Construction is officially underway on the Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk, part of a $56.4 million investment by the NSW Government to redevelop the iconic Dorrigo Rainforest Centre and deliver the Dorrigo Escarpment multi-day walk.
The project will position Dorrigo and the World Heritage-listed Dorrigo National Park as a major nature tourism destination. Importantly, it will create around 270 new jobs on the Mid North Coast.
Visitation to national parks across the North Coast is booming. In 2024/25, there were 6.81 million visits to North Coast parks. National parks in north-east NSW inject around $4.4 billion into the regional economy and support about 14,000 regional jobs.
The redeveloped Dorrigo Rainforest Centre is projected to attract 200,000 visitors to the region each year.
Across the state, visitation to national parks is at record levels, with 65.5 million visits last financial year, driving economic growth and getting more people into the great outdoors. National parks inject $19.5 billion into the NSW economy and support 62,000 jobs annually. Regional communities and businesses reap significant benefits as visitors travel far and wide to experience our forests, rivers and wildlife.
Design of the Rainforest Centre is progressing, including with community feedback, to carefully manage visitor experience and environmental protection. The new centre will be a low-profile building which will sit lightly in the landscape to create an educational walk from arrival through to the Skywalk elevated walkway and surrounding rainforest.
The Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk will be an exciting new multi-day walking experience, showcasing the very best of Dorrigo and Bindarri National Parks on Gumbaynggirr Country.
Showcasing the breathtaking Gondwana Rainforests, the 46-kilometre, four-day walk will invite visitors to immerse themselves in koala country and discover the cultural heritage of the Gumbaynggirr people.
The multi-day walk along the Dorrigo Rainforest escarpment will include three new purpose-built camps featuring bunk huts, tent platforms and communal shelters, offering a comfortable and memorable way to connect with nature.
Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe said:
"Our national parks are where families make memories, children get outside and communities welcome visitors. The Dorrigo Rainforest is one of our most loved and visited national parks.
"Connecting people to nature supports tens of thousands of jobs and drives economic development, especially in regional NSW.
"The redevelopment of the Rainforest Centre and construction of a multi-day walk will support more visitors to the region, get more people into nature and create 270 local jobs."
Minister for the North Coast, Janelle Saffin said:
"This is a transformative investment for Dorrigo and the wider Mid North Coast. By backing this project, we are creating local jobs, supporting our small businesses and ensuring more people can experience everything this remarkable part of our region has to offer.
"The upgraded Rainforest Centre and the new Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk will strengthen Dorrigo's reputation as a must-visit destination. It will deliver lasting economic benefits to our community while ensuring our natural environment is protected for generations to come."
