Where

Narrawallee Creek Nature Reserve in South Coast

Distance

9km loop

Time suggested

2hrs 30min - 3hrs 30min

Grade

Grade 3

What to
bring

Hat, drinking water, sunscreen

Leading through a delightful array of unspoilt coastal forests and waterways, the natural beauty of Narrawallee Inlet walking track is bound to enliven the senses and revive the spirit. Situated in Narrawallee Creek Nature Reserve, north of Ulladulla, this moderate walk is ideal for birdwatchers, cyclists and bushwalkers who love to get away from it all.

As you wind through the forest on foot or mountain bike, be sure to look out for the ancient burrawang palms that hark back to the times of the dinosaurs. The majestic swamp mahogany is an important food source for the threatened swift parrot and regent honeyeater.

Don’t forget the binoculars as the remote beaches and pristine wetlands attract a huge variety of waterbirds including the hooded plover, pied oystercatcher and little tern. For more birdwatching spots, check out nearby Pattimores Lagoon.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Visitor info

Maps and downloads

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Ancient fishing grounds

The reserve is situated within the traditional lands of the Wanda Wandian people and the Jerrinja Local Aboriginal Land Council. With nearby creeks, lagoons and beaches, this coastal oasis is likely to have been an important food-gathering area. The reserve protects Aboriginal middens and tool-making sites, as well as canoe and shield-making trees.

Diverse landscapes

This unique reserve protects a staggering variety of landscapes in a relatively small area, making it a region of incredible beauty as well as conservation importance. Here you can wander a veritable smorgasbord of woodlands, swamps, lagoons and lakes. Explore the range of landscapes and see if you can spot the changing forests from swamplands to dunes.

Historic remnants

Between the First and Second World Wars, silica was extensively mined near Pattimore's Lagoon. Now protected, you can wander the remains of the silica mining era and discover cuttings, mounds and even an old tram line that is now being taken back by mother nature. In the early 1900s, as well as a small amount of grazing, there was some selective logging of turpentine and blackbutt from the forests. There are still some tall stumps with notches that show where springboards were placed by the axemen.

Rare nesting grounds

The beaches are some of the most important nesting and feeding areas for the critically endangered hooded plover and endangered pied oystercatcher. These distinctive birds can be seen nesting during spring and summer. This unique reserve protects a type of swamp forest that is dominated by the swamp mahogany, which in turn is an important food source for several threated species including the swift parrot, regent honeyeater and yellow-bellied glider.