Walks, Wildlife and Flora in Bundjalung National Park, NSW.

Ten Mile Beach, Bundjalung National Park, NSW.

While camping at Bundjalung National Park we thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful walks and wildlife.

Jerusalem Creek Walk: 8 km return from Booroora Picnic Area, Grade 3.
Emu Loop 2 km, Grade 3.

The Booroora Picnic Area is at the northern end of Black Rocks Campground. There is a car park, an information board, toilets, sheltered tables and gas barbeques at the picnic area. The Emu Loop is a shorter loop of 2 km but we chose to do the Jerusalem Creek walk and add the unwalked section of the Emu Loop on our return. 

Jerusalem Creek Walk

Junction of the Emu Loop  and Jerusalem Creek Walk.

Jerusalem Creek

The track is an easy sandy trail suitable for the whole family. The track follows Jerusalem Creek until it emerges into the ocean. We met a local who told us that he often sees echidnas on the dunes. While we didn't see any echidnas we did see swamp wallabies and quite a variety of birds. 

There are several side tracts over the dunes that overlook Ten Mile Beach. Each stretch of beach has views of interesting black rock formations.

Ten Mile Beach

Black Rocks at Ten Mile Beach

Birds on the Jerusalem Creek Walk: Spangled Drongo, Brown Honeyeaters, Scarlet Honeyeater, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Little Wattlebird, Rainbow Bee-eater, Grey Butcherbird, Yellow-faced honeyeater, Silvereye.

White-faced Heron

Osprey, Brahminy Kite and Black-shouldered Kite.

Black Rocks, Ten Mile Beach.

Pied Oystercatcher, Jerusalem Creek.

Black Jezebel Butterfly

Swamp Wallaby

Sundews.

Native Iris.

Jerusalem Creek

Kayak Pontoon, Jerusalem Creek.

Mibanban Trail

The entry to the trail is opposite the Dump Point at the entry to the campground. We walked the trail at midday as I was hoping to see some reptiles but although we didn't see any reptiles we did see more swamp wallabies and plenty of bird life. As it was spring the trail was covered in wildflowers.

Mibanban Trail

Wildflowers on the Mibanban Trail

Swamp Wallaby

Birds on the Mibanban Trail: White-cheeked Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird, Rainbow Bee-eater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Grey Shrike-thrush, Brown Honeyeater, Little Wattlebird, Australian Brush Turkey, Pied Currawong.

Brown Quail

Brown Quail

Wildlife List: Swamp Wallaby, Red-necked Wallaby, Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Lace Monitor, Grey Flying Fox. Butterflies: Black Jezebel, Brown Ringlet. Birds: White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Black-shouldered Kite, Brahminy KIte, Eastern Osprey, Australian Brush Turkey, Grey Butcherbird, Grey Shrike-thrush, Little Pied Cormorant, Beach Stone-curlew, Pied Currawong, Bar-shouldered Dove, Spangled Drongo, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Noisy Friarbird, White-faced Heron, Lewin's Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Rainbow Bee-eater, Sacred Kingfisher, Laughing Kookaburra, Masked Lapwing, Fairy Martin, Pied Oystercatcher, Australasian Gannet, Crested Tern, Silvereye, Brown Quail, Red Wattlebird, Little Wattlebird, Eastern Whipbird, Willie Wagtail.

Black Rocks Campground, Bundjalung National Park, NSW.

Black Rocks Campground, Bundjalung National Park.

Black Rocks Campground is on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales. It is a large campground with numbered sites that need to be booked before arrival. Each site is designated for either tents, tents and camper trailers or caravans and motorhomes. A helpful map of the campground can be found online. 

Tent campsite No 34.

Caravan/Motorhome campsite No 10.

The campground is nicely situated between Ten Mile Beach and Jerusalem Creek. However, it is no longer possible to access the beach from the campground by 4WD as the beach access has been closed off due to severe erosion.

4WD access to the beach is closed off.

Erosion on Ten Mile Beach, looking south.

Ten Mile Beach, looking north.

There are three day use areas spread throughout the campground that have non-flush toilets, electric/gas barbecues and picnic tables. There are a number of WWII concrete structures in the campground and on the nearby walks.

A Day Use Area with a WWII structure.

Sight unseen, we choose a secluded campsite and were very pleased with our choice. As well as having tables and fire pits at each site, all the sites have washing lines which is a handy feature we haven't come across before.

Our campsite at Black Rocks Campground.

The sites are surrounded by coastal bush and every afternoon Red-necked Wallabies would come in to graze. White-cheeked Honeyeaters and an Eastern Yellow Robin were frequent visitors.

Red-necked Wallabies in our campsite.

Eastern Yellow Robin

There is even a dump point at Black Rocks but as there is no water it is neccessary to bring your own.

Dump Point at the entry to Black Rocks Campground.

There is a paddle trail along beautiful Jerusalem Creek: 4.6 km one way, medium grade. The lauching area and pontoon is close to the campground.

Kayak launching platform on Jerusalem Creek.

Jerusalem Creek, Bundjalung National Park.

The Jerusalem Creek Walk is a 10.3 km loop walk; Grade 3. We enjoyed this walk so much that I will post a separate blog about it. There are two campsites along Jerusalem Creek that can be reached by walking or paddling and can also be booked online.

Site 50 and 51 are walk in, or paddle to, campsites. 

