Nearby Trails

There's a reason this is one of the most-reviewed walks in the region. You earn this one: a steep, relentless fire trail through tall eucalypt forest. But the moment you scramble onto the lookout, Wollumbin fills the entire horizon. Unobstructed. Unmistakable. The route starts by crossing a working paddock shared with local cattle, then commits to the climb. The final stretch narrows into scrub and rock, involving some hands-and-feet scrambling that makes the arrival feel genuinely earned. Scan the canopy on the way up. Koalas are spotted here regularly, and reptiles sun themselves on the warm rocks near the top.

The quieter, longer road to the same payoff. Starting from Condowie Road near Brays Creek, this route follows fire trails through dense native bush before committing to the final rocky ascent of 505 metres across 11.4 kilometres, with far fewer people on the track. The approach passes through genuine rainforest and seasonal wildflowers, with views that open dramatically as you gain height. If you've already done the standard Brummies route and want to go deeper, this is the one.

Rated 4.8 stars from over 300 reviews, and it earns every one of them. The old Murwillumbah railway line has been transformed into one of the best trail experiences in northern NSW, running 24.6 kilometres through the Tweed River basin from Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek. Twenty-six bridges. Two tunnels cut through the range. A string of small towns, each worth a stop: Dunbible, Stokers Siding, Burringbar and Mooball. The surface is sealed and gravel, suitable for everyone. On foot it's a full day. On a hired bike from Murwillumbah, it's two hours of pure countryside.

Mebbin National Park sits on Highfield's boundary, and this loop puts you right inside it. The park is part of the Gondwana Rainforests World Heritage Area, one of the oldest and most biodiverse rainforest systems on earth, and this 10-kilometre circuit through O'Connor's Rd and Sweetman's gives you an honest look at it. Some sections get overgrown, which keeps the crowds away and the wildlife in. Large goannas cross the trail without flinching. Wompoo fruit-doves call from somewhere deep in the canopy. Pademelons move at dusk through the understorey. This one is for people who want to feel properly remote.