Maria National Park, Nature reserve in Kempsey, Australia
Maria National Park is a nature reserve on the north coast of New South Wales covering approximately 2,335 hectares of forest. The park connects several separate coastal reserves and protects different forest communities in the region.
The area became protected in 1999, based on the former Maria River State Forest designation. The park was established to safeguard the forest communities found in this region.
The park forms part of the Hastings-Macleay Important Bird Area, where researchers study eleven plant species and nine threatened animal species.
Several walking trails wind through the reserve and allow exploration of the forest areas. The best visiting time is during the milder seasons when the paths are dry and easy to walk.
The Maria River in its upper sections flows through wild river stretches that span four separate protected areas. These river sections are interspersed with state forests and private land, making the area ecologically distinctive.
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