With 7 campgrounds all within spitting distance from the beach and the four day, 65-kilometre Yuraygir Coastal Walk which can be broken into sections, Yuraygir National Park is an ideal weekend microadventure location. Scout and Ben tackled the first section; Angourie to Brooms Head.

Highlights

  • Explore sea caves
  • Camping beside the ocean
  • Endless photography opportunities

Yuraygir Coastal Walk

You a probably thinking “how is it possible to relax while hiking 65 km’s of all sorts of terrain in four days, seriously?! Sounds like an even worse concoction than a peanut butter and pickle sandwich!”

Well here’s how…

First of all, you do not need to be a serious camper, rambler or expert trail runner to enjoy the secluded 65km trail that weaves through Yuraygir as the national park has been divided in to 4 sections. This is perfect for us microadventurers as it allows us to completely immerse ourselves into one section at a time.

We spent 3 days exploring the first section of the National Park, Angourie – Brooms Head.

Coastal Hiking in Yuraygir National Park (Northern NSW) Scout Hinchliffe beach cave

Section 1 – Angourie to Brooms Head

This section is flanked by rocky headlands, crystal clear waters and sea caves, making the challenging moments of scaling cliff edges and hours spent hiking through sand perfectly balanced with a sensational coastal breeze and rock pools to cool off in.

You would expect a coastal hike this striking to attract hordes of hikers however the only dodging we had to do were around the giant spider webs.

Follow Our Footsteps

Day 1

Arrive in Northern New South Wales, 40 minutes South of Yamba, and head straight for Camping+Ground/@-29.6080619,153.235074,11z/data=!4m8!1m2!2m1!1sred+cliff+campground+nsw!3m4!1s0x0:0x4c4f1944a14ee846!8m2!3d-29.571031!4d153.3370399″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Red Cliff campground to set up base camp.

Spend the remainder of the day hanging out with the resident kangaroos, scoping out the neighbouring campsite area which is situated beside a coastal lagoon and enjoy the panoramic views from the top of Red Cliff.

Hot Tip: The campground operates on a first in first served basis so arrive as early as possible! Also, park+camping fees apply.

Coastal Hiking in Yuraygir National Park (Northern NSW) Scout Hinchliffe beach cave

Day 2

A delectable campfire-cooked breakfast is a mandatory start to what will be an epic day of hiking and exploring.

Section 1 of the coastal hike begins at the Angourie Bay Picnic Area which is short drive from the campground. From the picnic area to Lake Arragan is approximately 26km return.

Hopefully the tide times are within your luck and allow you to explore the many sea caves found along the headlands (check tide times to avoid getting stuck). To find the sea caves, hug the coastline and cliffs for the first part of the hike and then on return to the picnic area, take the bush trails that weave along the top of the cliffs. This keeps the entire 26km intriguing as the vantage points and points of interest are forever changing.

Coastal Hiking in Yuraygir National Park (Northern NSW) Scout Hinchliffe beach cave

Coastal Hiking in Yuraygir National Park (Northern NSW) Scout Hinchliffe beach cave

Day 3

Go out with a bang and start the day with a sunrise surf/ swim followed by another campfire fuelled breakfast. After packing up camp, making sure to remove all rubbish from your area, check out the other Yuraygir campgrounds and start planning the next trip back!

How To Get There

Red Cliff Campground is along a dirt road off Brooms Head Road, 40 minutes South of Yamba, Northern NSW.

Essential Gear

  • If camping, all of your camping gear
  • Surfboards
  • Photography equipment
  • Highly recommended a good pair of hiking sandals if you have them as some parts of the hike are through water.

Activities

Skill Level

Beginner / Intermediate – depends how far and long your body can handle, but you have the option to turn around on the trail at any time.

Distance Covered

About 26 kilometres. Allow yourself 6-7 hours as there is heaps to explore.

 

Northern NSW (or SE QLD, call it what you will) is off-chops…

The Green Gully Track // Hut Hiking in Northern NSW

Lamington National Park – Microadventure Combo (QLD)

Dawn Chasing // Sunrise from Mt Maroon (QLD)

Top 5 Challenging Hikes Near Brisbane

 

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