Day 1: Rocky Beach

Text and photosGreg Keaney

In this article Greg recounts the 5th stage of the coast walk; 5 days and 97 kms from Port Macquarie to Forster-Tuncurry.

Introduction

5 days - 97kms

I’m doing a ‘thousand mile, thousand beaches’ NSW coastal ‘Camino’, aiming to walk every beach and every headland of this magnificent coast. I do the walk in stages and this article recounts Stage 5 from Port Macquarie on the Hastings, to the twin towns of Forster-Tuncurry on the Coolongolook River. The stage took me 5 days of moderate walking, although most of the first day was spent getting from Sydney to Port Macquarie and then exploring its many fascinating beaches.

With fair weather and a calm ocean forecast, and some of the best bits of walking and most spectacular scenery on the NSW coast ahead, I was excited ‘much’ to get back out there.

Day 1: Port Macquarie8km, 2 hours

I caught an early XPT ‘country’ train from Sydney Central station. One of the many side benefits of this coastal experience has been becoming familiar with regional NSW public transport - for all our whinging it’s actually pretty good, at least for a leisure traveller with a bit of time on their hands, and incredible value by first world standards (even more so with a ‘seniors’ discount).

It's a superb train ride north across the Hawkesbury River and especially the long stretch on the water adjacent to Mullet Creek and Brisbane Waters. After leaving Newcastle it’s then a delightful ride through the picturesque countryside and intriguing but somehow semi-forgotten towns in the Hunter, Manning and Hastings valleys along with gorgeous views to the mountain ranges.

I alighted in the timber town of Wauchope,

Day 1: Rocky Beach

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where I was met by my brother who was in Port for a conference. After a short diversion to the quaint hill town of Comboyne, we headed down to Port Macquarie, where Stage 4 of the walk had ended and Stage 5 would begin.

I was staying at Flynns Beach, so I headed north from there, along the Port Macquarie Coastal Track, back into the heart of the town. From Flynns and Nobby Beaches it was over the headland to Rocky Beach, with its rare blueschist and eclogite and then to Oxley Beach. Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks all visible in one place thanks to the magic of plate tectonics. A great little warm up for the enticing four full days of walking ahead.

Day 2: Port Macquarie to Rainbow Beach

26km, 8 hours

Started today from Flynns Beach, just south of the township of Port Macquarie and loved the southern part of the outstanding Port Macquarie Coastal Track. It's all jaw dropping, with the Sea Acres rainforest section and Tacking Point as particular highlights.

Enjoyed some sunrise magnificence at Henry Gardiner Monument (he drowned in 1874 trying to save the life of his friend - onya mate) and Burley Point. Then Shelly Beach followed by the outstanding Miners Beach track and

Day 2: Early morning light at Shelly Beach

Day 2: Nobby Head sunrise

Day 2: Burley Point

Day 2: The unnamed beaches are often the best! (Rock Pool Track between Shelly and Miners Beaches)

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lookout on the coastal edge of the magnificent Sea Acres rainforest reserve, followed by the nicely named Chillers Bay.

Had to scramble down to Little Bay, as the track is currently being repaired, but once complete the track from there up to Tacking Point will be another winner. It was a little road detour to wonderful Tacking Point and its cute lighthouse and then 'beachfall' on the lovely long stretch of sand that is Lighthouse Beach. Lighthouse was at its absolute best that day in the late winter sunlight and my heart was full. 'Put me on a long beach, at a perfect low tide, and walk it to the limit, one more time' as the Eagles should have sung!

A few kms south of Watonga Rocks I had a swim with a pod of dolphins and then communed with a red-backed sea eagle (technically a Brahminy Kite) that watched quizzically as I re-robed.

