Flat Top Road

The road

Flat Top Road is a fire trail on the Barrington Tops escarpment that delivers genuine high-altitude 4WD in one of NSW's most significant ecological landscapes. The plateau reaches 1,550 metres and holds a World Heritage pocket of Antarctic beech - a remnant of Gondwanan temperate rainforest with individual trees thousands of years old. The track crosses sub-alpine grassland and heath above the treeline before dropping into the beech zones on the sheltered slopes. The surface is rocky throughout with sections that become very muddy in spring. Snow is possible in winter - the elevation here is genuine and the temperatures are consistently cold. The contrast between the exposed plateau and the sheltered beech forest is striking. Below the escarpment, Gloucester and Dungog provide services and the Barrington valley is one of the prettiest in the Hunter region. The 1994 Operation Thunderstruck cleared introduced animals from the plateau's most sensitive vegetation communities - the ecological recovery since then has been significant.

The region

Barrington Tops National Park sits on one of the highest plateaux in NSW, reaching 1,550 metres at its highest points. The plateau is a World Heritage area and holds a remarkable pocket of Antarctic beech - a southern hemisphere temperate rainforest with trees that are thousands of years old. The track crosses sub-alpine grassland and heath above the treeline before dropping into the beech zones on the sheltered slopes. The tablelands are cold and wet - very different from the coastal forests below.

Before you go

Fuel at Gloucester or Dungog before departure. The plateau is cold year-round and can receive snow June through August. Warm clothing essential even in summer. Check NPWS conditions - the track can be closed after heavy rain or during fire events. Allow 3-4 hours for a return trip.

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