Paddling in Toonumbar National Park

Toonumbar National Park sits in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, near Kyogle, where subtropical rainforest and ancient eroded volcanic country drain into a network of small, clear creeks.

The water here is creek-scale — intimate, cold, and clean — running through World Heritage-listed Gondwana rainforest rather than open valley. Iron Pot Creek is the park's most accessible water.

The campground on its banks puts paddlers directly beside a pristine creek with swimming holes, and summer is the season most visitors come for — warm enough to be in the water, with flow to work with. Access is straightforward from the campground itself.

Smiths Creek and Back Creek are also within the park, feeding the same forested catchment.

At this scale, paddling is tied tightly to rainfall; these are not rivers that hold navigable water year-round, and anyone planning a trip around them should check conditions beforehand rather than assume seasonal flow.

Toonumbar Dam sits nearby, with a boat ramp at Bells Bay, roughly three kilometres north of the wall, and canoes available for hire — a flatwater option when creek levels are low or the pace calls for something quieter.

Because this is a national park, the usual NSW rules apply alongside any park-specific requirements. Check with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service before you go, particularly around camping permits and any conditions attached to water access.

The creeks here are not a destination for big water or long mileage. They reward a different kind of attention — the kind that notices what's overhead and underfoot as much as what's downstream.