Light to Light Walk – 3 Days Coastal Hiking on the NSW South Coast

Winding its way across coastal heathland, bright sandy beaches, and the kind of red rocks you’d expect to find in the Outback, the Light to Light Walk in Beowa National Park is a pearler of a track that’s the perfect intro to multi-day hiking. 

We Are Explorers acknowledge that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Yuin people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Light to Light Walk Highlights

• Pristine beaches
• Isolated campgrounds
• Spectacular views
• Cool rock formations

You’ve probably heard of the Light to Light Walk in Beowa National Park. It’s a gorgeous coastal track on the Far South Coast of NSW that covers about 30km of the best scenery a national park could offer. What you might not know is that you don’t have to pull up stumps at the busy Bittangabee or Saltwater Creek Campgrounds – you can bush camp along the way.

So if sleeping next to someone’s motorhome setup isn’t your thing, spread the walk over three days and set up camp at the lesser-known Hegartys Bay and Mowarry Point. This turns the walk into something special — think secluded swimming spots, beachside brews, and clifftop brekky.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

Day 1 – Green Cape Lighthouse to Hegartys Bay

Stoked to be adventuring again after a hectic few weeks of work, we arrived at Beowa National Park around lunchtime on a Friday. As we planned to walk south to north, our first stop was Boyds Tower to stash Pat’s bike in the bush for the shuffle back to the car on Sunday. After dropping a GPS pin, we hit the road to Green Cape to start the walk.

The walk from Green Cape to Hegartys Bay is about 10km. Like most of the walk, this section is a mix of green heathland, tangled scrub, and spectacular ocean views. Although this is a coastal walk, there aren’t many beaches along this stretch, so we were excited to come across the tiny Bittangabee Bay Beach, just near the campground. After a quick dip, it was time to head back up to the cliff line and on to Hegartys Bay for the night.

Hegartys Bay in the morning light

Hegartys Bay itself is gorgeous – nice flat camping spots are tucked away between melaleuca trees, and it’s an easy distance from an ocean rock platform that makes the perfect dinner spot. We were lucky enough to have it to ourselves, so we quickly set up camp before heading down to the water to cook. Unfortunately, we only just made it past sunset before the mozzies became unbearable and we retreated to the tent!

Our camp spot at Hegartys Bay

Day 2 – Hegartys Bay to Mowarry Point

We woke up early to enjoy brekky by the ocean and to leave plenty of time for swimming while still keeping the pace cruisy. This section takes you back up to the cliff line for spectacular views across Hegartys Bay, before winding down to the impressive Saltwater Creek Beach. Once you’re done there, make sure to drop into the campground to refill your water supply from the tank.

Handy hint! You can find the tank tap at the BBQs, not at the tank itself

We made it to Mowarry Point by mid-arvo, and I’ve gotta say that after the track’s heathland and famous red cliffs, the large grassy clearing felt strangely civilised – almost like parkland. We opted to camp up in the clearing to enjoy the ocean view, but there are several campsites down on the beach below that are a real treat too.

Mowarry Point in the early morning light

Day 3 – Mowarry Point to Boyds Tower, and a bike shuffle out

After a quick breakfast, we packed up camp and hit the trail to Boyds Tower to allow plenty of time for the bike shuffle. This northern part of the walk is arguably the most beautiful. It covers more varied bushland and includes some of the walk’s most iconic coastline views. The beaches just north of Mowarry Point are especially picturesque.

We’d been hoping to refill our water bottles at Leatherjacket Bay but the unseasonably dry weather meant that even after a decent bush-bash upstream, we were left with only a litre of water to share between us for the last 5km. Thankfully, Pat had left some water with his bike, but it was a hot day, so I felt slightly bad heading off for a nap at Boyds Tower while Pat set off on the two-hour pedal back to the car!

Light to Light Walk Essential Gear 

• Three days’ worth of food
• Enough water for day one, and a filtration device/purification tablets to collect water en route. If walking in summer, make sure you stock up when you can — even reliable water sources can run low
• Mozzie repellent — the mosquitos and march flies were fierce!
• Money to cover three days of park fees
• Binos if you want to bird-watch

Read more: How To Purify Water in the Bush

How To Get to Light to Light Walk

Beowa National Park is about a 30-minute drive south of Eden and is accessed via the Princes Highway. There’s a bit of dirt road in the park itself, but nothing a 2WD can’t handle. 

Because the Light to Light is a single-direction walk, you’ll need to organise a car or bike shuffle. If you want to walk the trail in the direction we did, drop a bike somewhere in the bush around Boyds Tower at the northern end of the walk before heading down to Green Cape Lighthouse with your car. It’s about a 45-minute drive from one end to the other.

You can ride your bike pretty safely back down to Green Cape, by sticking to (pretty bumpy) national park roads and avoiding the Princes Highway. The ride takes about two hours.

Skill Level

Beginner-Intermediate

The Light to Light Walk is perfect for beginners! The trail is easy to follow and is relatively flat with only gentle rises. Make sure to check out some track notes, especially if you’re planning on collecting water in between the established campgrounds. NSW National Parks grades the Light to Light Walk a 4.

Distance Covered / Elevation Gained / Duration

 Approximately 30km / Minimal elevation gained / 3 days

Light to Light FAQs

How long is Light to Light Walk?

The Light to Light walk is 30km long

What environment is the Light to Light Walk?

Where is Light to Light Walk located?