3 Short Walks at Minnie Water

Short walks at Minnie Water, Yuraygir National ParkThe small and picturesque holiday village of Minnie Water (NSW North Coast) is surrounded by Yuraygir National Park, and has a couple of very nice walks.

These are short walks for which you don’t need to worry about fitness or time constraints.

Some of these walks are part of the more strenuous 4-day Yuraygir Coastal Walk that connects Angourie to Red Rock via Minnie Water and Wooli.

Starting point for all 3 walks:
Welsh Memorial Park

Welsh Memorial Park, opposite the Minnie Water General Store, is a great starting point for all three walks.

Welsh Memorial Park, Minnie Water Main BeachYou can park your car here, use the public toilets and showers and buy refreshments at the shop.

After your walk, buy a freshly made sandwich, burger or fish & chips from the General Store, find a free picnic bench and the amazing ocean view will make your great food taste even better.

Angophora Grove Walk and Rocky Point Walk are sign-posted tracks between the Minnie Water General Store at the northern end of the village, and the South Picnic Area at Illaroo Campground.

Together, the Angophora Grove (1) and Rocky Point (2) tracks form a loop, so you don’t have to back-track but can take a different track each way.

We suggest you start from Welsh Memorial Park in Minnie Water – unless you are staying at Illaroo Campground, in which case you’ll start from that end and do the walks in reverse.

1. Angophora Grove Walk

Beautiful trees at Angophora Grove Walk, Minnie WaterThis forest track has an interesting diversity of coastal vegetation in a small area.

At just under 1 kilometre, the track meanders through a grove of smooth-barked apple trees (Angophora costata) interspersed with bloodwood, coastal banksia, cypress pine and casuarinas.

Combined with low heath shrubs, these tall trees provide a great habitat for many animals.

Keep an eye out for a brush-tailed possum, sugar glider, bush rat, red-necked wallaby or the astonishing bearded dragons, which live in this area.

The flowering trees and shrubs attract a variety of honey and insect-eating birds.

2. Rocky Point Track

This track runs closer to the coast, crossing a small sand ridge lying across the headland and then winding back along the foreshore, passing through a community of beautiful coastal banksia.

Rocky Point itself is a low, sand-covered headland between Sandon Beach and Main Beach, fringed by intertidal rock platforms. Rock pools at the base of this headland are home to starfish, cunjevoi, sea urchins, coral, sponges and shellfish.

The headland has fantastic views of the surrounding coastline north to Sandon Beach and Clarence Peak and south to Minnie Water and Tree Point. Between June and November, it’s a great spot to sit and look for humpback whales migrating along the coast.

Look for a variety of seabirds such as gulls, terns, cormorants, oystercatchers as well as coastal birds of prey including osprey, brahminy kites and white-bellied sea eagles.

3. Minnie Water Scenic Walk

Minnie Water scenic beachfront walk and picnic spotThis invigorating walk runs along the oceanfront and takes you all the way from Main Beach (at Welsh Memorial Park/General Store) around Minnie Water Headland to Back Beach.

You can join and leave the trail anywhere you like or drive up to One Tree Point and take a short stroll from there.

Walking from north to south: Start walking south along the beach and follow the trail as it meanders up Pipers Hill. From here you’ll have an excellent view of Minnie Lagoon, a great swimming and fishing spot.

Walking further along the ridge and still overlooking Minnie Lagoon, you’ll come across the Tree of Knowledge, followed by an area with toilets and barbecues and a lookout at One Tree Point.

After that, the path heads south-east down to Minnie Water Back Beach, which is very popular with surfers.

Bring your camera as you’ll want to take home memories of the beautiful scenery and views along this walk.

Return via the same track – you’ll notice different things when walking in the opposite direction.

Accommodation

Want to stay longer to enjoy these wonderful walks, views and beaches? Here’s a list of accommodation in Minnie Water.

Have fun!

Signpost for short walks at Minnie Water, Yuraygir National Park