Osullivans Gap Flora Reserve Rest Area - Bulahdelah
O'Sullivan Gap Flora Reserve is one of the most attractive sections along the Pacific Highway with the road meandering through mountainous terrain and majestic stands of flooded gum. This reserve has been set aside to preserve the natural vegetation and wildlife, while at the same time providing for the educational and recreational needs of the public.
The forest walk is a 20 minute hike through some of the moist forest types, several trees are labelled along the walk, such as:
flooded gum, turpentine, tallowwood, Sydney blue gum, grey gum, corkwood, bangalow palm, coachwood, red bloodwood, forest oak, brush book, water gum, wheeping myrtle and white mahogany.
The flora reserve is part of Bulahdelah state forest and has a history of only light selective logging. In 1940 the forestry commission proclaimed 270ha as reserve and this was further expanded to 320ha in 1970. In 1954 the 5.2km section of the Pacific Highway was constructed.