The BouddiHawk Walk
Fully Guided 5 Day Hiking Tour
Come and experience the amazing sights of the Lower Hawkesbury and Central Coast on this fantastic 5 day adventure. The hikes on this trip vary from easy to hard, and the rewards are some of the best scenery Australia has to offer.
On this trip we will hike parts of the Great North Walk, Cowan to Brooklyn and Patonga to Pearl Beach. We’ll have an easy day as well, joining the Riverboat Postman on his daily mail run up the Hawkesbury River and explore Dangar Island. From there we’ll cross the water to Patonga for our walk to Pearl Beach. We then head to Killcare and do some beautiful walks in Bouddi National Park.
The trip includes 4 nights accommodation, two nights on Dangar Island and two nights at Killcare, near the beach. Luggage transfer is included, so just carry your day pack while hiking. Check out the photos and the Frequently Asked Questions for all the information you need about this trip, including details about the hike ratings!
National Parks NSW Accredited
Trip dates
| Departure Date | Tour | Duration | Price | Spots remaining |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Aug 2024 | BouddiHawk Walk | 5 days, 4 nights | $1,290 | Fully Booked |
| You pick the dates | BouddiHawk Walk | 5 days, 4 nights | From $1,290 | Private groups only |
Photo gallery
Frequently asked questions
The tour is 5 days and 4 nights. All tours start on a Thursday and end on a Monday.
The cost will depend on the group size. The smaller the group the higher the price. Please contact us for a quote for smaller groups.
Prices (including GST) for a group of 10 are:
$AU1,290pp (double bed two people, private),
$AU1,690pp (double bed, one person, private )
$AU300pp deposit required to secure your booking.
Included:
- 4 nights luxury accommodation
- Ferry, water taxi and minibus transfers
- Riverboat Postman tour and lunch on the Hawkesbury River
- Pizza dinner on first night (it’s the only option!)
- BBQ Dinner at Killcare
- All Luggage transfers
- A guide and support vehicle and driver
Not Included:
- Public transport fares
- Some meals
- Drinks
For private groups
Minimum: 1 person
Maximum: 10 people
Small group prices are significantly higher to cover the fixed costs of the tour. If you would like us to provide you with a quote for your group, please contact us.
DAY 1 Thursday
- Arrive Cowan Station around 8.30am.
- Timetable https://transportnsw.info/documents/timetables/93-CCN-Central-Coast-Newcastle-Line-20210228.pdf
- From Sydney arrives 8.38am. From Gosford arrives 8.19am. Briefing at 8.45am.
- Luggage in Commuter bus. Luggage is taken to and stored at Brooklyn Pub.
- Coffee and toilet stop at Pie in the sky Cafe
- Walk Great North Walk section 5, Cowan to Brooklyn. Guests to bring their own lunch and snacks. 13km. 450m ascent. Rated Moderate to Hard. Arrive Brooklyn pub about 4pm.
- Guests pick up their luggage and then ferry to Dangar Island.
- AirBnB accommodation at Dangar Island.
- Pizza dinner at Dangar Bowling Club (included).
DAY 2 Friday
- Breakfast at accommodation.
- Optional coffee at Dangar Island Cafe
- Riverboat Postman tour. Ploughman’s Lunch included
- AirBnB accommodation at Dangar Island.
- Dangar Island walk in afternoon (Optional). 4.3km easy.
- Dinner at Dangar Bowling Club (own cost).
DAY 3 Saturday
- Breakfast at Accommodation.
- 8.30am, water taxi to Patonga.
- Commuter bus to meet us at Patonga. Take luggage to Central Coast accommodation.
- Coffee at Patonga Cafe.
- Part of Great North Walk, Section 6, Patonga to Pearl Beach. 6km, 173m ascent, Easy to Moderate.
- Transfer to accommodation, near the beach, at Killcare.
- Afternoon walk in Bouddi National Park (optional)
- BBQ dinner at our accommodation provided
DAY 4 Sunday
- Breakfast at accommodation
- Commuter bus to Avoca Beach, Coffee at Avoca.
- Walk 5 Lands Walk, 5km, and after lunch the Bouddi Coastal Walk 8.1km, 450m total ascent, moderate to hard.
- Lunch at McMasters Beach (bring your own or buy at the surf club)
- Walk finishes at our accommodation
- Dinner at a local venue (Killcare area, at your own cost)
DAY 5 Monday
- Breakfast at our accommodation
- Early morning swim and/or walk
- Commuter bus transfers group to Gosford station or their accommodation.
- End of tour
Bookings can be made online or manually.
Click the ‘Book online’ button for online bookings. A deposit of $300 per person will secure your booking.
For manual bookings, please use the “contact us” page to book your spots or make enquiries. The bank details for the deposit are:
Home Comforts Hiking
BSB 932000
Account 500196069
Irrespective of the booking method, an tax invoice will be provided for each booking
Bookings can be made online or manually. Click the ‘Book online’ button for online bookings. A deposit of $AU300 will secure your booking. If less than 2 months before the start date of the trip, then payment in full will be required.
