Myrtle Scrub Scenic Drive

Because Cottan-Bimbang overlays Oxley Highway, it’s possible to get a sense of it without leaving the beaten path. But interested travellers and keen road-trippers will want to take advantage of an additional driving route that threads 14 kilometres through the deeper recesses of the park along an unsealed road.

Myrtle Scrub scenic drive, in the western section of Cottan-Bimbang, connects with the highway at either end and offers scenic views of old-growth wet eucalypt forest and rainforest. Take it at your own pace, watching out for lyrebirds or brush turkeys scurrying across the road. At night, you might even catch a glimpse of a bandicoot or potoroo.

Another good idea is to bring lunch and take advantage of the picnic spot next to Cells River, with its magnificent timber bridge – a relic of the former forestry management of the area. Cells State Conservation Area, in the centre of the park, is a great destination for people interested in traces of gold mining history. If you decide to go walking, be sure to plan ahead and bring a GPS.