Broken Head Nature Reserve
Broken Head Nature Reserve
Broken Head Nature Reserve
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
38 reviews
Excellent
19
Very good
18
Average
0
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Terrible
0
JElliot32
New South Wales, Australia3,971 contributions
Apr 2021
We did the Three Sisters walk, which starts near the caravan park. It is an quite an easy walk of about 20 minutes each way around the headland that offers excellent coastal views to the north (Cape Byron) and the south. Some signs along the track point out features (like the Three Sisters rocks) of significance to the local indigenous people.
Written 24 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicroache
Torquay, Australia34 contributions
Mar 2016 • Couples
If you are looking to escape the hustle and bustle of beautiful people in Byron head to Broken Head - it's remote and stunning. Great surf if you are looking for that but also just a lovely spot for a day at the beach. We didn't stay at the camp ground but it looked great too! If you are in the area you have to check this out. Love Love Love.
Written 4 April 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
blackeldo
Kiama, Australia2,235 contributions
Oct 2016 • Solo
BROKEN HEAD NATURE RESERVE takes in a 4km long stretch of rain-forested hills starting at BROKEN HEAD itself and stretching south to the north end of 7 MILE BEACH. East-west it is quite narrow, nowhere more than 1km wide. The eastern boundary is the PACIFIC OCEAN, the western 7 MILE BEACH ROAD which winds up through the hills from 400m west of BROKEN HEAD BEACH PICNIC AREA.
The forest is one of the few remnants of the coastal subtropical rainforest called THE BIG SCRUB which covered a huge section of coastal plain in the old days before the timber cutters and farmers cleared much of it out. Walk the access track to KING’S BEACH – the vegetation here looks to me to be typical tropical rainforest – but this is a sheltered-wetter area. Other more open sections look typical of wet sclerophyll forest so common on the NSW coast. Some headland areas exposed to strong winds tend more to grassland/scrub.
Fauna is reportedly diverse but in dozens of visits I’ve only seen lotsa birds (very big on seabirds incl sea eagles), scrub turkeys and a few snakes and lizards. Occasionally I’ve heard some scrub wallabies crashing away thru the undergrowth but never sighted any.
The area has 5 good beaches – from the north BROKEN HEAD, KING’S BEACH, WHITE BEACH, BRAYS BEACH and 7 MILE BEACH. The first is fairly popular but I doubt that many of Byron’s visitors get to see the others – a pity, they are pretty nice places.
BROKEN HEAD BEACH – the perfect place to find a sheltered bit of sand on those cold clear days of winter/spring when most of the Byron area beaches are exposed and a bit chilly. Pretty good at other times. For surfers this place tends to be a real good place when the big southerly swells are charging thru with winds from the same quadrant.
FACILITIES are not too bad – an amenities block plus outdoor showers, lotsa picnic tables/shelters in the park behind, no shortage of parking, a shop for snacks etc in the adjacent camp ground.
SOTHWARD INTO THE RESERVE
From BROKEN HEAD BEACH you can take the TWO SISTERS’ TRACK which leaves from near the outdoor showers in the southern reserve just behind the beach access track and winds its way thru nice coastal rainforest/scrub and then starts climbing up the headland. Wind exposure has stripped the headland of some vegetation – all the better to see the 2 SISTERS – big rocks sitting off the headland itself (there are actually 2 more, but they are less significant).
The track ends at a viewing area where you can scope out KINGS BEACH to the south. In the past it was easy most tide levels to walk across to this beach, but storm wave erosion has made this difficult at all but the lowest tide times in 2016.
ALONG 7 MILE BEACH ROAD – If you plan to access any of the beaches south this is the better bet. There is a car park about 1km up the hill which has a 500m walking track down to KINGS BEACH thru the aforementioned nice rainforest. Neither the road or track have slopes which should prove a problem. The track is good underfoot. The road is gravel and varies from smooth to corrugated depending on how recently a grader has worked it over. Can be dusty.
KINGS BEACH is a sweet one – a 300m long strip of white silica. It is clothing optional but textiles will not feel out of place. It faces due south and can pick up some decent swell so be careful when swimming because it is unpatrolled.
