Rainforest Walk
Rainforest Walk
Immerse yourself in the peace and beauty of Crystal Castle’s regenerated rainforest. Stroll along its serene paths flanked by lush greenery, listen to bird song and spot native animals. Each step celebrates nature’s renewal.
Native flora and fauna
Our Rainforest Walk is a verdant one kilometre trail through regenerated rainforest, a place where you can be at one with nature and experience the local wildlife and rainforest species that are home to this area.
Meaningful partnerships
The Rainforest Walk highlights a valuable partnership with the local organisation Rainforest Rescue. Alongside them and dedicated community members, we’ve worked together to uphold our shared commitment to protecting and nurturing the health of our natural ecosystems.
Over 14,000 trees
In partnership with Rainforest Rescue, and with the help of many dedicated locals, over 7000 trees have been planted in Crystal Castle’s grounds since 2006. Importantly, almost that number again has naturally established as a result.
Our Rainforest Walk has a rich history….
Once a hillside overrun with six metre weeds, today Crystal Castle’s Rainforest Walk is a sanctuary of reflection and beauty filled with native flora and fauna. Discover the story of community collaboration and partnership that brought this inspiring space to life.
Rainforest Rescue is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to protecting and restoring rainforests in Australia and beyond since 1999. Kelvin Davies, one of its founders, shared how the Rainforest Walk project came to life:
“There’s a special energy at Crystal Castle, and we felt it would be the perfect place to grow a rainforest.
“Through a mutual friend, I met Naren King, who embraced the idea right away. Together, we eagerly launched the Rainforest Walk project. We view it as a community business partnership, providing a unique opportunity for people to experience the local wildlife and rainforest species that call this area home.”
Kelvin reflected on the project’s beginning in May 2006: “When we first arrived, the site was overrun with weeds. The lantana was so dense, five or six metres high, that we couldn’t even begin to see its potential.
“We brought in local bush regenerators Dave Rawlins and Mandy Lisson to lead the design process, with a focus on showcasing the full range of native plants found in a large scrub – everything from trees to unique plants like lamandras, sedges, palm trees, ferns, and more. Mandy and Dave’s passion and dedication have been crucial in making the Rainforest Walk a success.”
After clearing most of the weeds and making the paddock walkable, Crystal Castle hosted a series of community tree-planting days.
The team prepared the site by digging holes and adding water crystals to ensure the young trees thrived during their critical early stages.
We sourced the majority of the plants from Mullumbimby Creek Native Nursery, a local nursery that grows all its plants from seeds collected in the area. The community came together in full force to plant, water, and mulch the young trees, contributing to the success of the project.
“It’s truly a joyful sigh,” said Kelvin. “It’s a beautifully landscaped one-kilometre walk, filled with a stunning array of native rainforest plants. The trees have thrived, with some already towering many metres in height, forming a lush, cool canopy of shade along the path.”
“It is also incredibly fulfilling to know that some of these beautiful natural miracles will live for hundreds, even thousands of years. Each tree planted will absorb around one tonne of carbon over its lifetime, making a significant contribution to combating global warming.”
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Nothing is Impossible
The extraordinary story behind Crystal Castle is one of
transformation and connection with nature.