Lake Cathie and Cathie Creek entrance were superb. I wended my way around the foreshore reserve to the small bridge at Lake Cathie (pronounced 'cat-eye' if you want to

Day 2: Down to Lighthouse Beach

Day 2: Miners Beach (Sea Acres Rainforest)

Day 2: A curious friend (Brahminy Kite) at Lighthouse Beach

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Day 2: The high tide route around Lake Cathie

sound like a local) - the entrance is generally wade-able beachside, but it was peak high tide, and the bridge was only a short distance inland. I had a lunch break and a relax while waiting for the tide to turn and then it was another superb stretch of sand and rocks past Cathie Beach, Middle Rock and Beach, and Duchess Gully to Rainbow Beach at Bonny Hills where I stayed the night in an exceptionally good value AirBnB.

I was reflecting as the tide turned, and the ebb made the impassable seem passable, about Abraham Lincoln's phrase 'This too shall pass' (known in the west from the retelling of a Persian fable by the English poet Edward Fitzgerald). Wise words that hold true in both prosperity and adversity and sauntering and, indeed, life. Long may the good times of today's coast walk linger, and not pass too quickly from this eminently contented coastal pilgrim’s memory.

Day 3: Bonny Hills to Diamond Head22km, 8 hoursStarted out at dawn from beautiful Bonny Hills and passed Bartletts Beach on the way to sunrise at magnificent Grants Head. The walk across the headland was just another perfect start to another sublime day.

The headlands are steep in this part of the world, but there is a well-made set of stairs down to Field Stop 1 - locally known as Sharkies - to either intentionally, or unintentionally, scare the tourists away.

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Traversed another small headland to Grants Beach which is a 4km stretch of lovely sand all the way to North Haven Beach and the Camden River break wall.

I was lucky to have a support crew to take me across the river, although the 7km walk along the river and across the bridge at Laurieton would be a pleasant enough diversion (and campers note, you would need to reprovision here before camping at glorious Diamond Head).

But I’m getting ahead of myself, because next was another contender for the headland Oscars - mighty Perpendicular Point and Camden Head - just wow! It's only 4km or so out to the point and back but each of the lookouts on the headland are amazing - indeed it would not be hard to while away a full day here and then want to come back for more. Great signage, so no need for further instruction - an absolute must-see if you're in the area.

Day 3: Dunbogan Beach

Day 3: Down to Sharkies

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Plenty of whales with some mammas and babies close in to the point. Also a large pod of resident dolphins (might have been the light but they had a really golden-brown hue, quite unlike the grey bottlenose ones I usually see), birdlife galore and a few goannas as well. My kind of sacred place on the coastal way.

Then it was down to Dunbogan Beach for a high tide, soft sand walk towards Diamond Head - my penance for whiling away too many hours at Perpendicular Point. Forget leg day at the gym - a few laps of Dunbogan at high tide will set you right!

I try to pick up any litter on the beaches away from 'civilisation' and to the credit of most Aussies there's usually little to be found. While I normally hate seeing any stray plastic on the beach, I made an exception for the perfectly placed chair at Dunbogan which made a fine spot for a rest! Although the charming wooden throne a little further along was even better. Nice!

Diamond Head has strong connections with one of my favourite Aussie authors, Kylie Tennant. One of her books, 'The Man on the Headland' centres on her times in Diamond Head and some local characters. Hard to find these days but a great read. She understood poverty and desperation and so many aspects of her life and times, but also had a great way of seeing the bright side of life. She often notes that the human eye records best at the pace at which one walks and that to truly ‘see’ we need to walk, or even better, sit still.

Walking is such a great way to see the world - and making time to sit still along the way (on a perfect headland or a well-placed driftwood log or even a plastic chair) makes it even better!

Day 3: Some more new friends

Day 3: Around the ragged rocks the ragged rascal ran

Day 4: Living in the here and now

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Day 4: Rounding Diamond Head towards the Natural Arch

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Day 4: Kylies Beach

Day 4: The Natural Arch

check out (carefully) the down and back up track to the Natural Arch as soon as you can. I worry what's going to happen when Sunday arvo instagrammers start sliding off the steep slippery track to their doom - it's a Darwin awards kind of place so I wonder how long the open access will last.

On to Indian Head campground (the first foreign name for Diamond Head, because Cook saw 'Indians' there) which was a perfectly peaceful kangaroo feeding ground in the early morning. Kylie's Hut (Kylie Tennant's perfect little writing studio, lovingly restored after being engulfed in flames in the 2019 bushfires) and Kylie's Beach just topped off the perfection of this amazing bit of the walk.

