Booyong Nature Reserve between Byron bay and Lismore on the NSW North Coast is a remnant of what once was the Big Scrub,a massive area of rainforest prior to white settlement and the impact of the Red Cedar getters of the late 19th Century.
Less than 300 hectares remain from the original 75,000 hectares of the Big Scrub.Booyong Reserve makes up a miniscule 20 hectares of that remaining 300 hectares.
Growing on rich volcanic soils,eminating from the Mt Warning Sheild Volcano Booyong Reserve provides safe haven for over 150 species of plants.
The upper story contains-White Booyong,Red Cedar,White Beech,Small Leafed fig,Strangler Figs and Francis Water Gum.
The middle layer has Black Bean,Bangalow Palm,Giant Stinging Trees and Black Apple with the lower level supporting Smooth Barked Bolly Gum,Blunt Leafed Steelwood,Brush Caper,Walking Stick Palms and Cordyline Rubra.
Other species of tree found here include-Celerywood,Firewheel,Hairy Walnut,Ball Nut,Native Tamarind,Brown Tamarind,Scrub Bloodwood,Python Tree and Turnipwood.
Animal species include possums,Brush Turkeys,Catbirds,Pittas,Water Rats and Land Mullets as well as the rare Richmond Bird Wing Butterfly and a large colony of Fruit Bats.