Dorrigo Plateau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dorrigo Plateau |
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The plateau drops into steep valleys in the Dorrigo National Park.
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Barren Mountain |
| Elevation | 1,437 m (4,715 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Dorrigo Plateau
Location in New South Wales
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| Country | Australia |
The Dorrigo Plateau is a high, flat area of land, like a giant table, located in New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the huge Great Dividing Range mountains. Sometimes, people call it the Dorrigo and Guy Fawkes Plateau. The highest point here is Barren Mountain, which stands about 1,437 meters (4,715 feet) tall.
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Where is the Dorrigo Plateau?
The Dorrigo Plateau is found in the eastern part of New South Wales. It has natural borders like the Dorrigo Escarpment to the south, which is a steep slope. To the west is the New England Tableland. Rivers like the Blicks River and Nymboida River help define its northern and eastern edges.
The main town on the plateau is Dorrigo. It's about 580 kilometers (360 miles) north of Sydney. It's also only about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the beach city of Coffs Harbour.
How the Plateau Was Formed
The Dorrigo Plateau and the nearby Guy Fawkes River National Park area were created by ancient volcanoes. Hot, melted rock called lava flowed out from the Ebor Volcano many times. These lava flows covered the older granite rock below.
Over a long time, heavy rainfall wore away the softer rocks. This created a steep cliff called an escarpment, while the harder, older rocks stayed in place.
Early Explorers and Roads
The first European to explore the plateau was Richard Craig. He followed a path that local Aboriginal people had used for a long time. This path went from the Grafton area to Armidale.
Craig was a skilled horseman and traveled along the western side of the Nymboida River. His path eventually became a road. Today, this road is similar to the present-day Grafton to Armidale Road. It passes through small towns like Nymboida, Billy's Creek, Dundurrabin, Tyringham, and Ebor. Ebor is quite high up, at about 1,300 meters (4,265 feet).
The Importance of Timber
After Craig, people who cut down trees, called timbergetters, came to the area. They were looking for valuable trees in the sub-tropical rainforest. Many sawmills were built because there was a big demand for timber. One of the most prized trees was the Australian Red Cedar.
Today, the main road that crosses the plateau from east to west is called the Waterfall Way.
Images for kids
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The plateau drops into steep valleys in the Dorrigo National Park.