For manual bookings, please use the “contact us” page to book or make an enquiry. We will send you a invoice. You do not need a PayPal account to make the payment. You just need a Visa or Mastercard to make the payment. Alternatively, you can pay in $AU through a money transfer company such as Wise or your bank, if you prefer. In that case use the bank details as shown for Australian based customers.
Please see our full cancellation and refunds policy on the “Bookings” Page
The balance is due one month prior to the trip start date.
There are no refunds, due to cancellation by you, unless you (the person cancelling) introduce a replacement hiker to replace you. If a replacement can be found by you, we will refund 90% of the total paid by you.
Overall the hike is rated moderate to hard for experienced hikers. For inexperienced and less fit hikers, it would be rated hard to very hard. There are some steep ascents on Day 1 and Day 4. This trip is only recommended for experienced hikers that are reasonably fit and injury free. Inexperienced hikers should be fit and injury free. The total distance walked over 4 days of hiking is 41km. All hiking is on established trails, but some of the surfaces are quite uneven and rocky. We will be walking at an average pace of 2 to 3km/hr. There is a rest day on day 2, with an optional easy walk and the Riverboat Postman tour on the Hawkesbury River. Walks on the afternoon of Day 3, and all walks on day 4 are optional. If you prefer to relax at the accommodation, that is fine.
Two nights accommodation are in AirBnB houses on Dangar Island. Dangar Island is situated in the Hawkesbury River and can only be accessed by Ferry. There are no cars on the island. Each couple on this trip will have their own bedroom.
The third and fourth night’s accommodation is at an AirBnB at Killcare. Our preferred accommodations are near the beach.
Singles wanting their own bedroom will be charged a supplement of $400 in total.
Breakfasts – there are cafes at Dangar Island and Patonga for breakfast. The AirBnB at Killcare will have limited breakfast facilities available, or bring your own.
Lunch – Each hiker will need to take lunch and snacks with them on Day 1 . There are no shops available on Day 1. Lunch is provided on day 2. On Day 3, bring your own or buy your lunch at a shop/cafe at Pearl Beach. On day 4 there is a nice cafe at MacMasters Beach for lunch.
Dinner – Days 1 & 2 will be at Dangar Island Bowling Club. Day 1, we shout the pizzas. Day 2 is at your own cost. Day 3 we will provide a BBQ dinner and on Day 4 we will eat out (at your own cost) near our accommodation, where there are a few choices.
All of our BouddiHawk Walks are supported by a vehicle and driver. The support vehicle will transfer your luggage from accommodation to accommodation, and can also take passengers (if you want a rest day). You only need to carry a day pack while hiking each day.
We must impose limits to ensure our driver is not carrying excessive weights. There is a strict limit of 2 bags per person, as per the following:
Bag 1 – small day pack to carry on the hikes, 20-35 litre size
Bag 2 – Bag/suitcase up to 15kg MAXIMUM for spare clothes, personal items and food.
No extra add ons such as handbags, pillows etc are allowed. If you want to bring these they must be placed in Bag 2.
Note there is a $55 surcharge for any excess luggage.
- Small backpack with waterproof cover
- One bag for luggage transfer
- Shirts, pants, shorts, underwear, socks
- Hiking shoes and comfy shoes/thongs/sandals for at the accommodation
- Hiking Pole(s)
- Hat
- Water bottles / bladder
- Rainproof jacket
- Swimsuit and micro towel
- Money and/or Debit/Credit Card
- Passport (if applicable), Visa (if applicable), Travel Insurance docs
- Phone and/or tablet, camera and chargers
- Toiletries and medication
- Food/snacks
Cowan Railway Station at 8.45am on Day 1.
The guide and driver will be travelling to the start point from Terrigal. You can join the bus in Terrigal and leave your car at Wilson Parking, Terrigal. https://www.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/recreation/venues-and-facilities/parking
Killcare at 10.00am on Day 5. Our Minibus can take you on to Terrigal or Gosford Station, or back to Port Macquarie or anywhere along the way.
Our accommodation was on the second floor and our room had a huge sliding window that opened at waist height with a drop to the cement many metres below. An OH&S disaster waiting to happen! The place was thumping, literally, as it was Saturday night with a band and lots of backpackers and locals enjoying the entertainment.
Pam and I searched out some food in town for the next day, and later, wished that we had bought/brought more. Even at 5.00 pm, there was not much open.
The bus trip and dinner provided an opportunity to glean some first impressions of our walking companions and they were all positive: a very nice bunch. As well as Pam Dawes from Manly, there was Sarah, Steve and Claudia from Port Macquarie, Tony from Byron Bay, Derek from Mosman, plus Marcus and his wife Marika, their daughter Monica with husband Dave and daughter little, 12 months old, Ashlin. Steve had camping gear and used it for some of the nights.
Home Comforts Hiking proved to be a well-organised and friendly crew.
