Off the coast of New South Wales, over 650 species of native plant and 200 species of birds call Booti Booti National Park home. Nestled between lake water and the Pacific Ocean, this eight-kilometre peninsula is a popular Australian getaway.
Visitors interested in roughing it can set up camp at The Ruins, but there’s plenty for the day visitor to enjoy at Booti Booti National Park. A tramp along the Booti Hill/Lakeside track, a seven-kilometre loop, takes hikers along the Seven Mile Beach with ample opportunity for birding and whale watching. Views of flora and fauna are abundant from the Cape Hawke Lookout, a 500-metre climb into the rainforest.
With parking on-site at the Cape Hawke Lookout, The Ruins campground and both the Elizabeth Beach and Sailing Club picnic areas, driving to Booti Booti National Park is easy. Drivers from Newcastle can simply head north on the Pacific Highway, turning off at Bulahdelah. It’s also possible to request bus service to The Ruins campground.
Not far from The Ruins, hikers and campers might notice the graves of the Gogerly family. Captain J. Gogerly was the first European to settle the Booti Booti area. His naval charge was loads of timber carted from nearby Forster to Sydney.