Arakoon National Park
Arakoon National Park, home to historic Trial Bay Gaol, offers beachside camping, rocky foreshores with great fishing and beaches perfect for whale watching and swimming.
Read more about Arakoon National Park
The idyllic Arakoon National Park on the NSW mid north coast is home to the historic Trial Bay Gaol and is a wonderful place for a daytrip to explore Australian history or for a family camping holiday. There are great picnic and camping spots by the tranquil Trial Bay, and the area is surrounded by rocky foreshores and sandy beaches.
Trial Bay Gaol, dating from the 19th century, was built to house prison labourers who were tasked with building a breakwater. Today the gaol is a picturesque ruin and a fascinating place to explore. There are excellent fishing spots around the park’s rocky headlands and the park’s sheltered beach is a great spot for swimming, snorkelling and paddling.
Don’t be surprised if you see dolphins frolicking in the calm waters and if you’re visiting around July or August, you might see whales on their annual migration.
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/arakoon-national-park/local-alerts
Map
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Contact
- in the North Coast region
Arakoon National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
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Trial Bay Gaol Visitor Centre
02 6566 6168
Contact hours: 9am to 4.30pm daily. Closed Christmas Day. - 73 Trial Bay Gaol Road, Arakoon NSW 2431
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Email: npws.hastingsmacleay@environment.nsw.gov.au
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Trial Bay Gaol Visitor Centre
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Arakoon National Park.
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
From South West Rocks:
- Take South West Rocks Road along the Macleay River from East Kempsey (37km)
- Or take Tourist Route 12 from South Kempsey to travel via Crescent Head (80km).
Parking Show more
- Front Beach See on map
- Little Bay picnic area See on map
- Trial Bay Gaol See on map
- Trial Bay Gaol campground See on map
- Trial Bay Kiosk Restaurant See on map
By bike
Check out the Bicycle information for NSW website for more information.
By public transport
For information about public transport options, visit the NSW country transport info website.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Arakoon National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Spring
The wildflowers will be out so it’s a great time to hike the park’s walking tracks. Keep an eye out for the glossy black cockatoos that feed on the seeds of ripe she-oak fruit during spring.
Summer
School's out and it's a great time for a family camping holiday – spend your days swimming, snorkelling, fishing and exploring the park's attractions.
Winter
Catch the whales on their journey north along the coast.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
20°C and 26°C
Highest recorded
41.7°C
Winter temperature
Average
12°C and 20°C
Lowest recorded
4°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
March
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
343.7mm
Facilities
Amenities
Toilets
- Front Beach
- Little Bay picnic area
- Trial Bay Gaol
- Trial Bay Gaol campground
- Trial Bay Kiosk Restaurant
Picnic tables
- Front Beach
- Little Bay picnic area
- Trial Bay Gaol
- Trial Bay Gaol campground
- Trial Bay Kiosk Restaurant
Barbecue facilities
Boat ramp
Cafe/kiosk
Drinking water
Showers
Electric power
Maps and downloads
Prohibited
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
Please contact the Trial Bay Gaol Visitor Centre office in advance to notify us if you intend to visit with a certified assistance animal.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Nearby towns
South West Rocks (4 km)
South West Rocks is a sleepy coastal retreat at its barefoot best. It's an oceanfront holiday town on north-facing Trial Bay.
Kempsey (37 km)
Kempsey is a historic river town close to national parks and majestic beaches. Kempsey is a convenient place for an overnight stop for anyone driving between Sydney and the North Coast.
Crescent Head (58 km)
Crescent Head on the NSW North Coast is surrounded by some of the stunning natural environments in the State. As well as long stretches of coastline with fabulous beaches, there is a string on coastal national parks to explore. Go surfing, fishing, boating and bushwalking, enjoy bird watching or whale watching, spot dolphins, turtles and even koalas in the wild.
Learn more
Arakoon National Park is a special place. Here are just some of the reasons why:
Traditional lands of Dunghutti people
The region surrounding Arakoon National Park has high cultural and spiritual significance to the local Dunghutti people. There are numerous Aboriginal sites within the park of great spiritual and cultural significance, with dreaming stories and cultural learning part of them, still passed on today. These include middens, stone arrangements and spiritual sites. We work with local Aboriginal communities to protect this rich culture.
Fascinating heritage
Dating from 1886, Trial Bay Gaol is a unique example of a public works prison. It was also used as an internment camp in World War I and today the ruins continue to intrigue visitors. It'll take you about an hour to wander through the gaol and the museum. The region has high cultural and spiritual significance to the local Dunghutti people.
- Bridle trail Bridle Trail walking track is an easy short walk offering a glimpse of the historic heritage of Trial Bay Gaol in Arakoon National Park near Kempsey.
- Friends of Trial Bay Gaol The historic ruins of Trial Bay Gaol, in Arakoon National Park on the NSW Mid North Coast, are a significant heritage area. Friends of Trial Bay Gaol invite you to volunteer to help in the protection and promotion of this amazing piece of local history, especially during the annual Sculpture in the Gaol.
- Heritage detectives Help unlock mysteries of the past while exploring historic Trial Bay Gaol from top to bottom. Who were the prisoners and where did they came from? What crimes did they commit to deserve their punishment and what work they carry out in captivity?
- History mysteries Explore the old granite gaol at Trial Bay and help to unlock mysteries of the past on the History Mysteries school excursion. This is a Stage 2 (Years 3-4) excursion to Arakoon National Park, focusing on History.
- Monument Hill walking track Featuring stunning coastal views, the easy Monument Hill walk takes in the historic monument built for German gaol internees before finishing at Little Bay picnic area.