It is possible to easily walk south to the next little bay (no beach) BUT DON’T TRY TO MAKE YOUR WAY ALONG THE SHORE-LINE FURTHER SOUTH – the rocks become impassable even at lowest tide which forces you up into the bush where you find no tracks – you will have to bush bash your way onward. Eventually you will reach WHITE BEACH, but it will take 3 times longer than via the road up top and you will arrive all scratched and bruised. No fun at all.
WHITE BEACH - my favourite beach ANYWHERE whick kinda answers the opening queation. Think blinding white sand about 300m long, flanked by sheltering headlands and backed by steep forested slopes. There’s a nice pool at the eastern end rocks. Only surfers, fishermen, nudists and the occasional camper (camping frowned on by reserve rangers) come down here from the small parking area (take the track to the LEFT) on 7 MILE BEACH ROAD about 2km past KINGS BEACH parking area.
CAVEAT – 1) the track is super steep, super rough and will take a fit person 15 minutes or more. I’m very fit but find it a good workout. 2) last time I called by the beach was suffering from storm erosion. Normally at least 100m deep, it was less than half of this at full tide. 3) lotsa rip currents often afflict this beach – if you are not experienced, take extra care.
Back at the parking area a shorter track to THE RIGHT leads to SNAPPER ROCKS HEADLAND from where you can look down at 3 tiny beaches which are really outliers of BRAYS BEACH (in years past it was easy to walk between all 4 at lower tide levels – recent erosion has made this very difficult). There are a couple of VERY steep breakneck tracks down to these outliers but unless you are a mountain goat I don’t recommend them.
BRAYS BEACH - this is a very sheltered (from the north easterlies and easterlies) beach and is popular. Not clothing optional. It was similarly badly eroded last time I called by. Best access is via a short steep set of stairs from a carpark on the top road about 500m on from that for WHITE BEACH.
7 MILE BEACH - less than 1km on the road ends at the northern end of this beach a good surfing, sunnng spot in north east wind conditions. The beach runs 7 miles (DUH!), abt 11km down to LENNOX HEAD to the south.
ACCESS TO BROKEN HEAD RESEVE – turn off the main BRYRON TO BALLINA RD as it heads uphill abt 1500m past the 2nd ROUNDABOUT at SUFFOLK PARK (6km south of BYRON BAY). 7 MILE BEACH ROAD is the only turn to the right – at the foot of the hill about 1500m on.
BROKEN HEAD ACCOMMODATION
There is a handful of houses on (an inconspicuous) side road to the north about 300m from the car park – just inland of the turn south onto 7 MILE BEACH ROAD. Some of these offer rental accommodation. Similarly there are a few houses on the access road into BROKEN HEAD with rental accommodation. Naturally none of the above inexpensive.
BUDGET ACCOMMODATION can be found in the BROKEN HEAD HOLIDAY PARK – tent spots, vans, cabins, even a 2br house. Nice place – have tented twice myself.
A full range of plentiful accommodation is at SUFFOLK PARK to the north.
Enjoy your visit gang – this is a nice one.
The forest is one of the few remnants of the coastal subtropical rainforest called THE BIG SCRUB which covered a huge section of coastal plain in the old days before the timber cutters and farmers cleared much of it out. Walk the access track to KING’S BEACH – the vegetation here looks to me to be typical tropical rainforest – but this is a sheltered-wetter area. Other more open sections look typical of wet sclerophyll forest so common on the NSW coast. Some headland areas exposed to strong winds tend more to grassland/scrub.
Fauna is reportedly diverse but in dozens of visits I’ve only seen lotsa birds (very big on seabirds incl sea eagles), scrub turkeys and a few snakes and lizards. Occasionally I’ve heard some scrub wallabies crashing away thru the undergrowth but never sighted any.
The area has 5 good beaches – from the north BROKEN HEAD, KING’S BEACH, WHITE BEACH, BRAYS BEACH and 7 MILE BEACH. The first is fairly popular but I doubt that many of Byron’s visitors get to see the others – a pity, they are pretty nice places.
