Things to do in Seal Rocks, NSW

Things to do in Seal Rocks on the NSW mid north coast include the Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse, Myall Lakes National Park and the Treachery Headland walking track. But the main Seal Rocks attractions are the surf beaches.

Seal Rocks is a quintessential example of what Australia does extremely well – the laid back beach town.

For those who find Byron Bay too much of a circus, Mooloolaba too developed and Lorne overexposed, Seal Rocks in New South Wales is the perfect tonic. There’s not a lot there, and that’s the point.

Where is Seal Rocks located?

Seal Rocks is 285km north of Sydney, south of the Booti Booti National Park between Port Stephens and Port Macquarie. The Sydney to Seal Rocks drive takes around three hours and 13 minutes, and it’s an easy addition on the Sydney to Forster drive or Newcastle to Port Macquarie journey.

It’s in an area that no name has properly stuck for. The nearest town of any reasonable size is Forster. It’s on the mid north coast. It’s in the Mid-Coast council region. Some people try to call it the Barrington Coast. Hence “just over three hours’ drive north of Sydney is probably the best description.

Seal Rocks attractions: Myall Lakes National Park

Seal Rocks is at the edge of the Myall Lakes National Park, and a short detour on the drive from Sydney to Port Macquarie. Walking, kayaking and fishing in the national park are a key part of Seal Rocks’ appeal

The Treachery Headland walking track is the highlight of the Seal Rocks section of the Myall Lakes National Park. The 2km return walk should take between 45 minutes and an hour-and-15-minutes. The Treachery Headland walking track passes through coastal rainforest, with great views of the Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse when you emerge at the coast. You can detour down to Treachery Beach should you wish.

Things to do in Seal Rocks, NSW: Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse

The Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse is one of the few obvious tourist attractions in Seal Rocks. As lighthouses go, it’s highly photogenic, and it has been standing there since 1875.

Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse in Seal Rocks — The Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse is one of the main attractions in Seal Rocks. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

But Seal Rocks is really about the beaches and the surf. There are several beaches, facing in different directions, meaning the surf is usually good at one of them. Lighthouse Beach faces south, Boat Beach faces north, and four incredibly unimaginatively-named beaches line up facing north to east. Number One, Number Two, Number Three or Number Four (yes, those are the names) all have their merits on the right day.

Camping at Seal Rocks is available at the Reflections Holiday Park and Treachery Campground.

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