There are some very scenic National Parks between Sydney and Brisbane where you can escape to secluded campsites and endless beaches – and Byron Bay!
Bouddi National Park lies just 90 minutes north of Sydney, so close you can see the buildings in the distance. However it nestles on a secluded headland with thickly forested slopes and the only noise you will hear are the pounding waves.
The main attraction here is the stunning coastal scenery. We set off from Putty Beach on the Bouddi Coastal Walk which initially hugged the rocky coastline, passing some tessellated pavement, where the sandstone has cracked into pavement-like patterns.
A minor detour leads to tiny Bullimah Beach but we continued through the wild wood of an Australian coastal forest, with its contorted windblown trees and strange vegetation.
The path dropped up and down gently, finally decanting us on the flotsam strewn beach at Maitland Bay after 2.7 km.
We walked alongside the pounding waves to the end of the beach and climbed up to Bouddi Point where we were rewarded with a fine wooden platform overlooking the sea. It was a wonderful lunch and lounging spot in the sunshine, until the wind changed and we decided to head back to base.
The flat campsite at Putty Beach is pleasant enough and a good place to become acquainted with brush turkeys which are found on the Eastern coast of Australia.
They build mounds of rotting vegetation up to 4 m in diameter and 1 m high in which the eggs are incubated. Several females can lay in the same nest, which the male then maintains at a temperature between 33-38°. He checks this by inserting his beak and adding or removing matter as required. Surprisingly, the young dig their way to the surface fully fledged and independent.
This natural park protects the largest system of coastal freshwater lakes in NSW.
About 3 hours north of Sydney, we turned off to the little resort of Hawkes Nest and followed the coast north – not that one could see it as it is well hidden behind extensive sand dunes.
We stopped at the Hole in the Wall Lookout where a lone picnic bench gave us a bird’s eye view out over white sands and blue seas to Broughton Island – those lucky enough to have a boat can access a remote campsite on it.
Indeed Myall Lakes are really living the Aussie dream: fishing, going out in the tinny and prawning. Ensconced in the peaceful tall trees at White Tree Campsite, each night we watched the smuggler like activities as come dark a motley selection of utes would arrive, disgorging scurrying men with nets who would wade into the still waters of the lake trawling for prawns.
The glistening grey prawns were instantly boiled when hauled to the bank – they sell for $20 a kilo in town.
If you don’t have access to water sports there isn’t really much to do other than soak up the beauty of the huge lakes and flooding sunsets framed by melaleuca (paperbark) trees.
We did explore a couple of the minor walks in the park including the little rainforest walk from Mungo Brush campsite which led through remnants of ancient rainforest, a lush medley of tangled vibrant growth.
It is also possible to do an easy 3 km walk to Tamboi, which started life as a prawning village, although the track ended on the opposite bank to the village so one could only admire from afar. There are numerous scattered fishing lodges on a quiet inlet.
Our last day and a still morning. Canoes cut a silver trail through the water. We headed out via the nearby car ferry ($6.50) and cut back up to the Pacific Highway at Bulahdelah. As the ferry operator remarked, the bitumen road was a lot better than the potholed route from Hawk’s Nest!
A jail was created here in 1877 – 1886 to house the convicts used to build a breakwater at this handy half way shelter for shipping between Sydney and Brisbane.
The work went so slowly that by 1903 it was abandoned, the breakwater unfinished, and the ships sturdy enough by then not to need refuge.
It was resurrected briefly to house 500 German enemy aliens in World War 1 but 4 years after the war it was decommissioned and allowed to fall into ruin
Thankfully it has been preserved in more recent years and is now a popular place to visit ($11). It sits on a headland above some stunning beaches.
We explored the Monument Hill Track which led steeply upwards to a monument built in 1918 by the German prisoners of war in memory of their comrades who had died during internment. One poor chap had been the manager of the Galle Face Hotel in Ceylon when interned, dying far from home of septic pneumonia.
The monument was a solid stone block construction, but despite this it had been blown up in 1919 by resentful locals and not actually rebuilt until 1960.
The track wound on along the coast and dropped us into Little Bay, a very pretty little bay hemmed in by cliffs to all sides.
The return route led back past the remaining one of two powder stores – the other had been blown up the night before the monument!
We explored the scenic road below the gaol then retired to our camp, in a quiet corner under the popular cafe. I walked down to the beach for the sunset, a cheerful Thai man telling me the ideal spot for photos.
There are several elements to this coastal park although the 68 km Yuraygir Coastal Walk connects them all.
We turned off the Pacific Highway 10 km before Grafton and headed to the Illeroo North Campsite ($24.60) where campsite 29 (27 would be even better) gave us a beautiful elevated view over a lovely beach.
Facing eastwards it also had the advantage of gentle surf and afternoon shade from the low hung trees along its edges – a lazy day on the beach was a tempting prospect.
Whichever way you looked there were fabulous beaches. The little village of Minnie Water lies less than a kilometre to the south, a pleasant stroll through bushland and along the beach from the campsite. There is a little general store that serves great coffee, particularly popular in the mornings.
As we walked along the shore, dolphins frisked parallel to us and people went out for an early morning dip.
We enjoyed this section of the park so much that we also decided to visit the northern section, which is reached from Maclean; although only about 10 km along the beach as the seagull flies, it was about 100 by road!
Yet more stunning coastal scenery greeted us at Lake Arragan where we camped in the Grey Cliff section which was on a small headland with lots of shady hammock trees (I would recommend sites 61-64 with superb views). Friendly kangeroos cropped the short grass; many had joeys with long legs akimbo poking out of their pouches.
