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Destinations > Arakoon State Conservation Area, NSW
Arakoon State Conservation Area, NSW
Issue: March 2006
Words and photos by Barry Hayes
Tales & Whales
Colourful yarns of missing ships and escaped convicts, mixed with great 4WDing and top whale watching all await you at Arakoon State Conservation Area.
When convicts stole a ship from Sydney Harbour in 1816 they had no idea of their fate. Thirteen convicts seized the vessel 'Trial', its passengers and crew, and sailed north. Bad weather forced the ship into an unnamed deep bay, 75km north of Port Macquarie. The 'Trial' was wrecked and the bay earned itself a name - Trial Bay, which would become synonymous with great Australian shipwrecks.
If you had been there in 1816 you could have seen the drama unfold from a park now known as the Arakoon State Conservation Area, just east of Trial Bay. Arakoon is 6445 hectares of great camping; top swimming, fishing, windsurfing and whale watching; fabulous 4WDing and spectacular scenery all steeped in a rich history, like the dramatic stories of Trial Bay.
Rarely do so many interesting and unexpected attractions come together the way it does at Arakoon and the surrounding area. With so much on offer and being roughly halfway between Sydney and Brisbane it's not surprising that holiday periods often find the campground booked solid. Try visiting during the off-peak times though and you could have the place to yourself.
The campground in Arakoon is located on the bay side of Laggers Point, on the strip between the beach and the historic Trial Bay Gaol. The jail and trees along the sea front protect the camping area from the worst of the weather blowing in off the ocean. Although not powered, the campsites along the beachfront are generous, grassed and level. Powered sites are available further around and just a bit back from the beach. At the end of the day there is nothing that comes close to the pleasure of sitting in front of your tent while the sun sets over the bay, a coldie in your hand, watching whales breaching just offshore.
The best time to see humpbacks around Trial Bay is during early spring as they follow the coast south to their summer feeding grounds and again at the end of summer as they return to their breeding grounds in the tropics. It's a moving experience seeing these huge but gentle creatures frolicking with their young as close as a couple of hundred metres from shore.
The waters of Trial Bay are also on the migration route for the Australian salmon that pass through about the same time as the whales. Huge schools of these fish can often be seen just metres from the beach and although they may not be prized for their eating qualities they are magnificent fighting fish and a real challenge to land. My family and friends were fortunate enough to be there one year when a group of professional fishers, working with a net and a small row boat, pulled in part of a school they estimated contained around 100 tonnes of fish.
If a feed of fish is what you really want then the water just off the beach is a good spot to catch some nice bream or whiting, especially on the incoming tide.
The scenery along this coastal strip is some of the best on the NSW north coast. One of the best ways to admire the views is to take a walk up to the Smoky Cape Lighthouse (www.smokycapelighthouse.com) just 10 minutes drive from Arakoon. The viewing platform at the base of the lighthouse looks south along Smoky Cape Beach and Hat Head National Park, while the view north overlooks North Smoky Beach and Green Island. There is a good carpark and a small picnic area just below the lighthouse. If you are around on a Wednesday afternoon there are guided tours of the historical working lighthouse. Bookings through the Arakoon State Conservation Area office are essential.
If you enjoy a spot of fun beach driving, Smoky Cape Beach is perfect. Within 500m of the blacktop you can drive through one dune and onto a wide, firm beach. The only down side is that a permit is required. While easily obtained, the $30 permits are issued on an annual basis, making beach driving expensive if you only use it once or twice. Like all beach driving you will need to pick your time. The sand close to the water is very smooth and firm on the outgoing tide but very soft above the high water mark. You can only get onto the beach via the access track that is well used and always soft. You won't get through without reducing your tyre pressures and because you are quickly back on the blacktop after you leave the beach you will need a compressor to re-inflate your rubber.
There are a couple of other 4WD tracks on the north side of Smoky Cape, these lead down to the beautiful and secluded Gap Beach. Although not a serious challenge for the average 4WD, the tracks are steep and could be dicey after some rain. The track down to South Gap Beach terminates at a small carpark about 200m from the beach. It's a top spot for a picnic and if the seas are not too high it's a good place for a swim.
Little Bay, the next beach up from Gap Beach, is another picnic area with a few things to keep the kids occupied. Overshot Dam was originally built to supply water to the jail but now is little more than a duck pond where the kids can feed a string of waterbirds. The reserve also has a resident population of kangaroos and there are several shady picnic areas to sit back and take it all in. The beach at Little Bay can be treacherous at times but there is a quiet lagoon behind the beach that is perfect for young children.
