Park overview
Guide updated
Yuraygir National Park is NSW’s longest stretch of undeveloped coastline — cliffs, headlands, isolated beaches, lakes and heath between Yamba / Angourie and Red Rock / Corindi. Rivers split it into three practical access zones. Most visitors should pick one zone rather than “doing the park.” This hub is how you choose, then open a deeper area guide.
Always verify live conditions on the official NSW National Parks park page and alerts. This site is independent and unofficial.
Recommended order: pick one of the three road zones → check alerts and a tide chart → pay vehicle entry (not camping) → do one honest walk → stop in a village if buffer remains. Do not try to collect Angourie, Wilsons Headland and Pebbly in one day.
How to choose an area
First visit, limited time: Angourie and Lake Arragan from Yamba — cliffs from a safe setback only.
Best easy walk: Wilsons Headland from the central roads (Diggers Camp Road / Boorkoom).
Official camp with listed water: Illaroo or Lake Arragan / Red Cliff — still carry a backup.
4WD / remote south: Station Creek for 2WD-typical; Pebbly Beach (Yuraygir) only with high-clearance and a tide plan.
A simple order: pick one zone → check alerts and tides → pay vehicle entry → do one walk → stop in a village if you still have time.
Geography in plain English
Think of the park as three road systems, not one loop. Northern (Yamba / Maclean → Angourie, Brooms Head, Sandon), central (Grafton south → Minnie Water, Illaroo, Wilsons, Wooli), southern (Coffs north → Station Creek, Pebbly, Red Rock). Villages are where you eat, sleep and reset. There is no public transport into the core and no vehicle ferry between zones.
After rain, allow extra time on unsealed roads and for the drive out. On the coastal walk, Brooms Head, Minnie Water, Wooli and Red Rock are the places you can stop if a crossing or beach is closed.
What not to stack
- An 18 km coastal-walk day plus a second remote segment.
- Pebbly Beach 4WD plus Wilsons Headland “because they’re both Yuraygir.” Different road systems; hours of driving.
- Starting the 65 km walk without booked camps and boats.
- Cliff-edge photos at Lake Arragan / Red Cliff. Official: stay well back.
Printable decision tree: practical planner (HTML) · PDF.
Area guides
Open an area for highlights, what not to get wrong, practical tips and related walks. Pair these with trails and itineraries once you know where you will stand.
Angourie, Lake Arragan & Red Cliff
Best for: First-timers, coastal-walk start, lagoon days, cliff lookouts (from a safe setback)
The usual first stop: Angourie Surfing Reserve and the Lake Arragan / Red Cliff campgrounds. Coastal-walk start, lagoon canoeing, and unstable red cliffs that need real distance.
Open area guide →
Brooms Head & Sandon River
Best for: Coastal-walk Day 2, river camping, whale watching from Brooms Head in winter
Second northern village and the first major river crossing on the coastal walk. Sandon River campground sits on a peninsula with a boat ramp and a payphone.
Open area guide →
Minnie Water, Illaroo & Boorkoom
Best for: Family camping with water, Wilsons Headland day walk, mid-walk resupply
Central-park camping and the start of the Wilsons Headland walking track. Illaroo is one of the few sites officially listed with drinking water.
Open area guide →
Wilsons Headland & Wooli
Best for: Whale watching May–October, wildflowers, coastal-walk midpoint, kayak on Wooli Wooli River
The park’s best short lookout walk plus the Wooli River — the second commercial boat crossing on the coastal walk and a village resupply.
Open area guide →
Station Creek & Pebbly Beach
Best for: Self-sufficient campers, 4WD parties, last coastal-walk days, little tern / shorebird awareness
The remote southern block. Station Creek is 2WD-typical camping. Pebbly Beach is high-clearance 4WD via Bacoongerie / Barcoongere, dune and beach driving, and a low-tide crossing only. Official alerts (13 Sep 2026): McPhillips Rd closed 14–25 Sep 2026 — use Barcoongere Way for Pebbly and Station Creek.
Open area guide →
Red Rock & Corindi River
Best for: Coastal-walk finish, southern day trips, pairing with Coffs Harbour stays
Southern finish of the Yuraygir coastal walk. Village services, no commercial river-crossing service, and a clean bail-out if the last waterway is unsafe.
Open area guide →