Unofficial guide · verify with NSW National Parks

Yuraygir National Park guideYuraygir National ParkUnofficial operator’s manual

Weekend: Illaroo / Boorkoom camp

2 days / 1 night · Best for: Families and first official-camp trips

Guide updated · verify NSW National Parks the morning you go

Download checklist PDF

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

Coastal heath, beach and ocean, Yuraygir National Park

Coastal heath and beach

Maurice van Creij · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Official camping only via NSW National Parks. Never affiliated here. Vehicle day entry is still required on top of camping if you drive in. Annual passes do not cover camping.

Illaroo is the practical family camp: toilets, picnic, BBQ, listed drinking water. Boorkoom is smaller and sits at the north end of the Wilsons Headland track. Taps can fail — pack a backup even at Illaroo. Boorkoom is not on the park-wide water list.

School holidays fill official campgrounds. Book before you leave Grafton or Coffs. Arrive with daylight to pitch. Check-in / out times are enforced on official camps.

Always verify booking, alerts and tap status on NSW National Parks. This plan is unofficial orientation only.

Track status, weather and closures change — verify on NSW National Parks before you leave, then use the timeline below as a planning skeleton only.

Timeline

  1. Two weeks out (or earlier in holidays)

    Book the official site

    Illaroo or Boorkoom on nationalparks.nsw.gov.au only. Screenshot the booking. Pack extra water even if Illaroo lists taps. Install Emergency+ and the NSW Parks app. Tell someone your plan — reception is limited.

  2. Friday night / Saturday morning

    Drive central access, pay vehicle entry

    Pacific Highway south of Grafton → Wooli / Minnie Water turn-off. Left for Minnie Water / Illaroo, Diggers Camp Road for Boorkoom. Arrive with daylight. Booked site only — do not freelance onto dunes.

  3. Saturday

    Wilsons Headland + camp

    Walk the official 3 km one-way (or out-and-back). Picnic at Wilsons Headland picnic area. Back to camp before dusk. No Sandon boat day. No 14 km Illaroo–Wooli add-on.

  4. Saturday evening

    Camp night realism

    Quiet hours and neighbours matter. Limited reception — Emergency+ already installed. Do not assume a late village shop run. Paper is not part of the Yuraygir recycling program; cans, plastic and glass can be recycled at park campgrounds.

  5. Sunday

    Short loop and the drive out

    Optional Angophora grove (1.2 km from Illaroo picnic) or Rocky Point (1.8 km from Illaroo South picnic). Freshwater is not here — it starts at Pebbly. Pack up on time. Do not stack a 14–15.5 km coastal segment onto a pack-up morning.

Packing

  • Camp water backup (even at Illaroo)
  • First-aid + tick kit
  • Headlamp
  • Sun / wind layers
  • Printed booking + alerts screenshot
  • Food for two days — village hours are limited

Kit searches live on the gear hub — not as a merch wall on the itinerary.

Parking & access tips

  • Booked site only — do not freelance onto dunes.
  • School holidays fill early — book on NPWS only.
  • Vehicle entry is still required if you drive in.
  • Diggers Camp Road after rain can be sloppy.

Skip if short on time / energy

  • Sandon boat day
  • Pebbly Beach (different zone + 4WD)
  • Illaroo–Wooli 14 km on Sunday morning
  • Freshwater track (Pebbly start)

Extra tips

Who this plan is for

  • Families who will book official camping
  • First NPWS camp nights in this park
  • Groups who want Wilsons Headland without a 4WD
  • People who will pack water even when taps are listed

Decision gates (say them out loud)

  • If the booking is not confirmed: gateway bed in Wooli / Minnie Water — do not arrive hoping for a walk-up
  • If taps fail: you already packed backup water
  • If weather is ugly: picnic area + early pack-up still counts
  • If someone proposes a coastal-walk day from camp: that is a different itinerary

What success looks like

  • One night camped on a booked site
  • One honest Wilsons Headland walk
  • Sunday kept short
  • Notes for next time: Illaroo vs Boorkoom, or add Wooli as a midpoint later

Related trail guides

  • Wilsons Headland walking trackThe park’s best short walk: Boorkoom campground to Wilsons Headland picnic area with barrier-free lookout platforms, seats, ocean views and a May–October whale window. Part of the longer coastal walk but complete on its own.
  • Angophora grove walking trackOfficial short walk: 1.2 km return, Grade 3, 30 min–1 hr from Illaroo picnic area through angophora / woodland. Can link with Rocky Point track.
  • Rocky Point walking trackOfficial short walk: 1.8 km return, Grade 3, 30 min–1 hr 30 min. Starts at Illaroo South picnic area and passes Illaroo and Rocky Point campgrounds. No wheelchair access.

Official links to verify

Stays, tours & gear for this plan

Optional next steps once your timeline is set — park fees and official NPWS bookings are never affiliated.

Nearby stays

Yamba (primary) · Wooli · Coffs Harbour

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

Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Park fees, official NSW National Parks camping bookings and fishing licences are never affiliated. Affiliate disclosure · Privacy