BROKEN HEAD BEACH – the perfect place to find a sheltered bit of sand on those cold clear days of winter/spring when most of the Byron area beaches are exposed and a bit chilly. Pretty good at other times. For surfers this place tends to be a real good place when the big southerly swells are charging thru with winds from the same quadrant.
FACILITIES are not too bad – an amenities block plus outdoor showers, lotsa picnic tables/shelters in the park behind, no shortage of parking, a shop for snacks etc in the adjacent camp ground.
SOTHWARD INTO THE RESERVE
From BROKEN HEAD BEACH you can take the TWO SISTERS’ TRACK which leaves from near the outdoor showers in the southern reserve just behind the beach access track and winds its way thru nice coastal rainforest/scrub and then starts climbing up the headland. Wind exposure has stripped the headland of some vegetation – all the better to see the 2 SISTERS – big rocks sitting off the headland itself (there are actually 2 more, but they are less significant).
The track ends at a viewing area where you can scope out KINGS BEACH to the south. In the past it was easy most tide levels to walk across to this beach, but storm wave erosion has made this difficult at all but the lowest tide times in 2016.
ALONG 7 MILE BEACH ROAD – If you plan to access any of the beaches south this is the better bet. There is a car park about 1km up the hill which has a 500m walking track down to KINGS BEACH thru the aforementioned nice rainforest. Neither the road or track have slopes which should prove a problem. The track is good underfoot. The road is gravel and varies from smooth to corrugated depending on how recently a grader has worked it over. Can be dusty.
KINGS BEACH is a sweet one – a 300m long strip of white silica. It is clothing optional but textiles will not feel out of place. It faces due south and can pick up some decent swell so be careful when swimming because it is unpatrolled.
It is possible to easily walk south to the next little bay (no beach) BUT DON’T TRY TO MAKE YOUR WAY ALONG THE SHORE-LINE FURTHER SOUTH – the rocks become impassable even at lowest tide which forces you up into the bush where you find no tracks – you will have to bush bash your way onward. Eventually you will reach WHITE BEACH, but it will take 3 times longer than via the road up top and you will arrive all scratched and bruised. No fun at all.
WHITE BEACH - my favourite beach ANYWHERE whick kinda answers the opening queation. Think blinding white sand about 300m long, flanked by sheltering headlands and backed by steep forested slopes. There’s a nice pool at the eastern end rocks. Only surfers, fishermen, nudists and the occasional camper (camping frowned on by reserve rangers) come down here from the small parking area (take the track to the LEFT) on 7 MILE BEACH ROAD about 2km past KINGS BEACH parking area.
CAVEAT – 1) the track is super steep, super rough and will take a fit person 15 minutes or more. I’m very fit but find it a good workout. 2) last time I called by the beach was suffering from storm erosion. Normally at least 100m deep, it was less than half of this at full tide. 3) lotsa rip currents often afflict this beach – if you are not experienced, take extra care.
Back at the parking area a shorter track to THE RIGHT leads to SNAPPER ROCKS HEADLAND from where you can look down at 3 tiny beaches which are really outliers of BRAYS BEACH (in years past it was easy to walk between all 4 at lower tide levels – recent erosion has made this very difficult). There are a couple of VERY steep breakneck tracks down to these outliers but unless you are a mountain goat I don’t recommend them.
BRAYS BEACH - this is a very sheltered (from the north easterlies and easterlies) beach and is popular. Not clothing optional. It was similarly badly eroded last time I called by. Best access is via a short steep set of stairs from a carpark on the top road about 500m on from that for WHITE BEACH.
7 MILE BEACH - less than 1km on the road ends at the northern end of this beach a good surfing, sunnng spot in north east wind conditions. The beach runs 7 miles (DUH!), abt 11km down to LENNOX HEAD to the south.
ACCESS TO BROKEN HEAD RESEVE – turn off the main BRYRON TO BALLINA RD as it heads uphill abt 1500m past the 2nd ROUNDABOUT at SUFFOLK PARK (6km south of BYRON BAY). 7 MILE BEACH ROAD is the only turn to the right – at the foot of the hill about 1500m on.
