Itineraries

Guide updated 13 Sept 2026 · verify NSW National Parks the morning you go

These plans are for real trips on the Clarence / Coffs coast: three access zones, tides, boats and how much walking a group can actually do. Pick the plan that matches your day, then open it for a timeline, packing notes and what to skip. Print from any plan page, or grab the free planner PDF / print-friendly HTML anytime.

Every itinerary defers to NSW National Parks for track status and alerts. Hard walks only appear where the plan names them — and only when official status is open.

Each plan page has a printable timeline plus Print plan, planner PDF and planner HTML. The shared planner is the gold-standard packing and zone sheet; the itinerary page is the day shape.

Which plan fits you?

One-day northern — Angourie + Lake Arragan from Yamba; cliffs from a safe setback only.
Wilsons Headland day — the best easy walk; picnic and optional Wooli stop.
Weekend Illaroo / Boorkoom — official camp plus Wilsons; vehicle entry still separate.
Family beaches — villages and picnic areas; unpatrolled park beaches.
4–5 day coastal walk — only if camps and boats are booked; Wooli is a valid finish.
4WD Pebbly (Yuraygir) — high-clearance and a tide plan, or stay at Station Creek.

If two plans both look appealing, pick the shorter one. You can always do less once you arrive; you cannot add hours on the drive home.

Angourie Back Beach looking along undeveloped Yuraygir National Park coastline

Full day from Yamba / Maclean

One day: Angourie & Lake Arragan

Best for: First visit without a multi-day commitment

Northern-zone day: Angourie Surfing Reserve, a short signed walk or lookout, Lake Arragan / Red Cliff from a safe setback, then back to Yamba without starting a 17 km beach walk you cannot finish.

Open plan →

Panoramic view of undeveloped Yuraygir coastline and ocean

5–7 hours including Grafton / Wooli driving

One day: Wilsons Headland

Best for: The best easy walk in the park

Drive the central access, walk Wilsons Headland 3 km one-way (or out-and-back), picnic at the official picnic area, optional Wooli village stop.

Open plan →

Coastal heath, beach and ocean, Yuraygir National Park

2 days / 1 night

Weekend: Illaroo / Boorkoom camp

Best for: Families and first official-camp trips

Book Illaroo (listed drinking water) or Boorkoom, walk Wilsons Headland, keep Day 2 short. Vehicle entry is still required on top of camping.

Open plan →

Lake Arragan coastal lagoon and paperbark edge, Yuraygir National Park

1–2 days

Family: villages & short walks

Best for: Kids, mixed fitness, people who want toilets and a shop

Base in Yamba, Minnie Water or Wooli. Short official walks and picnic areas only. Unpatrolled park beaches — swim at flagged beaches outside the park when that matters.

Open plan →

Beach and rocky platforms on the Yuraygir coastal walk corridor

4–5 days, Angourie → Red Rock (or Wooli finish)

4–5 days: Yuraygir coastal walk

Best for: Fit walkers who will book boats and camps first

Full flagship walk with a Wooli finish as the default safe plan if Corindi / Red Rock cannot be crossed. Day shape on the trail page — this itinerary is the booking and tide checklist.

Open plan →

Pebbly Beach in Yuraygir National Park near Barcoongere, southern access zone

Day or overnight from Coffs / Red Rock

4WD: Pebbly Beach (Yuraygir)

Best for: High-clearance 4WD parties with a tide plan

Southern 4WD camp — unsealed road, dune, beach driving, Saltwater Creek at low tide only. This is not Murramarang’s Pebbly Beach.

Open plan →

Stays, tours & gear for your plan

Book a base in Yamba, Wooli or Coffs, browse north-coast tour searches, or grab practical kit — after you pick an itinerary that fits your group.

Nearby stays

Yamba (primary) · Wooli · Coffs Harbour

Hotels & stays in YambaNorthern gateway — Angourie and Lake Arragan day trips
WooliCentral village on the coastal walk
Coffs HarbourSouthern services hub for Station Creek / Pebbly

All Booking.com links open in a new tab and may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Official NPWS camping and cottage bookings are never affiliated.

Guided tours

Optional — useful if you want a local operator instead of self-driving

A tour does not replace checking NSW National Parks alerts, weather, or cliff safety yourself.

What to bring

Practical kit for beaches, heath, boats and changeable coastal weather

2–3 L water capacityDrinking water is only listed at some official campgrounds — carry between sites
Sun hat + SPF50Open beaches and heath have little shade; summer has recorded 42.5°C
Grip trail shoesBeaches, rock platforms and sandy tracks are hard on ordinary sneakers
Dry bag for river crossingsBoat and wade crossings on the coastal walk soak packs if you are careless
Light rain / wind shellMarch can dump huge rain; headlands stay windy even on “fine” days
Day pack 20–30 LWater, extra food for tide delays, first-aid and a dry layer
First-aid + tick/snake awarenessCoastal heath and forest — pack for snake and tick awareness, not as an afterthought
Tide chart / offline mapsRock platforms only at low tide; reception is limited — screenshot Yamba tides
PLB or sat messenger (optional)Worth considering for the multi-day walk or Pebbly / Shelley Head — not a legal requirement
HeadlampShort winter days and village-to-camp finishes after dusk
Power bankPayphones exist in villages and at Sandon; do not rely on charging in camp
Spare socksBeach walking and creek wades — dry feet keep a long day civil

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