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Just about every feature, from the jail down to Smoky Cape, is linked by a series of walking tracks. If you only do one of these walks, try the track from the jail up over the headland past the monument and down into Little Bay. It's only a couple of kilometres but has some fantastic views over the ocean and back over Trial Bay. Some of the best land-based whale watching is along this walk.
Like most areas managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Arakoon is rich with nature. The walking tracks pass through a diverse range of native flowers and trees, many of them identified and explained via interpretive plaques erected by the park's staff. But what is sure to catch your attention is the wealth of bird life. Regular visitors to our camp included kookaburras, a magnificent great egret, dozens of tiny finches and every day we were treated to the aerial display of a pair of brahminy kites cruising along the shoreline.
Just about every aspect of a good holiday is on tap at Arakoon. You can sit back and relax, wet a line on the beach, examine some of Australia's colourful history or flog your 4WD out on the beach. Whatever takes your fancy seems to be within minutes of the comfortable campground. As you pack up to leave Arakoon, don't be surprised if you find yourself looking around for the choicest campsite to book for your next visit.
DOING TIME
The main and dominating feature at Arakoon is the old Trial Bay Gaol. Built as a public works prison in the late 1890s, it was constructed from exceptionally hard local granite and served as an internment centre for enemy aliens during the First World War. Internees who passed away during the war years were buried on a hill overlooking the jail and fellow internees erected a memorial to them. The short walk up to the monument is rewarded with stunning views over the jail and Trial Bay. The jail and monument also featured in a SBS TV movie about the lives of the German internees. The jail and museum is open for public inspection daily and should not be missed.
TRIAL AND ERROR
After being wrecked in the deep bay in 1816, the convicts who stole the 'Trial' built another vessel from the remains and tried to escape. Aborigines told how the escapees capsised at sea and drowned. Meanwhile the captain of the 'Trial' and his fellow captives tried to walk to Newcastle. Reports suggest they were lost in the bush and never seen again. However, a woman and her baby who were convict stowaways on the vessel, were believed to have fallen in with Aborigines and have lived with them.
Trial Bay continued to be the bane of many a ship. Even as recently as 1972 three vessels became stranded on the beach after breaking their moorings while riding out some rough weather in the bay. The showboat 'Sydney Queen' and vehicular ferries 'Koondooloo' and 'Lurgurena' were being towed to Manila for scrap but never made it. Instead they became a real tourist attraction at Trial Bay for many years before finally rusting away.
Getting there
The Arakoon State Conservation Area is just east of South West Rocks, around 460km north of Sydney, and 30 minutes east from Kempsey. There are two turnoffs on the Pacific Highway to South West Rocks. From the south the turnoff is just before the bridge over the Macleay River at Kempsey. The second, for northbound travellers, is a couple of kilometres south of Clybucca, look for Plumbers Lane on your left.
Staying there
The camping facilities at Arakoon are very comfortable and range from grassed and level tent sites to powered caravan sites. The amenities are spacious but get a bit crowded in peak periods and you will need a supply of 20 cent coins for the showers. Also there's a bush camping ground out near the lighthouse at the top end of Hat Head National Park. For those wanting a bit more comfort the Trial Bay Tourist Park, on Phillip Drive, has four-star cabins but doesn't offer the beachfront attraction of Arakoon. Back in South West Rocks there is everything from caravan parks to motels, apartments, B&Bs and guesthouses.
Things to do
Give yourself at least a week to enjoy a taste of what Arakoon has to offer. At the top of the list is fishing. Beach, estuary and offshore anglers will all find something to suit their passion. If the kids are in tow the beach in front of the campground is safe even for toddlers (under supervision). 4WDing on Smoky Cape Beach is allowed (with a permit) and is a great way to pass a day. For the more laid-back there is whale watching, birdwatching, photography or just sitting around a campfire.
Around and about
There isn't much out at Arakoon except the reserve, camping ground and a kiosk. However, the township of South West Rocks is a well-appointed community just minutes from Arakoon. Everything you could need you should find in the town, including a country club that welcomes visitors and turns on a top meal.
Recommended maps
NRMA Touring Map - Lower and Mid North Coast NSW 1:200 000 $6.95 (free to members)
Cartoscope Tourist Map - Kempsey and Pt Macquarie Region $1.00
Hema New South Wales 1:1 500 00 $5.95
Important numbers
NRMA Road Service 13 11 11
Arakoon State Conservation Area (02) 6566 6168
Trial Bay Tourist Park (02) 6566 6142
Smoky Cape Lighthouse B&B and Cottages (02) 6566 6301
Rocks Marine Bait and Tackle (Beach Driving Permits) (02) 6566 6726
Words and photos by Barry Hayes
Tales & Whales
Colourful yarns of missing ships and escaped convicts, mixed with great 4WDing and top whale watching all await you at Arakoon State Conservation Area.
