Trip notes & guides
Honest local guides and ideas for your next escape along the NSW coast.
Smoky Cape Lighthouse in photos: a clear winter morning on the cape
A photo essay from Smoky Cape Lighthouse near South West Rocks: the walk up, the 1891 tower, kangaroos at the keepers' cottages, and the empty national park beaches running away to the north and south.
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Dog friendly South West Rocks: the off-leash beaches and where to stay
Bringing the dog to South West Rocks: the two off-leash beaches and the dog park, the national park rules that catch visitors out, and the caravan parks and holiday houses that welcome dogs properly.
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Malibu Classic weekend: where to stay in Crescent Head
The Crescent Head Malibu Classic fills the village every May. When it runs, why beds vanish, and where to stay, from the point to the campgrounds down Point Plomer Road.
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Where to stay near Smoky Cape Lighthouse (including the keepers' cottages)
Sleeping at Smoky Cape: the 1891 lighthouse keepers' cottages, what they cost, and the best places to stay nearby in Arakoon, South West Rocks and Hat Head when they are booked out.
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A Mid North Coast road trip: Port Macquarie to Bellingen
A week up the NSW Mid North Coast, south to north, from Port Macquarie through Crescent Head, Hat Head and South West Rocks to Nambucca Heads and Bellingen. The route, the drive times, and what not to miss.
Read the post The best beaches on the Mid North Coast
From patrolled family sand to empty surf beaches and a famous longboard point, the best beaches between Port Macquarie and Nambucca Heads, and which one suits your day.
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Whale watching on the Mid North Coast: where and when
Humpbacks pass close to shore from May to November. The best headlands and lighthouses for whale watching on the NSW Mid North Coast, when to go, and what to bring.
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Hat Head vs South West Rocks vs Crescent Head: which is for you?
Hat Head, South West Rocks or Crescent Head: how to choose where to stay on this stretch of the Mid North Coast, compared for families, surfers, campers, couples and dogs.
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The calmest swims on the Mid North Coast
Clear creeks and protected bays where the water stays calm and the kids stay happy, from Korogoro Creek to Killick Creek.
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A perfect slow weekend on the Mid North Coast
A relaxed two-night itinerary for the NSW Mid North Coast: beaches, headland walks, fish and chips and clear creeks, based around Hat Head.
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12 of the best things to do in Hat Head, NSW
From the Korogoro Point headland walk to swimming in the creek and watching for whales, here are the best things to do in tiny, beautiful Hat Head.
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