Budderoo National Park

Forestry

The first timber-getters started harvesting trees around the Minnamurra Rainforest in the early 1800s. This ultimately caused the destruction of the extensive 'Illawarra Brush' rainforest environment, of which Minnamurra is a remnant.

The area from Kiama to Jamberoo was particularly prized by foresters. With its north-facing slopes of rich basalt soils, the area was a storehouse of prized cabinet timbers destined for the merchants in Sydney. It held the greatest density of red cedar (Toona ciliata), known to foresters as 'red gold'.

With such rich forests so close to the shipping port of Kiama, the timber-getters did not need to venture into more inaccessible places on the upper slopes and gorges of the Jamberoo Valley. As a result, some of the rainforests in these places escaped the axe. The Minnamurra Rainforest is in one such area, a narrow gorge in the western-most reaches of the valley foothills, some 15 km west of the Kiama seaport.

With the discovery of vast rainforests in Northern NSW, timber harvesting in the Illawarra gradually come to an end.

Agriculture

After the foresters had taken the valuable timber, the remaining scrub and forests were cleared for farming.

With its rich soils, abundant water and established seaport at Kiama, the agricultural industry in the region began to contribute significantly to the economic prosperity of the colony. Dairying became the primary industry, and Australia's first butter factory was built in the Jamberoo Valley.

Recreation - and conservation

As the Illawarra Escarpment population grew, the Minnamurra Rainforest area became popular as a place to escape the summer heat and marvel at the natural beauty of the Minnamurra Falls.

An area, originally some 20 hectares in size, was set aside as a crown reserve in 1904. Over almost 100 years the Minnamurra Falls Reserve, as it was then named, became a popular destination for travellers and the local Illawarra community.

In the 1930s the management of the reserve was granted to the Kiama municipal council. In 1936, the council appointed Howard Judd as the on-site ranger/caretaker to manage the day-to-day activities and collect entry fees.

For the next 30 years, Howard developed an unprecedented love for, and understanding of, this rainforest remnant. Howard, a self-taught botanist, extensively studied the reserve's plants and animals. Over time, he became increasingly aware of the delicate nature of this fragile ecosystem and the need to protect it from the increasing pressures of visitor usage.

With funding from the council and the help of volunteers, Howard constructed new pathways and footbridges to direct and control visitor access. However, the large numbers of visitors continued to have a major impact on the rainforest environment.

By the early 1980s, around 80,000 people were visiting Minnamurra every year. This significant rainforest remnant was in danger of becoming a biological wasteland. The Minnamurra Falls Reserve was transferred to the NPWS, which has carried out a program of environmental restoration, rehabilitation and conservation ever since.