Details for Black Rocks Campground:
Where: Bundjalung National Park. Between Evans Head and Yamba. Note: Google Maps gives incorrect directions to the campground. From the Pacific Highway the turn into Tuckombil Road is 2km south of the southern end of the town of Woodburn. Follow Tuckombil Road south for 1.8km, then turn left onto The Gap Road. The campground is 20km south along The Gap Road.
Access: The Gap Road is an all weather, unsealed road suitable for 2WD vehicles.

Facilities: Each campsite has a table, washing line and fire rings with hotplates (BYO firewood). Non-flush toilets, free gas/electric barbecues and picnic tables. Walks. Canoe launching pontoon. Dump Ezy Dump Point (no water). No bins, no water.

Sites: 51 marked unpowered sites. Designated sites sign posted for different camping types. Suitable for tents, camping beside vehicle, camper trailers and caravans. There are two walk in or paddle to campsites on Jerusalem Creek. Choose the specific site number when booking on line. 

Rates and Fees: $24 per night (for 1 or 2 people). Additional adult $12, child (5-15yrs) $6, infants (0-4yrs) free. Vehicle Entry: $8 per vehicle per day or annual pass.

Booking: ph 13000 72757 or book online.

Prohibited: Pets, smoking, amplified music, gathering firewood. No glass in watercraft or the Jerusalem Creek campsites.  No spearguns in the campground. No spearfishing.

Activities: Fishing is allowed with a NSW recreational fishing licence.  Boating: non-powered craft or silent electric motors only allowed on Jerusalem Creek. No 4WD beach access from Black Rocks campground due to erosion. Vehicles may still drive along Ten Mile Beach north from the Shark Bay 4WD beach access, but cannot exit at Black Rocks. No 4WD access north of Black Rocks campground.

Note: The Department of Defence has a training area within Bundjalung National Park north of Black Rocks campground. Noisy aircraft may fly over the campground from time to time.

Caution: 1080 fox control baiting program.

Wooli, NSW.

Walk out to the Wooli breakwall from the picnic area (looking back).

We visited Wooli while camping at Illaroo Campground and were charmed by the natural environment and the village atmosphere. Despite its small size, Wooli has two caravan parks and plenty of accomodation available. The predominate activity in Wooli appears to be fishing. 

We enjoyed our drive along South Terrace with Wooli Wooli River and Yuraygir National Park on one side and the open ocean on the other side. 

At the end of South Terrace there is a picnic area, breakwall and 4WD beach access.

Picnic area at the end of South Terrace.

It is an easy walk along the breakwall.

The bar.

4WD acess to Wooli Beach.

Wooli Beach.

Silver Gull.

Along South Terrace there is a boat ramp and a couple of picnic areas.

Boat Ramp on South Terrace.

Sand dunes in Yuragir National Park, Wooli Wool River.

Birdlife and oyster racks, Wooli Wooli River.

Pelican, Wooli Wooli River.

Lake Arragan and Red Cliff Campgrounds, Yuraygir National Park, NSW.

Lake Arragan, kayak platform.

The Lake Arragan and Red Cliffs section of Yuraygir National Park is just north of Brooms Head on the mid north New South Wales coast. There are several campgrounds along this coastal stretch with a total of 65 sites to choose from. The 65 km Yuraygir Coastal Walk passes through here going both north to Angourie and south all the way to Red Rock, just north of Corindi. Lake Arragan has a kayak and canoe platform and is an idyllic waterway for a paddle.

Lake Arragan kayak platform looking towards the beach.

Lake Arragan Road and Red Cliff Road are wide unsealed roads suitable for 2WD vehicles. There is no water available at the campsites so don't forget to fill up from the drinking water tap at the main entry on Lake Arragan Road on your way in.

Lake Arragon Road.

Drinking water tap on Lake Arragon Road.

Lake Arragan Campground has great access to both the lake and the ocean.

Individual site at Lake Arragan Campground.

Individual sites at Lake Arragan Campground.

At Lake Arragan, there is a picnic area adjacent to the campground with picnic tables and access to the toilets.

Picnic Area at Lake Arragan.

Both the beach and the lake can be accessed from the picnic area and the campground.

Beach access from Lake Arragan Picnic Area.

The mouth of Lake Arragan.

The Red Cliffs and Gray Cliffs Campgrounds stretch along the coastal cliffs just south of Lake Arragan.

Looking towards Grey Cliff and Red Cliff from Plumbago Beach behind Lake Arragan Campground.

Details for Lake Arragan & Red Cliff Campgrounds:
Where: Between Ballina and Grafton. 290 km, 3.5 hours, south of Brisbane. 142 km, 1 hour 45 minutes, north of Coffs Harbour. Leave the M1 to take Brooms Head Road. Before Brooms Head, turn left into Lake Arragan Road.
Access: Lake Arragan Road and Red Cliff Road are wide unsealed roads in good condition when we visited.
Fees & Booking: No bookings. Vehicle entry fee: $8 or buy an annual pass. Camping Fees: During NSW and QLD school holidays and long weekends there is a minimum site fee of $24 for 1 or 2 adults. At other times it is $12 per adult, $6 per child from 5 to 15 years. Take correct cash.
Sites: Total of 65 sites between Lake Arragan and spread out along sections of Red Cliff Road. Suitable for tents, camping beside your vehicle, camper trailer and caravans.
Facilities: Some picnic tables, BBQ facilities, non-flush toilets. There is no water at the sites but there is a drinking water tap near the main entrace sign on the way in.
Activites: beach not patrolled, kyaking, fishing with NSW recreational licence, bird-watching, walks. Wildflowers in spring.
Prohibited: no pets, no smoking.