Dooragan National Park
Dooragan National Park is one of the most popular attractions in Port Macquarie NSW for visitors and their families. Local folklore asserts that three brothers were killed, and each of them was buried in the area where the mountains are standing, one brother per mountain. The youngest brother to be buried beneath the north mountain went by the name of Dooragan, and it was he who the park was named after. In the year 1770, the explorer Captain Cook gave these mountains the name of Three Brothers without knowing of the tale of the three brothers buried there. This nickname is still used at times today.
In 1892, this area became a timber reserve, and it wasn’t too long before it had been given the name of Camden Haven State Forest. As the years passed, parts of the mountain were used for logging, but there were also parts that remained untouched. It was not until the year 1970 that a road was built that would go all the way up to the mountain’s summit.
North Brother Mountain sits almost directly in the middle of Dooragan National Park. The mountain and the area around it comprise Dooragan National Park. The park is noted by conservationists as an environment where old growth forest, including areas of rainforest, has been preserved.
Ask anyone why this area continues to be the most popular among national parks year after year. The answer you receive will more than likely be that it is the stupendous views from the top of the mountain that make the difference. There are three separate lookouts situated on the mountaintop that can be accessed by wheelchair, so as to take the best advantage of the unforgettable scenery that is spread out below.
There are picnic facilities on the North Brother Mountain summit, complete with gas grills and toilets. The picnic tables are well sheltered in case of inclement weather, and it is a perfect place for a family picnic.
Many visitors enjoy walking in Dooragan National Park on one of the three walking trails that have been provided. There is always the chance that you will see some of the animal and bird specimens that frequent the park, such as the Powerful Owl, the Koala, and the Spotted Tailed Quoll. The shortest of the trails is called the Rainforest Loop, and it provides you with a 500 m walk through the preserved park areas of rainforest. Another trail is known as the Top Track. It is harder to navigate on foot than the Rainforest Loop, as it is an 800 m track that goes down the mountain. The most difficult track is the Laurieton Track. It is a much longer walk, about 1.7 km one way. This leads you to the bottom of North Brother Mountain.
Doorgan National Park is a must see during your trip. Make sure your Port Macquarie holiday includes a visit to this national treasure.
