Nature Reserve sights in New South Wales
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A
Kooloonbung Creek Nature Park
Home to many bird species, this park close to the town centre encompasses 50 hectares of bush and wetland that can be explored via walking trails and wheelchair-accessible boardwalks. It includes the Port Macquarie Historic Cemetery.
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B
Sea Acres Rainforest Centre
This 72-hectare pocket of coastal rainforest (a candidate for national-park status) is alive with birds, goannas, brush turkeys and, so as to be truly authentic, mosquitoes (insect repellent is provided). While there's no charge for wandering through most of the paths here, it's worth paying the admission to the ecology centre and wheelchair- accessible 1.3km-long boardwalk. Fascinating one-hour guided tours by knowledgeable volunteers are included in the price. Call ahead for times of bush-tucker tours led by Aboriginal guides.
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C
Blackbutt Reserve
Sitting in a tract of bushland with plenty of walking trails and picnic areas, this council-run reserve has enclosures featuring native critters, including koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and wombats, along with a cacophonic chorus of native birds. Take bus 224 or 317 (30 minutes) to the park's edge then walk 1km to the entrance.
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Wonga Wetlands
See over 120 bird species and an Indigenous camp site established by local Wiradjuri people at this innovative project to restore local wetlands using treated waste water. Call for tour information.
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D
Koala Hospital
Koalas living near urban areas are at risk from traffic and domestic animals, and more than 200 each year end up in this shelter. You can walk around the open-air enclosures any time of the day, but you'll learn more during the tours (3pm). Some of the longer-term patients have signs detailing their stories. Check the website for details of volunteer opportunities.
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Billabong Koala & Wildlife Park
For more koala action head just west of the intersection of the Pacific and Oxley Hwys and make sure you're there for the 'koala patting' (10.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm). The park has a koala breeding centre, although if this facility is anything to go by, koala dating requires a lot of sitting around looking stoned. There are heaps of other Australian critters here, too.
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Muttonbird Island
Dramatically joined to Coffs Harbour by the northern breakwater in 1935, this eco treasure is occupied from late August to early April by some 12,000 pairs of muttonbirds, with cute offspring visible in December and January. The 500m walk to the top rewards with sweeping vistas along the coast. It marks the southern boundary of Solitary Islands Marine Park, a meeting place of tropical waters and southern currents.
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Mt Canobolas
Southwest of Orange, this nature reserve forms part of an extensive volcanic chain stretching 3000km along Australia's eastern seaboard. The flora and fauna, waterfalls, views, walking trails and bike paths make this great exploratory territory. Kayaks, paddle boats and windsurfers are available for hire from Geoff at Lake Canobolas Reserve off Cargo Rd. This is also a great place for swimming, or to have a picnic – the barbecues are clean and free.
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E
Hunter Wetlands Centre
This swampy wonderland is home to over 200 bird and animal species. You can explore via canoe ($14.90 for two hours) or dip in a net and examine the results under a magnifying glass. Bring mosquito repellent if you don't want to contribute to the ecosystem in ways you hadn't intended. Take the Pacific Hwy towards Maitland and turn left at the cemetery, or catch bus 106 or 107 (40 minutes) from the train station.
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