FF Tour - Days 18-21 Dorrigo

Dangar Falls

Leaving the coast for the time being, we took a four day detour to the coastal hinterland and the top of the ranges to the west of Urunga, with a visit to Dorrigo.

Now technically, we had stayed in Dorrigo before and visited often, mostly on our way to the coast when we lived in Armidale and the much smaller, Wongwibinda.

This trip was something entirely different and would easily prove to be the highlight of the trip.

After a leisurely drive inland and up Dorrigo Mountain, we missed our first attempt at turning into Dorrigo Mountain Resort. Anyone who has approached from the coast will offer their understanding, as the turn comes upon your immediately around the apex of a bend and signage is adequate once you have missed it. Even the GPS was unprepared. We had to drive into Dorrigo to make the turn and then back past the Resort by a kilometre or two for a second chance. Having successfully negotiated entry at that attempt, it was "disappointing" to discover we had arrived five minutes into office lunch break. Off we went to town - again - and took the rig out to where the Bielsdown River drops 30 metres over the Dangar Falls, after a series of cascades. It may not be high but it is a wide concave set of falls which descends into a broad splash pool which can be accessed via a short walking track. Nice picnic facilities are available, with free bbq and toilets. The parking area would be tight if you had a big rig, as there are only two long vehicles slots. We contemplated the walk down to the splash pool but with booking in still required, we ate lunch in the van before trying entry into the park for a third time!

The eery mist of Dorrigo noir. 

We eventually settled in. Good gravel sites with a luxuriant supply of grass surrounds and beautiful views are the hallmarks of the digs. As is often the case with these non-chain parks, the amenities were tired, one of the machine machines was broken and the clothes line well past its prime. They also boast early colonial themed cabins, grouped as though they are a small settlement. There is a camp kitchen, mostly set up for school groups who use the cabins but cleaning seemed a low priority. Lots of bugs and beetles frequent the high ceilinged, quasi bush built toilet block and the plumbing in the showers was all external to the tiles! "Seen better days" would be an appropriate description but the sites were nice and there was plenty of shade.

The next few days were extraordinary.

For at least fifteen years, I have readily accepted the role of family historian for both mine and Sue's family. There were many hurdles, particularly Sue's mob and most of the elders were dead, so the family folklore was big on lore and short on folk to corroborate it. Several generations had missing members because of unmarried relationships producing offspring and we had reached an impasse in trying to find Sue's paternal grandfather. Ancestry.com had been most helpful and in a last roll of the dice, Sue did a DNA test. From there came possibilities and following negotiations with potential relations, we had come to Dorrigo to see if doors might open to reveal the truth.

Open they did and after a couple of days, it was obvious to all, that Sue and two new uncles were getting to know each other: swapping stories, photos and news of relatives previously unknown. These were generous people and their welcome was warm. Sue spent the next few days visiting with them at their homes and forming the first of new bonds. By times end, the exact identity of her grandfather has narrowed down to one of two brothers. Either way, she has new uncles and aunties and a rich vein of family which she never knew existed. Better still, there is a genuine desire to explore the relationship further.

There were plenty of ironies but ponder this. Sue's father had asked to have his ashes scattered on the Bellinger River. No one knows why. He never worked there and as far as we can tell, had only ever driven through the town of Bellingen on the way to holidays. In his last years of a life cut too short by a cruel accident, he constantly bought Opera House lottery tickets so he could buy a farm along the Bellinger River. Mystery? He was indeed scattered on the upper reaches of the river, at a spot we had subsequently identified and visited in previous years as I learned about the man I never met. With the information gained from this Dorrigo visit, the site of his scattering is only 15 kilometres from where the father he never met is buried in Bellingen cemetery. Cue the Twilight Zone theme and roll the credits.

Strangler fig at Dorrigo NP

On the last day, we went out to Dorrigo National Park and completed a small section of the Crystal Shower Falls walk. Unfortunately, the shorter end of the loop to the falls was blocked by trackwork, meaning a walk too long to take on a day heavy with mist and annoying rain and high humidity and chilly temperatures which were playing their own havoc with my asthma. Even a kilometre was enough to remind us of what a special place this rainforest is, having done this circuit several times on other visits. Even more special was the new knowledge that one of Sue's uncles had been instrumental in developing this very walk, in his role as a senior NP ranger. Returning to the visitors centre, we had a coffee and decided we had more than enough to be grateful for from this visit to Dorrigo, fully expecting further visits in the future.

Click here to see today's photos

Covid, an increasingly prevalent and persistent co-inhabitant with our caravan park neighbours in the last seven or eight days, caused us to cancel a night out with Sue's new family members, intended to introduce her to their friends. It was a disappointing way to end what had been a delightful interlude.