Booti Booti National Park

Booti Booti National Park (Worimi: Butibuti) is a coastal national park on New South Wales' Mid-North Coast. It lies between two bodies of water and offers plenty to see and do, making it a popular holiday spot for families with children and those simply seeking to go out and relax.

Understand

History

The first European resident of the area was Captain J. Gogerly, who sailed from Forster to Sydney with a cargo of timber. He and several of his family members are buried in the park grounds.

On September 30, 1977, the area of the current park became a State Recreation Area; in 1992, it was converted into a national park.

Visitor information

• NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service website
• 1 Booti Booti Office (Park office), 4374 The Lakes Way (The Ruins Campground), ☏ +61 2 6591 0300. M–F 8:30AM–4:30PM (closed public holidays). (updated Sep 2024)

Get in

By car

Booti Booti National Park is along The Lakes Way (Tourist Drive 6), a spur road from the A1 Pacific Hwy. From Bulahdelah, turn right onto The Lakes Way and continue northeast for about 47 km (29 mi). From Forster, head about 10 km southbound, and about 40 km (25 mi) from The Lakes Way exit from the Pacific Hwy southbound at Rainbow Flat.

The road northeast from Bulahdelah is quite narrow and winding until Myall Lake, from there it is just narrow. In the windy narrow sections of The Lakes Way, passing bays exist; if you are driving a heavy vehicle or are slower than the speed of traffic, try to yield to passing traffic if possible. North of Forster the road quality is surprisingly good and has a shoulder line, too.

By bus

Busways operate routes 150 and 151 (stop N) from Newcastle Interchange and Taree thrice each way.

Fees and permits

There is a fee of $8 per vehicle for each day.

NSW Parks passes are valid in the park and provide unlimited access to the park for a year or two years. The passes provide faster entry and are valid for 12/24 months from the date of purchase. The fees per vehicle (as of 2023) are as follows:

• All Parks Pass – access to all parks in New South Wales, including Kosciuszko National Park ($190 for one year, $335 for two years)
• Multi Park Pass – access to all parks in New South Wales, excluding Kosciuszko National Park ($65 for one year, $115 for two years)
• Country Parks Pass – access to all parks in Country New South Wales, excluding Kosciuszko National Park ($45 for one year, $75 for two years)

There is also a fourth pass: the Single Park Pass, worth $22 for one year and $40 for two. This is if you want to revisit this park several times; to pay the fees off, you'll need to visit Booti Booti National Park at least three times for one year and five times for two years.

See

Views of the park's rainforest

• 1 Cape Hawke Lookout, Cape Hawke Dr, Forster. A raised lookout on an 8.4-metre-high tower that gives you views of the littoral rainforest, Forster, Cape Hawke (obviously), Wallingat National Park and the rest of the park to the south. NPWS also claims that you can see Barrington Tops National Park to the west and Crowdy Bay National Park to the north on a clear day (which is rare for this area). You will need to climb 400 steps to this lookout along with a 500-metre walk; it is not accessible. (updated Sep 2024)

Do

• McBrides Beach Track is an easy 600-metre walking track (25-minute walk) to McBrides Beach, a secluded beach between two rugged cliffs on either side. The water from this beach is quite pleasant with few-to-no other natural hazards unique to this place, making it ideal for swimming and surfing. There is a carpark at the start of the walking trail.
• Booti Walking Track is an 8-km loop trail marked as a grade 3 trail. The trail makes its way through the rugged coastline and the park's serene rainforests.

Eat

There are no eateries within the park but there are plenty in nearby Forster.

Sleep

Camping

• 1 The Ruins Campground, 4374 The Lakes Way. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Has 96 campsites. $24.60/night for each campsite. (updated Sep 2024)

Go next

• Myall Lakes National Park and Forster are nearby.
• Seal Rocks