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Kylies Hut

Crowdy Bay National Park

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Overview

Visit Kylies Hut along Metcalfes walking track in Crowdy Bay National Park, near Port Macquarie. The historic hut was used as a writer’s retreat by award-winning Australian novelist Kylie Tennant.

Type
Historic buildings/places
Accessibility
No wheelchair access
Entry fees
Park entry fees apply
What to
bring
Drinking water, hat, sunscreen, sturdy shoes, suitable clothing
Please note
  • Eastern grey kangaroos live in this area of the park. They’re powerful animals, so please appreciate them from a distance.

While enjoying a day trip or overnight stay in Crowdy Bay National Park, Kylies Hut is well worth a visit. Set in a shady glen surrounded by coastal forest, you’ll pass paperbarks and sheoaks along Metcalfes walking track on your way to the hut.

Local farmer Ernie Metcalfe built the rustic hut for the novelist and journalist Kylie Tennant in the late 1960s. With a single room, verandah and stone fireplace, its appearance harked back to a time when Crowdy Bay was wild coastal heathland and swamp. It was during Kylie’s time here that she wrote The Man on the Headland, a novel influenced by her years spent living in the natural beauty of Crowdy Bay.

Sadly, the original hut was destroyed in the 2019-20 bushfires that burned through much of the area. It was reconstructed in 2022 with the help of a local builder skilled in traditional woodwork techniques, to preserve this important piece of history.

After you’ve explored the hut and surrounds, there’s plenty to see and do nearby. Picnic in the shade of the paperbarks or take a dip at Kylies Beach.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Nearby

  • Metcalfs walking track, Crowdy Bay National Park. Photo: Debby McGerty © OEH

    Metcalfes walking track

    Get up close with nature on Metcalfes walking track, which links Indian Head and Kylies Beach in Crowdy Bay National Park. It's a family friendly hike and the kids might even spot a koala.

  • Aerial view of Indian Head campground, Crowdy Bay National Park. Photo: Rob Mulally/DPIE

    Indian Head campground

    Indian Head campground near Port Macquarie is great place to set up your campsite. There are plenty of walking opportunities, resident kangaroos and the beach is nearby.

  • Campers setting up a tent at Kylies Beach campground, Crowdy Bay National Park. Photo: © Rob Mulally

    Kylies Beach campground

    Kylies Beach campground in Crowdy Bay National Park on the north coast offers quiet beachside campsites for caravans, trailers and tents.

  • Aerial view of Diamond Head campground and nearby Dunbogan Beach. Photo: © Rob Mulally

    Diamond Head campground

    The beachside campground at Diamond Head is one of the most popular places to stay in Crowdy Bay National Park. It has caravan sites, additional walk-in campsites and picnic amenities.

 

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A family walk a boardwalk section of Bouddi coastal walk, Bouddi National Park. Photo: John Spencer/OEH.

 

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