The reserve is one of a few small nature reserves including the Andrew Johnston Big Scrub, Victoria Park, Davis Scrub, Boatharbour and Wilsons Peak flora and nature reserves that conserve rainforests typical of the once extensive Big Scrub. The Big Scrub comprised 75,000 hectares (190,000 acres) of lowland subtropical rainforest which was largely cleared for agriculture in the late 19th century.[2]
The reserve is situated on traditional country of the indigenousArakwal people.[2]