Australia's Answer to the Camino Del Norte?
Are you yearning for an adventure over km after km of white sandy beaches and rugged headlands interspersed with idyllic seaside towns full of fine food and accommodation? Well while the world puts itself back together and we cannot jet off overseas combine these two little known trails in our very own backyard for a multi day coastal walk to satiate your Camino urges!
With the summer coming to a close and winter beginning to dust Tassie and Australia's alpine regions with snow, you might be looking for a warmer hiking adventure. If that’s the case, the Yuraygir Coastal Track just north of Coffs Harbour may be for you.
Starting at Yamba and finishing at Wooli on the NSW east coast, you have 65 kilometres of beach walking and headlands split up over 4-5 days. You’ll have all the time to get swept up in the beautiful wildlife and scenery of the area.
Even though the water temperature might be a bit stiff to enjoy a swim, it's a fantastic time to watch the whales migrate north to warmer waters and if fishing is your thing the Yuraygir offers some of the best coastal fishing around.
The area also has one of the most biodiverse landscapes in Australia. As you wander from beaches and over the headlands, make sure to take note of the dramatic coastal landforms, eucalypt forests and rainforests which are incredibly rare and only found in coastal areas.
Logistically, there are so many options allowing you to enjoy this region, which means you can walk the track any way you want to! Don't want to carry a pack? Perhaps hire one of the many companies that offer walking tours that offer portage on guided and self-guided trips.
Accommodation options range from beach camping, National Park camping grounds, or staying at huts or inns in one of the small coastal towns within and around the park. There is also no need to carry your food for the whole journey as there are plenty of towns to resupply along the way.
If that's not quite enough walking for you, why not double the adventure and tack on another 60kms of stunning NSW coastline with the Solitary Islands Track. Continue on from Red Rock, pass by Coffs Harbour and finish your epic trip at the lovely town of Sawtell.
The Solitary Islands Track covers some of Australia’s most beautiful coastline.You’ll walk from golden beach to golden beach weaving in and out of lush rainforest, over and around rocky headlands passing by coastal villages.
This is a bird watcher's paradise so bring your binoculars and keep an eye out for Terns and White Bellied Eagles. Dolphins and whales are also easy to spot along this section too.
There is accommodation to suit everyone and every budget. Camping is available in a few of the towns and there are plenty of opportunities to restock food or stop for some hot fish and chips for lunch or the local pub for a roast dinner and a beer.
We recommended walking both tracks from North to South so the sun is at your back and be sure to check the tides as walking along the beach at low tide is easier and some of the creek crossings aren’t possible at high tide.
Because you can tackle both of these walks as either an “E2E” thru-hike, a series of overnighters or even simply a collection of day walks, this classic NSW coast trail really is for everyone!
