Minnie Water, Illaroo & Boorkoom
Guide updated
Central-park camping and the start of the Wilsons Headland walking track. Illaroo is one of the few sites officially listed with drinking water.
- Best for: Family camping with water, Wilsons Headland day walk, mid-walk resupply
- Time: One night minimum; two nights if you add Wilsons Headland
- From Grafton drive south on the Pacific Highway about 10 km, then the Wooli / Minnie Water turn-off. About 25 km to the T-intersection: left to Minnie Water / Illaroo, or right to Wooli. Diggers Camp Road for Boorkoom and Wilsons Headland.
Verify conditions on NSW National Parks → · Park alerts
Minnie Water, Illaroo & Boorkoom — Coastal heath and beach
Maurice van Creij · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The practical central hub
This is where many families and two-night trips land. Illaroo has toilets, picnic, BBQ and listed drinking water. Boorkoom is smaller and sits at the north end of the Wilsons Headland walking track — the park’s best easy/family walk with barrier-free lookout platforms.
Minnie Water (sometimes written Minnie Waters) is a village, not a park visitor centre. Use it for a shop stop, then return to your booked site.
Listed drinking water — and the backup
Illaroo campground and Illaroo group camping area are on the official park-wide drinking-water list, with toilets, picnic and BBQ. Taps can still fail. Carry a bottle between camps even here.
Boorkoom does not appear on that water list. If you book Boorkoom for the Wilsons Headland start, plan water as if there is no tap.
Short walks from Illaroo (not Freshwater)
Angophora grove is official 1.2 km return, Grade 3, 30 min–1 hr from Illaroo picnic area. Rocky Point walking track is 1.8 km return, Grade 3, from Illaroo South picnic area — it passes Illaroo and Rocky Point camps.
Freshwater track is not a central stroll. Official start is Pebbly Beach campground in the southern 4WD zone.
Highlights at a glance
- Illaroo campground and group camping area — drinking water listed
- Boorkoom campground — start of Wilsons Headland walking track
- Minnie Water village edge
- Spring wildflowers on the Wilsons Headland track
Practical tips
- Book Illaroo or Boorkoom before you leave Grafton or Coffs.
- Wilsons Headland picnic area has toilets, picnic and BBQ — good turnaround if you start at Boorkoom.
- Diggers Camp Road is the signed access for Boorkoom / Wilsons — do not take an unsigned beach shortcut.
- Check-in / out times are enforced on official camps — arrive with daylight.
- Check live alerts for spray or cliff-section closures before a Sandon–Rocky Point walk.
Facilities & services
- Illaroo campground — toilets, picnic, BBQ, drinking water
- Illaroo group camping area — same class of facilities
- Boorkoom campground — toilets, picnic, BBQ
- Wilsons Headland picnic area — toilets, picnic, BBQ
Confirm toilets, parking and open facilities on the day via official sources and on-site signage.
Walks & lookouts nearby
Grades, times and open/closed status change — open each guide and verify on NSW National Parks before you go.
Wilsons Headland
easyThe 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.
- Grade
- Grade 3 · easy–moderate
- Time
- 45 min – 1 hr 15 min
- Distance
- 3 km one-way
View guide →
Illaroo–Wooli
hardOfficial central coastal-walk segment: 14 km one-way, Grade 4, 4 hrs 30 min–5 hrs 30 min past Wilsons Headland country into Wooli. Village finish makes this a clean two-car or booked-boat day.
- Grade
- Grade 4 · coastal-walk segment
- Time
- 4 hrs 30 min – 5 hrs 30 min
- Distance
- 14 km one-way
View guide →
Angophora grove
easyOfficial 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.
- Grade
- Grade 3 · short
- Time
- 30 min – 1 hr
- Distance
- 1.2 km return
View guide →
Rocky Point
easyOfficial 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.
- Grade
- Grade 3 · short coastal
- Time
- 30 min – 1 hr 30 min
- Distance
- 1.8 km return
View guide →
Itineraries that use this area
5–7 hours including Grafton / Wooli driving
One day: Wilsons Headland
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.
2 days / 1 night
Weekend: Illaroo / Boorkoom camp
Book Illaroo (listed drinking water) or Boorkoom, walk Wilsons Headland, keep Day 2 short. Vehicle entry is still required on top of camping.
1–2 days
Family: villages & short walks
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.
Map
Orientation only — confirm trailheads and road status before you drive.
Interactive map — pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads and road status before you drive.
FAQ — Central north
Tap a question to expand the answer.
Is Wilsons Headland good for kids?
Officially Grade 3, 3 km one-way, 45 min–1 hr 15 min, with barrier-free lookout platforms and seats. It is still a walk in sun and wind, not a sealed path. Confirm status on the official track page.
Does Illaroo have drinking water?
Yes on the park-wide visitor-info list (campground and group area). Pack a backup. Boorkoom is not on that list.
Where does Angophora grove start?
Official: Illaroo picnic area. 1.2 km return, Grade 3, 30 min–1 hr. You can link it with Rocky Point track.
Is Freshwater track near Minnie Water?
No. Official Freshwater track starts at Pebbly Beach campground (southern 4WD). Do not drive central roads looking for it.
Stays, tours & gear near Central north
Optional next steps after you plan this area — park fees and official NPWS bookings are never affiliated.
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
- Coffs whale cruise (2 hr)
- Sunset kayak eco tour
- Coffs Treetops ropes course
- Browse more north-coast tours
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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