When convicts stole a ship from Sydney Harbour in 1816 they had no idea of their fate. Thirteen convicts seized the vessel 'Trial', its passengers and crew, and sailed north. Bad weather forced the ship into an unnamed deep bay, 75km north of Port Macquarie. The 'Trial' was wrecked and the bay earned itself a name - Trial Bay, which would become synonymous with great Australian shipwrecks.
If you had been there in 1816 you could have seen the drama unfold from a park now known as the Arakoon State Conservation Area, just east of Trial Bay. Arakoon is 6445 hectares of great camping; top swimming, fishing, windsurfing and whale watching; fabulous 4WDing and spectacular scenery all steeped in a rich history, like the dramatic stories of Trial Bay.
Rarely do so many interesting and unexpected attractions come together the way it does at Arakoon and the surrounding area. With so much on offer and being roughly halfway between Sydney and Brisbane it's not surprising that holiday periods often find the campground booked solid. Try visiting during the off-peak times though and you could have the place to yourself.
The campground in Arakoon is located on the bay side of Laggers Point, on the strip between the beach and the historic Trial Bay Gaol. The jail and trees along the sea front protect the camping area from the worst of the weather blowing in off the ocean. Although not powered, the campsites along the beachfront are generous, grassed and level. Powered sites are available further around and just a bit back from the beach. At the end of the day there is nothing that comes close to the pleasure of sitting in front of your tent while the sun sets over the bay, a coldie in your hand, watching whales breaching just offshore.
The best time to see humpbacks around Trial Bay is during early spring as they follow the coast south to their summer feeding grounds and again at the end of summer as they return to their breeding grounds in the tropics. It's a moving experience seeing these huge but gentle creatures frolicking with their young as close as a couple of hundred metres from shore.
The waters of Trial Bay are also on the migration route for the Australian salmon that pass through about the same time as the whales. Huge schools of these fish can often be seen just metres from the beach and although they may not be prized for their eating qualities they are magnificent fighting fish and a real challenge to land. My family and friends were fortunate enough to be there one year when a group of professional fishers, working with a net and a small row boat, pulled in part of a school they estimated contained around 100 tonnes of fish.
If a feed of fish is what you really want then the water just off the beach is a good spot to catch some nice bream or whiting, especially on the incoming tide.
The scenery along this coastal strip is some of the best on the NSW north coast. One of the best ways to admire the views is to take a walk up to the Smoky Cape Lighthouse (www.smokycapelighthouse.com) just 10 minutes drive from Arakoon. The viewing platform at the base of the lighthouse looks south along Smoky Cape Beach and Hat Head National Park, while the view north overlooks North Smoky Beach and Green Island. There is a good carpark and a small picnic area just below the lighthouse. If you are around on a Wednesday afternoon there are guided tours of the historical working lighthouse. Bookings through the Arakoon State Conservation Area office are essential.
If you enjoy a spot of fun beach driving, Smoky Cape Beach is perfect. Within 500m of the blacktop you can drive through one dune and onto a wide, firm beach. The only down side is that a permit is required. While easily obtained, the $30 permits are issued on an annual basis, making beach driving expensive if you only use it once or twice. Like all beach driving you will need to pick your time. The sand close to the water is very smooth and firm on the outgoing tide but very soft above the high water mark. You can only get onto the beach via the access track that is well used and always soft. You won't get through without reducing your tyre pressures and because you are quickly back on the blacktop after you leave the beach you will need a compressor to re-inflate your rubber.
There are a couple of other 4WD tracks on the north side of Smoky Cape, these lead down to the beautiful and secluded Gap Beach. Although not a serious challenge for the average 4WD, the tracks are steep and could be dicey after some rain. The track down to South Gap Beach terminates at a small carpark about 200m from the beach. It's a top spot for a picnic and if the seas are not too high it's a good place for a swim.
Little Bay, the next beach up from Gap Beach, is another picnic area with a few things to keep the kids occupied. Overshot Dam was originally built to supply water to the jail but now is little more than a duck pond where the kids can feed a string of waterbirds. The reserve also has a resident population of kangaroos and there are several shady picnic areas to sit back and take it all in. The beach at Little Bay can be treacherous at times but there is a quiet lagoon behind the beach that is perfect for young children.
read on below advertisement
Just about every feature, from the jail down to Smoky Cape, is linked by a series of walking tracks. If you only do one of these walks, try the track from the jail up over the headland past the monument and down into Little Bay. It's only a couple of kilometres but has some fantastic views over the ocean and back over Trial Bay. Some of the best land-based whale watching is along this walk.