Abundant bird life
Birds are abundant in Arakoon National Park. In wetland areas, you might see black swans, egrets, herons and spoonbills. On the heath, there are fantails, wrens, honeyeaters and quails. Hawks, falcons, ospreys and eagles soar above the cliffs and forage along the beaches. During the spring, when the she-oaks produce fruit, glossy black cockatoos come in to feed on the ripe seeds. Despite its small size, Arakoon harbours several threatened species, including the osprey and glossy black cockatoo. You're also likely to spot wallabies and echidnas, and the nocturnal brush-tailed phascogales and sugar gliders. During September and October, you can often see humpback whales just offshore, on their return journey to Antarctica.
Scenic headlands
The Smoky Cape Adamellite which forms Little Smoky and the Arakoon peninsula is significant as the only coastal outcropping of granite between Bundaberg in Queensland and Moruya Heads in southern NSW. It was used to construct the prison. The naturally vegetated hillslopes of Arakoon form a scenic backdrop to Trial Bay and the popular holiday town of South West Rocks.
- 2-day Port Macquarie motorcycle adventure Enjoy superb scenery as you ride through Arakoon National Park and beyond on this guided adventure with Endeavour Motorcycle Tours, near Port Macquarie.
- Bridle trail Bridle Trail walking track is an easy short walk offering a glimpse of the historic heritage of Trial Bay Gaol in Arakoon National Park near Kempsey.
- Heritage detectives Help unlock mysteries of the past while exploring historic Trial Bay Gaol from top to bottom. Who were the prisoners and where did they came from? What crimes did they commit to deserve their punishment and what work they carry out in captivity?
- Mermaid Pools Mermaid Pools is closed to visitors because it's extremely unsafe for swimming. Many people have been seriously injured here. The pools are located near South West Rocks and Trial Bay in Arakoon National Park.
- Monument Hill walking track Featuring stunning coastal views, the easy Monument Hill walk takes in the historic monument built for German gaol internees before finishing at Little Bay picnic area.
Ideal family getaway
Arakoon National Park is in a magnificent natural setting with a spectacular coastline. There are coastal walks with wonderful views and places to picnic and excellent beachside camping and cottage accommodation. If you’re looking for a place to swim and snorkel, head to sheltered Trial Bay and the kiosk is nearby if you’re looking for a relaxed lunch or dinner. The picnic area at Little Bay is popular with young families, offering barbecues and a large grassed area for games.
- Front Beach Front Beach offers family friendly options including swimming, paddling, liloing and picnicking in Arakoon National Park on the mid North Coast of NSW.
- Little Bay picnic area Little Bay, a popular beach picnic spot near South West Rocks on the north coast where you’ll find shaded tables and a kangaroo or two.
Plants and animals protected in this park
Animals
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White-bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
White-bellied sea eagles can be easily identified by their white tail and dark grey wings. These raptors are often spotted cruising the coastal breezes throughout Australia, and make for some scenic bird watching. Powerful Australian birds of prey, they are known to mate for life, and return each year to the same nest to breed.
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Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
The humpback whale has the longest migratory path of any mammal, travelling over 5000km from its summer feeding grounds in Antarctica to its breeding grounds in the subtropics. Its playful antics, such as body-rolling, breaching and pectoral slapping, are a spectacular sight for whale watchers in NSW national parks.
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Swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor)
The swamp wallaby, also known as the black wallaby or black pademelon, lives in the dense understorey of rainforests, woodlands and dry sclerophyll forest along eastern Australia. This unique Australian macropod has a dark black-grey coat with a distinctive light-coloured cheek stripe.
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Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)
One of only 2 egg-laying mammals in the world, the short-beaked echidna is one of the most widespread of Australian native animals. Covered in spines, or quills, they’re equipped with a keen sense of smell and a tube-like snout which they use to break apart termite mounds in search of ants.
Environments in this park
Education resources (1)
School excursions (2)
What we're doing
Arakoon National Park has management strategies in place to protect and conserve the values of this park. Visit the OEH website for detailed park and fire management documents. Here is just some of the work we’re doing to conserve these values:
Preserving biodiversity
The biodiversity of Arakoon National Park is protected by minimising the impacts of visitor use, weeds and pest animals, and regenerating important plant communities using local endemic species.
Managing weeds, pest animals and other threats
Pests and weeds have a significant impact to the ecosystems within Arakoon National Park. Risk assessments for new and emerging weeds are carried out as an ongoing initiative within the park. Pest management of bitou bush and boneseed is a priority and an important part of the work NPWS does to protect the integrity of biodiversity which exists within Arakoon.
Managing fire
NSW is one of the most bushfire prone areas in the world as a result of our climate, weather systems, vegetation and the rugged terrain. NPWS is committed to maintaining natural and cultural heritage values and minimising the likelihood and impact of bushfires via a strategic program of fire research, fire planning, hazard reduction, highly trained rapid response firefighting crews and community alerts.
General enquiries
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Contact
- in the North Coast region
Arakoon National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
-
-
Trial Bay Gaol Visitor Centre
02 6566 6168
Contact hours: 9am to 4.30pm daily. Closed Christmas Day. - 73 Trial Bay Gaol Road, Arakoon NSW 2431
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Email: npws.hastingsmacleay@environment.nsw.gov.au
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Trial Bay Gaol Visitor Centre
In this park:
Things to do (16)
- Birdwatching and wildlife encounters (3)
- Cafes and kiosks (1)
- Canoeing/paddling (2)
- Cultural heritage (2)
- Fishing (2)
- Historic heritage (8)
- Photography (1)
- Picnics and barbecues (3)
- Road trips and car/bus tours (1)
- Sightseeing (7)
- Snorkelling and scuba (1)
- Swimming (3)
- Walking (5)