Extraordinary nature of the Barrington Coast

Embracing our coastal region from its boundaries are the national parks of Myall Lakes, Barrington Tops, Woko, Tapin Tops, Coorabakh and Crowdy Bay. These parks mark the borders where many Australian species of plants and animals are at their southernmost or northernmost distribution. Extraordinary natural diversity is the result.

Two national parks hold particular importance being protected by international agreements:

Myall Lakes NP is famous as a wetland of international importance, protected by the Ramsar Convention since 1999. It holds over 350 species of animals including 280 bird, 41 mammal, 15 amphibian and 16 reptile species. There are 29 animal species listed as threatened, including five endangered. Remarkable animals include the Black-necked stork, Little tern, Masked owl, Powerful owl, Wompoo fruit dove, Gould’s petrel and the Green and golden bell frog.

Barrington Tops NP is famous as a relic the Earth’s primordial Gondwana history, with world heritage protection since 1994. It holds over 325 species of animals including 180 bird, 70 mammal, 30 amphibian and 40 reptile species. There are 42 animal species listed as threatened, including six endangered. Remarkable animals include the Spotted-tailed quoll, Parma wallaby, Brush-tailed phascogale, Long-nosed potoroo, Painted honey-eater, Broad-toothed rat and the Stuttering frog.

All our national parks and conservation areas exist to protect and preserve the extraordinary nature found within them. You can read more about the work being done by NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service to protect threated species.

Here are a few examples of the extraordinary nature that abounds across the Barrington Coast.

Humpback whales, dolphins, grey nurse sharks and more

Let’s start with the popular ones we’re already famous for: our marine wildlife including whales, dolphins, sea turtles, grey nurse sharks and more!

There are resident dolphins in Wallis Lake you can see from watercraft, the bridge or from the shore. And are you one of the 1.5 million Facebook people who've seen the surfing dolphins at Tuncurry?

If you're wanting to see the humpback highway in action there are plenty of vantage points on land or you can join a whale watching cruise from Forster and Tuncurry to get close to breaching humpbacks and playful calves.

Adventurous wildlife observers can join a scuba diving cruise to swim with grey nurse sharks, green sea turtles, cow rays and the occasional inquisitive fur seal.

Here are some more favourites of ours, in no particular order:

Tasmanian devil

The world’s largest surviving marsupial carnivore is now only found in Tasmania and within the Aussie Ark conservation facility hidden high in Barrington Tops, where the environment is similar to Tasmania. They were made extinct on the mainland 3,000 years ago by dingo predation.

Fun fact: Despite their aggressive growling they are scavengers not predators, and were unfairly targeted by Tasmanian colonists in the 1800s who thought they killed their livestock.

See Tassie devils at Aussie Ark at their school holiday Open Days or book a small group tour throughout the year to see their amazing conservancy work for yourself.

Platypus

We all know the story how the first platypus specimen seen by European “experts” was thought to be a hoax. These truly unique animals should be on everyone’s list to see at least once in their lifetime.

Fun fact: Males have a venomous spur… you can add that to its list of oddities.

You can see them at twilight if you’re patient and quiet on rivers across the region including the Barrington, Gloucester, Karuah, Myall, Coolongolook and Manning. If you’re camping beside these rivers, keep a watchful eye for a memorable wildlife spotting moment.

Gould’s petrel

Australia's rarest seabird spends most of its life flying alone at sea. It may be years before a petrel will return to the island where it hatched to find a mate and breed.

Fun fact: 95% of the species breeds only on the islands around Port Stephens.

You can see them on the islands of Myall Lakes NP off Hawks Nest: Broughton Island and Boondelbah Island in John Gould Nature Reserve.

Spotted-tailed quoll

Sometimes called the tiger quoll, this cat-sized quoll is the largest marsupial carnivore on the Australian mainland and is protected as a vulnerable species.

Fun fact: Their diet is over 70% meat, eating more than 22 species of mammals, from rats and rabbits, to possums, birds, bandicoots and gliders.

You can see them (if you’re patient and lucky) in and around Barrington Tops.

Manning River turtle

Known for its distinctive yellow markings, this freshwater turtle is only found on the middle and upper reaches of the Manning River. It’s listed as endangered.

Fun fact: This turtle species can live up to 20 years.

You can see them at Aussie Ark in Barrington Tops who are raising an insurance population to secure the future of the species. In Oct 2022 they returned 10 turtles to the Manning River who were rescued from the 2019 bushfires while still in the egg.

Black-necked stork

Australia’s only native stork is sometimes mistakenly called a jabiru but that’s a South American stork species.

Fun fact: Its black neck and wings are actually beautiful iridescent purple-green.

You can see this beautiful bird at Cattai Wetlands, Myall Lakes, Wallis Lake and Manning River delta.

Green and golden bell frog

One of Australia’s largest and most distinctive native frogs, with their distinctive ‘racing stripe’ on each side, whose populations now only remain in 10% of their former east coast range.

Fun fact: Despite being mostly nocturnal, they’re one of the few Australian frogs known to sunbake.

You can see them in Myall Lakes NP and there’s also an insurance population on Broughton Island to help save them from the worldwide frog chytrid fungus.

Grey-headed flying-fox

Australia’s largest native bat is an essential pollinator and seed spreader for many native plants and is protected as a threatened species.

Fun fact: It’s our only flying mammal.

You can see a whole colony at Wingham Brush Nature Reserve.

Wompoo fruit-dove

In a land of colourful birds, the Wompoo fruit-dove is a stand-out: rich green, striking purple, bold yellow and a grey-blue head. It’s listed as vulnerable.

Fun fact: It has an unmistakable call that’s loud and deep - a booming ‘woom-POO!’

You’ll see this beautiful bird in remnant rainforest in Myall Lakes and atop high escarpments such as Barrington Tops and Coorabakh.

Land mullet

These scaled reptiles are giant skinks and can grow up to 60cm long. Their black-brown scales assist with rapid body warming and their rainforest habitat requires multiple basking sites. Large moss-covered fallen logs are their preferred homes.

Fun fact: Land mullets don’t hatch their young from eggs, instead they bear live young with 4 to 9 independent offspring per litter.

You’ll find them in our national parks where fallen trees remain undisturbed: Barrington Tops, Gloucester Tops, Copeland Tops, Tapin Tops, Wallingat and Coorabakh.

Eastern stony creek frog

This large native frog has unusual mating habits: males change colour for sex and call with a very soft purring instead of croaks.

Fun fact: During mating season the males turn from brown to a bright yellow-orange.

You’ll find them in our national parks and conservation areas with undisturbed creekside coverage for their mating rituals: Barrington Tops, Gloucester Tops, Copeland Tops, Tapin Tops, Wallingat and Coorabakh.

Superb lyrebird

These iconic Australian birds are masters of musical mimicry, not just bird calls but also hammers and chainsaws.

Fun fact: Males don’t have a call of their own, instead they are experts at mimicry and can link together up to 25 bird calls, all to attract a mate.

You can hear (and maybe see) the lyrebird that inhabits the eerie forest at The Firs Picnic Area in Barrington Tops, he’s known for his motorcycle mimicry.