Mara Creek Campsite is the starting point for the Yuraygir Coastal Walk and this site is historically-significance as it was a source of fresh water and fish for the local Goorie (Aboriginal) people. A natural fish trap on the rock platform below the Shelley Beach path is clearly visible.
So it is with an appreciation of the timelessness of this stunningly beautiful area that we set off, a family of sorts. A group photo is taken. Little Ashlin is strapped into her carrier and Monica steps out strongly with tales of her walk along the Pacific Crest Trail (4,270 km) that makes our 65 km effort over 4 days seem insignificant. But it is good to chat about ultra trail events and great walks and to hear Monica describe her new interest: trail running, her long legs perfectly built for that.
The walk to Lake Arragan via Shelley Headland is varied, with the beach and sand dune trails offering views of ochre-coloured rock platforms and coffee rock sand cliffs to the south. Whales and dolphins are spotted by some of the group but I'm not quick enough to focus. We follow the coastal emu footprint signs and although we come upon wallaby or kangaroo footprints in the sand, we see no emus. Heath and woodland vegetation is diverse and we enjoy a springtime flush of flowers - flannel flowers, orchids, boronias. Coastal banksias, pandanus palms and paperbarks (complete with a native beehive) shade the trails.
By midday, the air became quite smoky from the fires to the north-west of Lake Arragan and as we walk on, we speak with locals who have packed up their pets and driven to Plumbago Headland to be well away from the fires. Later we are told that the picnic area near the lake where some of the group enjoyed a bracing swim was burnt out the next day and National Parks closed the section of the walk from Angourie to Laka Arragan until further notice.
We end the day with views of Red Cliff and Grey Cliff Headlands and drop down to the beach via stairs - newly repaired. We walk briskly along the beautiful beach to Brooms Head with its stately Norfolk Island pines but as we a glance northward, we are reminded that the fire situation is worsening. Devastating for so many.
Our accommodation is adequate - spacious and clean, the only problem being that the bathroom door doesn't close but we aren't too fussed and manage. The bathroom light globe pops but is replaced promptly. The shop is run down as is the owner, the shelves barely stocked and the food is outrageously expensive eg 50g of coffee $12.95! Dinner at the Bowling Club is pleasant and we finish the day with a lively game of BOMB.
Sandon is a pretty place with an estuary separating the camping ground and the renovated beach shacks; some are pretty flash. Life is in the slow lane here as access is limited. There is a clear message in the lack of garbage bins - take care of this special place. There was time to have a swim but the wind was cold so a sit in the sun, lunch and a wander around the camping area and along the inlet filled in the time nicely. The break provided an opportunity to read the information signs and appreciate that this stretch of coast is protected by Sanctuary Zones and Commonwealth Marine Reserves. The environmental campaigns of the '80s and '90s are to be applauded.
There could not have been a greater contrast to the Brooms Head shop in the Minnie Waters shop: pleasant people run it, well-stocked shelves, pricey...yes but good quality. I eyed off the cheeses... not this time. The sign on the window said it all: Kitchen and Coffee close by 4 (or earlier if there are waves or we just wanna) and the local facilities indicate a community at work here.
And what a peaceful end to the day's walk through the Angophoras for the last kilometre to the comfortable cabins at the caravan park. The late afternoon light was magical.
We were all feeling a little worn out after the soft-sand slog in the afternoon but showers and pre-dinner drinks followed by a hearty barbeque dinner prepared by Marcus and the family is just what we needed. I need to add that when we left Brooms Head in the morning, there was a possibility that the road would be closed due to the fires and Dave and the trailer would not make it to Minnie Waters. All was well however and Dave was able to bring the gear through as well as the BBQ makings.
Unfortunately. a cool southerly wind had sprung up and battered us for 6.5 km.
We were pleased to arrive at Wooli River Lodges mid-afternoon. What a nice place. Shady, well-maintained gardens; lodges with good linen; an outdoor fully equipped kitchen; and just 5 minutes to the local store and hotel. We enjoyed dinner at the hotel and this was followed by a gathering in the outdoor kitchen to wish Dave a happy birthday with party hats and cake. It seemed like a long day and I headed back to our lodge while most stayed to play 31. I was surprised to find it was only 7.30 pm but the opportunity for an early night was too good to pass up.
After lunch, we crossed Station Creek estuary easily as it was only wading depth. Then there was another beautiful beach walk to Red Rock River and our final boat crossing to Red Rock.
Press play on the following link:
https://www.relive.cc/view/v1vjpeABDY6
Pam and I had intended to spend the night at Nambucca Heads but as it was only 2.00 pm when we arrived at Red Rock, we canceled our motel booking, thanked and fare welled our walking family and drove home to Caves Beach.
What a wonderful walk along a beautiful, pristine coastline in good company, thanks to Home Comforts Hiking – we couldn’t ask for a better few days!
[post_title] => Yuraygir Coastal Walk 7 – 11 September, 2019
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