Forest Path

Forest Path is a 4.4 km loop (about 2.7 miles) around Forest Island, a low hill almost ringed by Bola Creek and the Hacking River. Start at the stone gates on Sir Bertram Stevens Drive and allow 1 to 1½ hours, plus whatever time you spend by the water. This is a rainforest walk rather than a viewpoint hike: you get tall eucalypts, dense cabbage palms and stretches beside two waterways, with a different feel from the open coastal tracks nearby. The route is mostly flat, but it is still a bush track, not a paved stroll; expect occasional steps, uneven ground and some obstacles.

From the stone gates, walk north along Lady Carrington Drive for about 800 m, then turn left onto the narrower Forest Path. The wider drive is shaded too, but the change into the enclosed rainforest is the point of the walk. Forest Path first follows Bola Creek, then reaches the Hacking River after roughly 200 m and winds along its bank. The track stays on Forest Island’s lower slopes, so there is no summit or wide panorama. Look for the tall palms and tree ferns overhead, and listen for rainforest birds; lyrebirds and black-faced monarchs have been reported here, though sightings are never guaranteed.

Near 3.3 km from the start, the sound of water leads to a pair of low rocky cascades on the Hacking River. A short, unmarked path drops from the main track to the bank, so watch for the turnoff and make sure you can pick up the main trail again before exploring the rocks. Mossy boulders and logs sit in front of the two shelves; they make the clearest on-route photo, with the river visible behind them. The cascades are modest rather than a high waterfall, but they are a good reason to slow down here.

After the river stretch, follow the Forest Path signs at the Couranga Track junction; taking Couranga would send you onto a different, longer walk. Forest Path returns to Sir Bertram Stevens Drive about 50 m from the stone gates, closing the 4.4 km loop. Parking is available at the southern end of Lady Carrington Drive, off Sir Bertram Stevens Drive. Bola Creek picnic area is beside the route, and Upper Causeway is another nearby picnic stop; food service was not identified. Domestic pets are not allowed in the park, except certified assistance animals. Leeches are repeatedly reported after rain, the main recurring downside to this otherwise shady, water-rich walk.