Again, if you are nearby and have not done this walk go tomorrow! As Kylie Tennant so beautifully writes:

Diamond Head has its own special illusion. Anyone who comes there is seized with a wild resolution to stay forever.

And:

League after league the headlands curve up the coast of the continent. The white fingers of the sea play on them, each bluff giving out its unique note, making its own music.

After the delights of Diamond Head, I made beachfall at long, long Crowdy Bay Beach - 15 kms of sandy perfection with a small

Day 4: Kylies Hut (restored after 2019 bushfires)

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pod of dolphins trailing me oceanside. Past Colly’s Creek (closed entrance), Abbey Creek picnic area, and then Crowdy Head with its perfect view of the 'three brothers' and its cute lighthouse, along with several whales frolicking offshore.

An afternoon stroll along Crowdy Back Beach which morphs into Harrington Beach concluded with a lovely rainforest walk off the beach to the break wall. And just like that, (drumroll) tada - the Manning River.

Won't mean much to most, but for me that's the Tweed, Richmond, Clarence, Macleay, Hastings and Manning Rivers accomplished, and every headland and beach along the way. Only the Hunter and the Hawkesbury to cross on the 'Northern Way' of my Aussie Camino...

I like to think of my coast walk as a gentle pilgrimage or 'camino'. Camino comes from a late Latin word 'camminus' by way of Gaul 'kamman' and ultimately proto-Celtic - so just like any good pilgrimage it is a well-used, well-travelled word with deep, long, strong roots –an etymology that makes it available to us all.

Day 5: Manning Point to Forster/Tuncurry

27km, 9 hours

The mouth of the Manning presents a few challenges for the coast walker without a support crew. Fortunately, I had an obliging driver so was able to get to Manning Point (amazing dunes and river mouth) and then the beach walk to Old Bar. From there it was down to Wallabi Point before the delights of Saltwater National Park. I had been prepared for a wade or a swim across the mouth of Khappinghat Creek, but the entrance was fully closed on the day I was walking through. So, it was just some nice easy sand strolling on a falling tide along Saltwater Beach with a pod of dolphins accompanying me south while getting in their early body bash.

Day 5: Manning Point

Day 5: Wallabi Point

Day 5: Red Head

Day 5: Khappingat Creek

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A yellow-bellied sea snake seemed to be sun-baking near the water so I gave it a wide berth. I know they almost never cause problems for humans, despite being incredibly venomous (or at least that's what I was taught in Sea Scouts 50 years ago) - but no point taking any chances!

Next were Red Head and Diamond Beaches then lovely Shelly Beach and Red Headland and then over to gorgeous Black Head Beach with its sensational rock pool. Caught up with an old schoolmate for brunch and then it was across Razorback Rock and Pebbly Beach before the long stretch of Nine Mile Beach (actually only 8 miles or a tad under 12 kms). The softish estuary sand of Nine Mile makes it a beach to avoid at high tide – but despite being the first beach north of Forster, most of the way was completely deserted.

And so, I arrived at the twin towns of Tuncurry/Forster that straddle the mouth of Wallis Lake and the Coolongolook River, and where this stage of the Dreamtime to Eden walk came to its close.

Conclusion

Stage 5 was a little more complex than any of the previous four stages, primarily due to the crossing of the Manning River. That being said, the whole stage provided some incredible coast walking – in particular the walk through Crowdy Bay National Park from Camden Head to Harrington which is just

an incredible series of almost untouched beaches and headlands. I felt so privileged to ‘walk this way’ – accompanied by the wise words of Kylie Tennant and, as always, the stunning scenery and the incredible coastline of NSW. Every day of this stage provided ever more coastal magic and existential bliss.

And, as always on this coastal pilgrimage, I now looked forward to the coming explorations as I ‘wended’ my way ever southward. Stage 6 would involve meandering from Forster to the southern side of Port Stephens. Plenty more ‘walking in the sunshine’!

I trust that your every step will bring you to the here and the now...