The area was once mined for its heavy mineral sands which contain zircon – for ceramic glazes – and titanium dioxide which was used in the aerospace industry. Whole sand dune eco systems were destroyed until communities united in protest and parks such as this were created to protect the coast.
The coast is rugged here and the strata in the cliffs display many colours and conglomerates. We walked to the top of Red Cliff and on to Lake Arragan. The beaches are endless, white gold with little litter, although strangely we did see a dead snake: maybe he had been washed out to sea. Kangeroos hopped past us as the estuary reached the beach and banked up behind the sand.
At night we heard only the ceaseless booming of the sea and saw the distant lights of Brooms Head. We drove in the next day and found a sleepy little village largely given over to a huge caravan park on the grassy seaside reserve. It was informal enough not to spoil the area and indeed their occupants were enjoying five star views.
Salt and pepper squid from the Snak Shak came piping hot and we ate overlooking the turquoise sea and rock pools.
There is something to be said for this easy life of fabulous coastal views, long afternoons curled up under a shady tree, strolls to the nearest cafe and along the sands, timeless pleasures with no limits..
Byron Bay
In 1993 there was a fatal shark attack at Julian Rocks, the rocky islet just off Byron. I idly watched the resulting frantic activity from a scenic cafe, not realizing at the time exactly what was happening.
Since then, Byron has changed. Although no doubt the sharks remain, it is now the large schools of dolphins which draw people out in kayaks every day.
The cafes have increased ten fold and there is a cult of morning coffee, quite often taken as part of one’s daily keep fit circuit around the hills of Byron. Indeed, one cannot spend long in Byron without starting to think about how one would look in activewear or eying up something floaty and completely impractical in white linen (the flip side ironically of all this healthy living is that the region has the highest melanoma rates in NSW).
We found some free parking on the main road below Captain Cook’s Lookout (actually quite hard to find in Byron but it is possible in a few places) and joined the fit, tanned, toned throng in their active wear on the Lighthouse Walk, a 4.5 km circuit walk with 210 m elevation
Our pace was slower but then we had the magnificent views to detain us. Tallow Beach stretched away southwards as we wound up to the lighthouse and at one lookout we saw a school of dolphins, some 50 individuals, below us. They gently meandered around the headland and we next saw them off Wategos Beach.
We admired the lighthouse which was built in 1901; it has the most powerful light in Australia, visible for 50 km. It is possible to stay in one of the lighthouse keepers cottages and there is a good little cafe.
We dropped down the narrow crest to the most easterly spot in Australia, shortly followed by another long headland and the pretty Little Wategos Beach. There was a nice shady elevated grassy spot where I suspect the locals camp as there were fire rings and the small beach was beautifully quiet.
To save the climb up, we padded round the rocky headland to Wategos Beach, which is probably everyone’s favourite. The perfect crescent of white sand and dazzling blues has shady trees in front of some serious real estate (in 1961 when the Government auctioned off 86 lots, the average price was $700 and it took 25 years for them all to sell).
Picnic tables and BBQs have great views above the beach and just behind is the iconic boutique hotel Rae’s on Wategos, whose gardens are rumored to have been designed by Salvador Dali.
The next climb is unavoidable, but again the views are superb and a final stretch of rainforest in Palm Valley may reward one with a koala sighting before The Pass car park below the popular Pass Cafe. Yummy mummies practice yoga in the park – all these fitness regimes are quite relentless.
Dropping down to the sand here, don’t miss the nearby boardwalk climb to Fisherman’s Lookout for a fabulous view over Clarke’s Beach and beyond to the town proper and Main Beach. These beaches have the advantage of being closer to town but lack the cosy intimacy of Wategos.
Whilst the stunning coastline is the main attraction, it is easy to distract oneself in town with its shops of beach style chic and the scrubbed home interiors that look artlessly simple but which cost a fortune.
Cafes offer more acai bowls than you can throw a stick at and frequently close annoyingly early – people do rise early in Byron.
The Thursday markets at the Butler Street Reserve are foodie based and OK for a quick wander – there is free parking in the area anytime which is handy for town if you don’t want to pay $4 an hour.
2 km out of town, the Arts and Industry Estate is worth checking out for a range of small businesses selling handcrafts, homewares and fashion, as well as the ubiquitous coffee kiosks!
At the end of the day, there isn’t really much more to Byron than beautiful beaches, tirelessly wholesome food and organic coffee, and people watching but it is a peculiarly likable place. Everyone, from hippy to hipster, seems to rub along quite well together despite its ostentatiousness – I love it!
Where to Eat
Among my favourites were The Roadhouse on Bangalow Road, which caters for the coffee breakfast brunch crowd then takes a break before turning into a woodfired pizza /cocktail joint in the evenings.
The Byron Bay General Store on Bangalow Road has been around since 1947 and is a local institution. Their menu is all plant based but no less desirable for that!
The Top Shop is another slightly out of the way place on Carlyle Street – look for the white corner cottage which inevitably has a throng outside. The Breakfast Burger includes everything plus the ever popular Aussie avo(cado).
Hunky Dory on Jonson Street have a clever logo and do yummy fish and chips (don’t get sidetracked by the potato cakes or dim sum additions!)
Late at night, the place to go is Bay Kebabs on Jonson Street – being Byron, one of the most popular items is a vegetarian/vegan falafel – all the sauces are made locally.
