| The Moppy Walk leads one through a profusion of epiphytes,
ferns and mosses, all clinging to the ancient beech forest in this enchanted
section of Barrington Tops State Forest. |
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World Heritage Area, majestic mountains, mountain walks, rustic villages,
historic towns.
The World Heritage Area of Barrington Tops National Park can be reached
from the historic towns of Dungog, Gloucester and Scone. A strenuous climb
of around four hours from Lagoon Pinch, to alpine meadows, snowgum woodlands
and magnificent views of forested mountain wilderness from Carey's Peak,
can be reached via Dungog. Access to the start of the walk is a two-hour
drive along the picturesque Williams River from Dungog or the lovely Allyn
River, from East Gresford, to Lagoon Pinch in the Chichester State Forest
| One-and-a-half hour's drive from Gloucester, over a winding gravel road
to Gloucester Tops in Barrington Tops National Park, a three-hour loop walk
passes through sub-alpine woodland and a waterfall surrounded by Antarctic
beech forest. Two hours west of Gloucester on the road to Scone, another
three-hour return walk leaves the spectacular view of forest and grazing
land on the western side of Barrington Tops at Mount Barrington to Carey's
Peak. |

The classic interior of St Peters Church features three stained
glass windows. |
Dry rainforest can be found at Pilchers Mountain, fourteen kilometres south
of Dungog, in a curious gorge formed when the mountain split apart. Due
to the sensitive and inaccessible nature of this site, it is recommended
that this site should only be visited with an experienced guide. Woko National
Park on the banks of the Manning River, forty minutes' drive north of Gloucester,
also conserves dry rainforest and rocky escarpments.
Just north of the pretty village of East Gresford, along the Allyn River,
red cedars are common. Further on, the Allyn rainforest trail leads through
sub-tropical rainforest.
Idyllic rural scenery and historic homesteads can be seen along Fosterton
Loop Road north of Dungog. At Stroud, many buildings date back to the nineteenth
century and the town's association with the Australian Agricultural Company.
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