Smoky Cape lies just East of South West Rocks in Hat Head National Park, on the NSW mid North Coast. If you are a fan of the outdoors Smoky Cape has plenty to offer. I stayed in the Smoky Cape camping grounds with my three youngest children and we divided our time between the beaches, bays and bush tracks.
Unlike beaches in our major cities, we were able to experience some of the most beautiful beaches in the country almost all to ourselves. Some of the beaches are open to four wheel drives, and some were only accessible via a 4WD track and a short walk. Either way it was well worth the extra effort. Permits are required to drive on beaches in Hat Head National Park. For further information on these permits please visit here.
With South West Rocks being so conveniently close, you can have the best of both worlds at Smoky Cape. We “roughed it” in the camping grounds but were able to pop into town to have lunch at one of the many pubs, clubs, cafes or restaurants. We were also able to travel relatively lightly and buy fresh produce daily. Fuel, bait, ice and cold refreshments were also readily available at reasonable prices – remember, South West Rocks is a holiday town!
Trial Bay, South Smoky Beach and Gap Beach are all within a stones throw of the camping grounds and offer a good range of options, according to the swell and weather conditions. It is important to note that none of these beaches were patrolled and you should be very careful when swimming. Of these options, Trial Bay is probably the the safest.
The best advice I can offer for those heading to Smoky Cape is to do a little bit of research first. There are plenty of great family activities but some require permits or advice.
Hat Head Beach information.
Hat Head Beach Driving Permits.
Google Map.
If you are heading to Smoky Cape from Sydney and want to try camping in style, try Sydney Camper Trailers for a selection of hire campers. There were about eight of them in our area and they lived in soooooo much more comfort than us in our tent.
Sitting in the far North West, Lawn Hill National Park is one of Queensland’s hidden gems. If you enjoy things uniquely Australian, this is the place for you. As you drive through the desert landcape Lawn Hill pops up like an oasis in one of those old movies. Swimming, fishing, bushwalking, hiking and canoeing are all among the long list of activities for parents and children in this area.
Adels Grove is an eco-sensitive tourist camping facility on the edge of the National Park that caters for all levels of self suffiency. Even though we took everything we needed, there is nothing better than and ice cold beer at the casual bar after a long day exploring. Exploring is surely the best word to describe our time at Adels Grove. We all tried our hands at fishing, though fish need not tremble, most of our time was spent detangling. We hired canoes, went swimming, walked some bush trails and took a relaxed tour to look at some of the indigenous sites in the area. There are dedicated and cleared camp sites from the riverbank and up on the hill for a few hundred metres.
As with all adventures there are things to be wary of. It can get seriously hot out here, but if you have ventured this far out, you would already know that. The other thing to watch is mosquitoes. While the campsites close to the river are the most attractive, and offer the best shade, there is alot to be said for being up the top of the hill. There are less mosquitoes and you are closer to the all important ablution block – along with it’s hot showers!
If coming from the South there are really two ways to get to Adels Grove and the Lawn Hill National Park. From Cloncurry head North on the Burke Developmental Rd and turn left after the Four Ways or, for the more adventurous, head North from Mount Isa on the Barkly Hwy and venture off road to the Gregory Downs Camoweal Rd. The latter is a fantastic (and quite sedate) drive on dirt roads and tracks. The only real caution is to check the river levels in Mount Isa. There are a couple of water crossings on this route. In the dry season they are quite tame, but after heavy rain they are for the hardcore 4WDers only.
Get off the beaten track and treat your family to one of the most rewarding, yet relaxing, holidays you can experience.
Google Maps link for Lawn Hill National Park
