Mount Chinghee is one of those small national parks that most people drive past without noticing, which is a shame, because it guards a beautiful pocket of the border ranges. It lies near the head of the Albert River valley south of Beaudesert, close to the Queensland and New South Wales border, and like its neighbours it forms part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage area. The trees here are the same subtropical rainforest types that once covered much of the old southern supercontinent, hanging on in the wetter folds of the ranges.
The road that brings riders here is the real attraction. From Rathdowney the Lions Road climbs south toward Kyogle, crossing the range near the famous Border Loop, where the Sydney to Brisbane railway spirals round on itself to gain height. The Lions Road was built by local Lions Club volunteers in the 1970s to link the two valleys, and it shows its character: narrow, twisting, sometimes single lane, with steep pinches, loose gravel on the edges and the odd one-lane bridge. Ride it at a relaxed pace and give oncoming traffic plenty of room on blind corners.
There are no services in the park. For fuel and supplies, Beaudesert to the north and Kyogle to the south are your best bets, each around thirty-five kilometres away. Rathdowney has a small store and pub for a quick stop, but do not count on long hours or wide choice.
The forest is dense and damp, with strangler figs, tall flooded gums on the edges, ferns and moss on the shady banks. Bird calls fill the air: whipbirds cracking their sharp call, lyrebirds mimicking everything they hear, catbirds sounding like disgruntled cats. After rain the creeks run clear and fast over rock, and leeches lie in wait for anyone who wanders into the wet undergrowth in sandals.
Weather in the ranges is changeable. Winter is cool and usually dry, with crisp clear mornings, while summer can bring heavy afternoon storms and humid, sticky air. Plan your ride for the cooler part of the day, and enjoy the feeling of slipping from cattle country into ancient rainforest within a single bend.