A NSW conservation area rainforest, gold mining relics, and tall wet eucalypt forest near Gloucester.
Copeland Tops State Conservation Area
Copeland Tops State Conservation Area is a protected conservation reserve in New South Wales, Australia, located on the foothills near the Barrington Tops in the state's Hunter Region. It sits roughly 12 kilometres west of the township of Gloucester and covers about 2,201 hectares of forested landscape bordering the larger Barrington Tops wilderness area.
The reserve is known for combining two very different environments: extensive wet sclerophyll eucalyptus forest and an unusual dry rainforest stand that includes mature shatterwood, black booyong, Moreton Bay fig, white cedar, and towering red cedar. Remnants of the historic Mountain Maid gold mine add a strong human history layer to the natural setting.
Wildlife is a defining feature, with koalas, eastern grey kangaroos, red-necked wallabies, wombats, and greater gliders inhabiting the forest, while microbats shelter inside the old mine shafts. The mix of rainforest pockets, tall eucalypt forest, and cultural heritage sites makes Copeland Tops a distinctive protected area within the broader Barrington landscape.