BROKEN HEAD ACCOMMODATION
There is a handful of houses on (an inconspicuous) side road to the north about 300m from the car park – just inland of the turn south onto 7 MILE BEACH ROAD. Some of these offer rental accommodation. Similarly there are a few houses on the access road into BROKEN HEAD with rental accommodation. Naturally none of the above inexpensive.
BUDGET ACCOMMODATION can be found in the BROKEN HEAD HOLIDAY PARK – tent spots, vans, cabins, even a 2br house. Nice place – have tented twice myself.
A full range of plentiful accommodation is at SUFFOLK PARK to the north.
Enjoy your visit gang – this is a nice one.
Written 20 October 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ellemay 🍹🐠🐳
Sydney, Australia47,280 contributions
Sept 2016 • Couples
Broken Head Nature Reserve is definitely worth exploring as it makes an ideal day outing for all ages. The reserve is on 240 acres & includes a small rainforest , walking tracks, fishing & excellent surfing spots. Its also a haven for bird watching & and spotting migrating whales in winter and spring.
Written 27 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NicN123
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia114 contributions
Aug 2016 • Couples
This is a nice 3.5 hour round trip trail. We saw dolphins and whales out at sea! The walk is mostly flat with some winding stairs near the coast area. The three sisters look out is beautiful and breathtaking. You can also cycle some of the coast road and just make stops at each of the beaches.
Written 15 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dale M
Brisbane, Australia26 contributions
Aug 2016 • Couples
Stunning scenery but less hustle and bustle than Byron. Great beaches and good surf when it is on. The road to seven mile beach is gravel but if dry the reward at the end of the road is stunning. Experienced beach swimmers only here as there are no life guards around.
Written 18 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kimmy K
Brisbane, Australia1 contribution
Nov 2020 • Friends
A beautiful and quiet beach with not many crowds
most of the people there were naked old gay men waiting for their type
most of the people there were naked old gay men waiting for their type
Written 16 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
benandmuffin247
Sydney, Australia445 contributions
Feb 2017 • Solo
Turn right onto the dirt road and go on a wonderful adventure lots to see and do. Lots of quiet little beaches and nature walks to enjoy. I was a bit surprised on my last visit to discover that it has become so popular that they now have parking restrictions. This area used to be off the tourist map and was really only know by the locals but not anymore like most of the area. I suggest you get there sooner rather than later to enjoy the beauty before it is ruined.
Written 28 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JGDynamo
Canada2,082 contributions
Jun 2016 • Friends
Broken Head Park is just outside of Byron Bay proper and is a great park to hike and they have an excellent beach as well. The hike through the rainforest is lovely with lots of birds to see flying around you and when you come out to the beach the views are amazing with the rocky points and fine sand. It is a really beautiful area near Byron Bay so if you get the chance you should check it out we could see dolphins frolicking in the water just off the shore so that was very neat.
Written 28 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neil M
Sydney, Australia184 contributions
May 2016 • Solo
Access to the lookout is at the southern end of the Broken Bay beach, via a small sand path that joins the narrow but well built stairs and path to the lookout at the head.
The walk takes about 15-20 minutes and is ok for reasonably fit people of any age. the slope is not that bad, but there's no hand rails at all.
The view off the cliff looks north back to the Byron Lighthouse, about 5 kms and to the south around the rocky inlets off Broken Head towards the nearby Kings Beach.
The ocean rocks and surf are spectacular, as are the native grasses, trees and birds. On the day I was there I could clearly see a school of dolphins frolicking offshore.
Great photography opportunities.
The walk takes about 15-20 minutes and is ok for reasonably fit people of any age. the slope is not that bad, but there's no hand rails at all.
The view off the cliff looks north back to the Byron Lighthouse, about 5 kms and to the south around the rocky inlets off Broken Head towards the nearby Kings Beach.
The ocean rocks and surf are spectacular, as are the native grasses, trees and birds. On the day I was there I could clearly see a school of dolphins frolicking offshore.
Great photography opportunities.
Written 13 May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It would be very difficult with a pram as the path is very narrow but there were people carrying a baby. Its not that difficult a walk nor that long a walk.
Written 6 June 2016
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