Time to Roam Magazine Issue 5 - October/November 2013 | Page 42

Top left, families love the pristine creek running
right alongside the Crescent Head Holiday Park,
while surfers come from all over the world to
catch a wave at the adjacent beach. Bottom left,
rainforest meets the sea , Right: play facilities at
South West Rocks today and back in the 1970s

Top 5 Macleay experiences
1. Trial Bay Gaol
Visit the historic ruins of Trial Bay Gaol
and museum to discover life as a German
World War 1 internee.
Sculpture in the Gaol takes place in
August and September each year.

2. Surf at Crescent Head
Ride a Malibu at one of Australia’s best
Surfing Reserves. Even if you can’t master
a board, a body surf on this sensational
north-facing beach or a paddle in the
beautiful creek lagoon makes a visit to
Crescent Head unforgettable.

3. Smoky Cape Lighthouse
One of the last major lighthouse
complexes designed by celebrated NSW

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Colonial Architect James Barnett, unusual
for its octagonal shape. It’s position on the
cape named by Captain James Cook 140
metres above the sea makes it the highest
in New South Wales and offers visitors
stunning views.
There’s an excellent information board
in the former Lighthouse stables telling
the amazing history. The Lighthouse was
crucial to helping ships navigate the coast
and avoid coming to grief on rocks. The
workers blazed their way through bush from
the Macleay River to make a track to the
lighthouse site.
It’s a moderate 20 minute walk
from the Lighthouse to the beautiful
secluded beach below.

4 Dive at Fish Rock
This legendary dive spot is internationally
renowned for its underwater cave plus an
abundance of marine creatures, including
turtles, rays, eels, fish and grey nurse sharks.

5. Discover Wigay Aboriginal
Cultural Park
Take a tour of this bush tucker park in West
Kempsey and discover the plants, foods and
medicines that have been part of Dunghutti
life for over 40,000 years.