Arakoon State Recreation Area NSW

Arakoon State Recreation Area NSW

This is the actual view from the waterfront sites!

The first time you see this place it takes your breath away, it is just so magic! Yes, it is a fair way in from the highway, but well worth it. The park is on a headland overlooking a delightful bay and is absolute beach front. Yes, you can camp right on the edge of the sand on grass and under shady well established trees. Views stretch forever up a lovely curved beach. The old gaol makes an impressive back drop. Its hard to believe you are actually in a National Park. There are lots of sites to choose from ranging from overnighters where you can stay hitched, ones in little hollows back from the water and two beachfront areas each facing a different direction. Nice thick grass covers most sites.

The A'van right on the water at sunset

Looking north on the wide beach

Arakoon is on the South West Rocks Road 460 kms north of Sydney. We came across it quite by accident as being a recommended overnight stop in one of those roadside rest area booklets. The main tourist centre is the nearby village of South West Rocks. Having said that it is one of those coastal towns which is often by-passed by holidaymakers being one of the quietest and most attractive towns on the Mid North Coast. According to the Walkabout page "It is a true hideaway with some notable television personalities using it as their getaway because no one pays much attention to them and they can relax without being 'noticed' by holidaymakers". Arakoon is right on the waters edge on Trial Bay. Apparently "The Bay" was named after the brig Trial which was wrecked there in 1816 after it had been stolen by convicts who were attempting to escape to south-east Asia. The display in the gaol reveals that when Captain Thomas Whyte found the wreck in 1817 there was no trace of the convicts and it was assumed they had all perished either starving or being killed by the local Aborigines. The gaol story is indeed fascinating and is a wonderful example of how bureaucracy still got it wrong in the olden days.

So down to the nitty gritty. The amenities are very clean and quite modern - fully brick with very nice floor tiles. They are cleaned by local contractors very early each morning. Showers need a couple of 20 cent coins. An odd omission though is no hot water to the hand basins.

Arakoon has a very loyal following and we copped an earful from quite a few of the "regulars" regarding the new higher fees! National Parks do seem to have forgotten about the little old battlers and retirees, as many just can't afford the new rates. One horrific impost we have not come across before is a charge for using a sheltered BBQ table. Would you believe an extra $22 and one is required to book a table in advance!

South West Rocks in the distance

Another shot of the gaol

Walking and bike riding in this area is absolute magic. To the north is the charming seaside village of South West Rocks and to the south is Hat Head National Park. A very nice late afternoon walk is along the beach up to "The Rock". Its about 4kms on hard sand. The local fish shop is excellent and a meal under the trees as the sun sets is a lovely way to finish the day before dawdling back down the beach to camp. You can't get lost as there are lots of light at Arakoon. You do need to watch your step though as there are bits of wreckage on the beach. These are from two car ferries and the old Sydney Harbour showboat, the 'Koondooloo'. They were forced onto the beach in high seas in 1972 - bit hard to spot though except at low tide. They will eventually be totally destroyed by the sea, but there are still bits and pieces and remnants of the vessels to be seen on the beach. The local bakery at South West Rocks is well worth a visit as they bake on the premises. They do close in the early afternoon. The newsagent is quite hard to find and few shops have papers. The newsagent is up the hill from the bakery in a small side street. There is a nice caravan park right on the headland with dozens of very old Norfolk Pines. Great for winter, but in summer there is almost zero shade - but what an idyllic setting! A must see though is the Tourist Information at the Boatman's Cottage in Ocean Drive. The Cottage is also a museum with an interesting display of the maritime history of the local region including the 'Macleay', the Macleay River's first powered pilot boat. Heading south there is a long and quite difficult walk along the coast from Trial Bay to the Smoky Cape Lighthouse. The fitter amongst us can then continue on into Hat Head National Park. As you are a long way in from the highway you are better off staying put and doing all the walks rather than doing day driving trips. The lighthouse at Smokey Cape named by Captain Cook in 1770 is a "must see" as it has been converted into a gorgeous B&B.

Bird life abounds early morning

The old gaol

The main feature of the park is of course the old gaol. The Australian Ranger Association has an excellent website on the gaol and we suggest you take a peek. http://www.ranger.org.au/arakoon_sra.htm The park has its own kiosk and small restaurant. This looks up the coast and is well patronised. Takeaways are available during the day as well. They don't sell papers. The village is just up the road, but a longish walk and you can get just about everything. The road in from the highway is mostly narrow bitumen. There are a few sharp corners that can catch you out if you are going too fast. It is very easy to miss the Arakoon turnoff, but don't worry most of us do it! We used the excellent NRMA Touring Map 1 as the scale is good and it covers the area in very good detail.

We unreservedly recommend this park as a must stay! You do need at least a couple of days to really get the feel of the place and get to know the locals. The only negative is the horrific price for a National Park. Cost in December 2000 was $27.00 for a waterfront unpowered site. There is a surcharge if you want absolute waterfront - worth it though! Being a National Park dogs are not allowed. The main beachfront section where we stayed rather oddly has no powered sites at all, but there are powered sites in the rear sheltered beachfront section.

Bob and Chrissy Eustace

Click on the compass for a map of the area