Arakoon National Park

February 18 - 27:

We have just returned home after visiting friends from Canberra. We were camping at Arakoon National Park, which is located just over 100 km south of our home. We also aim to camp there at least once every year.

 

 

Unfortunately, we couldn't have picked a worse time to be away. While we were camping, much of the east coast was affected by an intense low-pressure system. This system brought gale-force winds along the coast, heavy rainfall causing flash flooding of the Macleay River, and very rough seas. We were stranded and unable to return because the Pacific Highway was closed in several places.

 

The campground at Arakoon is situated on the bay side of Laggers Point, on a strip between the beach and the historic Trial Bay Gaol, facing the town of South West Rocks across the bay. The gaol and the trees along the seafront provide protection for the camping area from the worst of the weather blowing in from the ocean.

The campsites along the seafront are not powered but are level and quite generously sized. There are powered sites, but these are further from the beach, and only a few offer a glimpse of the sea.

The Gaol was established as a public works prison in the 1870s. It was built to house prison labourers, brought here to construct a breakwater intended to make Trial Bay a safe harbour between Sydney and Brisbane. The scheme was a failure because it was impossible to maintain the break wall.

The unpowered sites are situated between the pine trees.

During World War I, the gaol was used as a camp for people of German descent, interned by the government as possible 'enemy' sympathisers.
A few kilometres south of Arakoon is Smoky Cape Lighthouse in Hat Head National Park. Smoky Cape was named by Captain Cook in 1770 because of the large amount of smoke from Aboriginal burn-off fires on the headland. The lighthouse was completed in 1891 and is now fully automated.
The complex of buildings consists of the lighthouse, the head keeper's residence, the assistant keepers' residence, and stables. The residences have been refurbished and are now available for rent.

The view south from Smoky Cape shows Hat Head National Park on the right and Crescent Head in the distance. The rock in the centre of the picture is a well-known dive site called "Fish Rock". Divers can swim through a cave running through its centre. It is also a habitat for Grey Nurse sharks. Dive boats depart from South West Rocks.