Booti Booti National Park, NSW: Walks, whales & lookouts

The Booti Booti National Park near Forster in New South Wales offers birdwatching, whales from the Cape Hawke tower and Aboriginal midden sites. Booti Booti National Park walks take in Booti Hill and Wallis Lake.

The Booti Booti National Park forms part of an 8km peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and Wallis Lake on the New South Wales north coast. To the south lies the small settlement of Pacific Palms, to the north is the town of Forster–Tuncurry. It’s an easy addition to the Sydney to Forster drive.

The Booti Booti National Park is one of the smallest national parks in Australia, but good things come in small packages. There’s a marvellous mix of coastal scenery, surf beaches and rainforest.

Booti Booti National Park: Wallis Lake walking track

The best starting point for exploring the Booti Booti National Park is the Ruins campground. The well-signposted 7.3km Booti Hill and Wallis Lake walking track starts here, rising up the northern side of Booti Hill past gnarled eucalypt trees. There’s a scenic lookout before this Booti Booti National Park walk plunges into rainforest before emerging on the crest of the ridge above Lindemans Cove.

From there, the walk takes in Elizabeth Beach and heads over to the shore of Wallis Lake. Keep an eye out for waterbirds as the loop follows the lake shore back to the Ruins campground.

The Booti Booti National Park walk is best undertaken in spring, when the wildflowers set ablaze with colour.

However, there’s an argument for winter being the best month to visit the Booti Booti National Park. That’s because this is when humpback whales migrate up and down the coast, and they can be spotted from the headlands.

Booti Booti National Park near Forster, New South Wales — The Booti Booti National Park near Forster in New South Wales is home to some splendid beaches. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

Whale-watching from Cape Hawke

Easily the best place for land-based whale-watching in the Booti Booti National Park is Cape Hawke at the northern end. Here, an 8.4m-tall tower offers 360 degree views. Look inland and you can see the Barrington Tops and Crowdy Bay National Park on a clear day. Clear or not, you’ll see pelicans and terns. But it’s the winter whales that make hanging out at the Cape Hawke tower worthwhile in the winter months.

Other wildlife living in the national park includes water dragons and goannas, plus rainbow lorikeets and honeyeaters. Oh, there are also several species of snake, including brown snakes – arguably the most dangerous snakes in Australia.

Aboriginal midden sites in Booti Booti National Park

Should you be more interested in cultural heritage sites, there are dozens of Aboriginal midden sites within the park. The local Worimi people have lived here for thousands of years.

An entry fee of $8 per vehicle is charged by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to enter the Booti Booti National Park. It’s a good detour on the Sydney to Port Macquarie drive along the Pacific Highway.