Rainforests
The Minnamurra Rainforest has developed because of its sheltered position within the river gully, protected from the dry westerly winds and fire. The soils are fertile here, the rainfall is abundant, and the air is laden with moisture from the waterfalls and river.
Most of the rainforest at Minnamurra is a mixture of subtropical and warm temperate types. Riparian rainforest occurs along the river.
Plants typical of a subtropical rainforest include buttressed trees, strangler figs, hanging vines, epiphytic orchids and ferns. In the subtropical rainforest of the Illawarra area, you'll find tree species such as:
- brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii)
- figs (Ficus species)
- red cedar (Toona ciliata)
- flame tree (Brachychiton acerifolius)
- black apple (Planchonella australis)
- pigeonberry ash (Elaeocarpus kirtonii)
- cabbage palm (Livistona australis).
Warm temperate rainforest grows at higher altitudes, in cooler climates and on less fertile soils. The most characteristic species of these rainforests are:
- coachwood (Ceratopetalum apetalum)
- a relative of the NSW Christmas bush, sassafras (Doryphora sassafras)
- lilly pilly (Acmena smithii)
- various members of the family Lauraceae, such as the native laurel (Cryptocarya glaucescens).
Wet eucalypt forests
The park's rainforests and tall open forests lie below the Illawarra Escarpment. Up above, on the plateau, you'll find open forests. These have trees such as:
- silvertop ash (Eucalyptus sieberi)
- Sydney peppermint (Eucalyptus piperita)
- red bloodwood (Corymbia gummifera)
- black she-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis)
- messmate (Eucalyptus obliqua)
- peppermint (Eucalyptus radiata)
- brown barrel (Eucalyptus fastigata)
- mountain grey gum(Eucalyptus cypellocarpa)
- river peppermint (Eucalyptus elata)
- rough-barked apple (Angophora floribunda).
Grassy woodlands
You'll find patches of woodland around the heath in Budderoo National Park. In areas where the soils are more shallow and poorly drained, the woodland will be more open, with greater spaces between the trees. Expect to see species like:
- red bloodwood (Corymbia gummifera)
- silvertop ash (Eucalyptus sieberi)
- blunt leaf wattle (Acacia obtusifolia)
- hairpin banksia (Banksia spinulosa)
- heath banksia (Banksia ericifolia)
- lemon-scented tea tree (Leptospermum polygalifolium)
- dagger hakea (Hakea teretifolia)
- pouched coral fern (Gleichenia dicarpa).
In better-drained areas, the woodland includes Sydney peppermint trees (Eucalyptus piperita), plus the following shrubs and sedges:
- paper-bark tea-tree (Leptospermum trinervium)
- swamp banksia (Banksia paludosa)
- finger hakea (Hakea dactyloides)
- mountain devil (Lambertia formosa)
- Illawarra bossiaea (Bossiaea kiamensis)
- Slender twine-rush (Leptocarpus tenax).
Heathlands
The heathland on the plateau area of Budderoo National Park contains a great variety of shrubs and sedges. Some of the most common are:
- swamp banksia (Banksia paludosa)
- dagger hakea (Hakea teretifolia)
- Dillwynia floribunda
- blunt-leaf heath (Epacris obtusifolia)
- scented paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa)
- slender twine-rush (Leptocarpus tenax)
- button grass (Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus)
- broad-leaved drumsticks (Isopogon anemonifolius)
- flax-leaf heath-myrtle (Baeckea linifolia).
In drainage depressions in the heath, you'll find areas of thick, closed sedgeland. The main plant species here include:
- Chorizandra sphaerocephalus
- blade grass (Lepidosperma limicola)
- pouched coral fern (Gleichenia dicarpa)
- slender twine-rush (Leptocarpus tenax)
- button grass (Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus).