Like most areas managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Arakoon is rich with nature. The walking tracks pass through a diverse range of native flowers and trees, many of them identified and explained via interpretive plaques erected by the park's staff. But what is sure to catch your attention is the wealth of bird life. Regular visitors to our camp included kookaburras, a magnificent great egret, dozens of tiny finches and every day we were treated to the aerial display of a pair of brahminy kites cruising along the shoreline.
Just about every aspect of a good holiday is on tap at Arakoon. You can sit back and relax, wet a line on the beach, examine some of Australia's colourful history or flog your 4WD out on the beach. Whatever takes your fancy seems to be within minutes of the comfortable campground. As you pack up to leave Arakoon, don't be surprised if you find yourself looking around for the choicest campsite to book for your next visit.
DOING TIME
The main and dominating feature at Arakoon is the old Trial Bay Gaol. Built as a public works prison in the late 1890s, it was constructed from exceptionally hard local granite and served as an internment centre for enemy aliens during the First World War. Internees who passed away during the war years were buried on a hill overlooking the jail and fellow internees erected a memorial to them. The short walk up to the monument is rewarded with stunning views over the jail and Trial Bay. The jail and monument also featured in a SBS TV movie about the lives of the German internees. The jail and museum is open for public inspection daily and should not be missed.
TRIAL AND ERROR
After being wrecked in the deep bay in 1816, the convicts who stole the 'Trial' built another vessel from the remains and tried to escape. Aborigines told how the escapees capsised at sea and drowned. Meanwhile the captain of the 'Trial' and his fellow captives tried to walk to Newcastle. Reports suggest they were lost in the bush and never seen again. However, a woman and her baby who were convict stowaways on the vessel, were believed to have fallen in with Aborigines and have lived with them.
Trial Bay continued to be the bane of many a ship. Even as recently as 1972 three vessels became stranded on the beach after breaking their moorings while riding out some rough weather in the bay. The showboat 'Sydney Queen' and vehicular ferries 'Koondooloo' and 'Lurgurena' were being towed to Manila for scrap but never made it. Instead they became a real tourist attraction at Trial Bay for many years before finally rusting away.
Getting there
The Arakoon State Conservation Area is just east of South West Rocks, around 460km north of Sydney, and 30 minutes east from Kempsey. There are two turnoffs on the Pacific Highway to South West Rocks. From the south the turnoff is just before the bridge over the Macleay River at Kempsey. The second, for northbound travellers, is a couple of kilometres south of Clybucca, look for Plumbers Lane on your left.
Staying there
The camping facilities at Arakoon are very comfortable and range from grassed and level tent sites to powered caravan sites. The amenities are spacious but get a bit crowded in peak periods and you will need a supply of 20 cent coins for the showers. Also there's a bush camping ground out near the lighthouse at the top end of Hat Head National Park. For those wanting a bit more comfort the Trial Bay Tourist Park, on Phillip Drive, has four-star cabins but doesn't offer the beachfront attraction of Arakoon. Back in South West Rocks there is everything from caravan parks to motels, apartments, B&Bs and guesthouses.
Things to do
Give yourself at least a week to enjoy a taste of what Arakoon has to offer. At the top of the list is fishing. Beach, estuary and offshore anglers will all find something to suit their passion. If the kids are in tow the beach in front of the campground is safe even for toddlers (under supervision). 4WDing on Smoky Cape Beach is allowed (with a permit) and is a great way to pass a day. For the more laid-back there is whale watching, birdwatching, photography or just sitting around a campfire.
Around and about
There isn't much out at Arakoon except the reserve, camping ground and a kiosk. However, the township of South West Rocks is a well-appointed community just minutes from Arakoon. Everything you could need you should find in the town, including a country club that welcomes visitors and turns on a top meal.
Recommended maps
NRMA Touring Map - Lower and Mid North Coast NSW 1:200 000 $6.95 (free to members)
Cartoscope Tourist Map - Kempsey and Pt Macquarie Region $1.00
Hema New South Wales 1:1 500 00 $5.95
Important numbers
NRMA Road Service 13 11 11
Arakoon State Conservation Area (02) 6566 6168
Trial Bay Tourist Park (02) 6566 6142
Smoky Cape Lighthouse B&B and Cottages (02) 6566 6301
Rocks Marine Bait and Tackle (Beach Driving Permits) (02) 6566 6726
