Myall Lakes National Park

The Myall Lakes are a chain of shallow coastal lakes separated from the sea by dunes, fringed by paperbark and eucalypt forest and connected by narrow channels, forming the largest brackish lake system in New South Wales and a Ramsar-listed wetland. They are used for houseboating, sailing, canoeing and fishing, with hire boats operating from Bulahdelah and Tea Gardens and a small vehicle ferry crossing at Bombah Point. On the ocean side, Mungo Brush and Seal Rocks give surf beaches and the Sugarloaf Point lighthouse, and the coastal walk through littoral rainforest connects them. Campgrounds sit along both lake and beach, and dingoes are present in the park.

History

The Worimi people lived on this land for its abundant food, and the park holds spiritual sites central to their identity, among them Dark Point Aboriginal Place, where Worimi people have gathered for ceremonies and feasts for at least 4,000 years (Wikipedia, Myall Lakes National Park).

The landscape

• The lake system - shallow brackish lakes linked by narrow channels.
• The paperbark forest - swamp woodland along the water's edge.
• The houseboats - hire boats moving through the lakes and channels.
• The ocean side - Mungo Brush beach and the dunes between lake and sea.

When to go

September to May for boating and swimming; summer holidays fill campgrounds and houseboats, which need booking well ahead. Mosquitoes and midges are heavy around the lakes in warm, still weather. Winter is quiet and cool.

Good to know

Insects near the water are a genuine problem in summer evenings. The Bombah Point ferry is small, charges a fee and can queue in holidays. Dingoes are present and food must be secured. Vehicle entry fees apply at each entrance.

Nearby

Seal Rocks lies northeast on the coast; Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest are south.

Key facts