulders, ferns and hollow trees all feature in the rainforest section.
Lyrebirds
The Forest Track is one of the better places in the Royal National Park to hear a lyrebird. You're unlikely to see one — they're shy and move quickly through the undergrowth — but the call is extraordinary. Lyrebirds can mimic other birds, animals, and even mechanical sounds with remarkable accuracy. If you hear what sounds like several different birds in quick succession from the same direction, it's probably one lyrebird showing off.
Combining with Other Walks
The Forest Track works well as part of a longer day in the park. It can be combined with a visit to Palona Cave — a sandstone cave with unusual limestone formations — for a 3+ hour walk that covers both the rainforest and the creek country above the Hacking River.
Visiting with Sydney Nimble Tours
The Forest Track is part of our Royal National Park private tour from Sydney. Greg can combine it with the coastal walk to Eagle Rock and Curracurrong Falls, the freshwater pools at Karloo, or a visit to Wattamolla — the day is shaped around your interests and fitness level.