Rainforest and Falls on the Comboyne Plateau

Overview

Boorganna Nature Reserve sits on the Comboyne Plateau in northern New South Wales, near Comboyne and about 32km north of Taree. Covering roughly 390 hectares, it protects a significant remnant of the rainforest that once spread across much of the plateau. The reserve was first set aside in 1904, and it remains one of the oldest protected nature reserves in the state.

What gives Boorganna its character is the mix of country packed into a relatively small area. Deep red fertile soils support a rich patchwork of rainforest and moist forest, so the landscape shifts from thick, shaded gullies to taller eucalypt forest and more open edges with wide views across the ranges.

Highlights

The standout scenery here comes from the meeting of plateau and escarpment. Boorganna looks out towards the Great Dividing Range, with sweeping views beyond the green folds of the tableland, and it also shelters Rawson Falls, a 40-metre waterfall dropping into a cool, enclosed gully.

The reserve is especially striking because of its contrast. One moment it feels enclosed by dense, damp forest, and the next it opens to broader hill country and long ridgelines. That variation gives the place a stronger sense of depth than its size might suggest.

Best Time to Visit

Boorganna can be rewarding at any time of year, but the cooler months tend to suit visitors who want clear air, comfortable walking weather and broad views from the plateau. After wetter periods, the rainforest feels particularly lush and the waterfall is often at its most impressive.

Spring is also a good time to appreciate the reserve’s plant diversity and birdlife, especially as the mix of forest types becomes more noticeable in the fresh growth across the plateau.

Plants and Animals

This is one of the more botanically diverse pockets of forest in New South Wales, with six forest types recorded here, including subtropical, warm temperate, gully and dry rainforest, along with wet and dry sclerophyll forest. That variety explains why the reserve feels so layered, with thick understorey in some sections and taller hardwood forest in others.

The reserve forms part of the Tapin Tops and Killabakh regional wildlife corridor and supports a notable range of native animals. Species recorded here include yellow-bellied gliders, long-nosed potoroos, parma wallabies, spotted-tailed quolls, red-necked pademelons, swamp wallabies and long-nosed bandicoots. Birdlife is another strong point, with around 85 species recorded, including masked owls, sooty owls and superb lyrebirds.

Culture and Heritage

Boorganna lies on the traditional lands of the Birpai People. The rainforests around the reserve were used for important cultural purposes, including gathering plants and animals for food and medicine. The name Boorganna is thought to refer to either the mahogany or lilly pilly trees that grow in this area.