Myall Lakes National Park


 * Not to be confused with Myall Creek in Bingara

Myall Lakes National Park is a national park in the Mid-North Coast region of New South Wales, close to Forster mostly renowned for its large sand dunes, encompassing one of the state's largest coastal lake systems. With 40 kilometres of beaches, rolling sand dunes, and the lake all makes it one of the most visited parks in the state.

History
The Worimi Aboriginal people had inhabited the Myall Lakes National Park land area for its abundance of natural resources. These natural resources had offered a traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle for the Worimi people. The park includes important spiritual sites that are an important part of the identity of local Aboriginal people. Dark Point Aboriginal Place served as a location for the Worimi people to gather together for ceremonies and feasts and has been of significance to Worimi people for at least 4000 years.

Landscape
Myall Lakes National Park incorporates a patchwork of freshwater lakes, the ocean, islands, native flora, dense littoral rainforest and beaches. But not to forget, the park is covered full of sand dunes, something you can never say no to.

Flora and fauna
The lakes in the park support a large variety of birds including bowerbirds, white-bellied sea eagle and tawny frogmouths.

Other fauna in the park includes the nocturnal long-nosed bandicoot which has grey-brown fur and a pointed snout for which it uses to forage for worms and insects. The Striped marsh frog can be found near ponds and swamps and has a distinct sound which can be heard all year round. The Eastern swamp crayfish was first discovered here.

Climate
The average maximum temperature during the summer season averages between 19 °C and 27 °C with the highest temperature recorded at the park is 41.5 °C. The average temperature during the winter season averages between 10 °C and 19 °C and the lowest temperature on record being 1.1 °C. The wettest month typically occurs in May while the driest month occurs in November while the area's highest recorded rainfall in one day is 257.8 mm.

Visitor information

 * Park website

Eastern side
All roads into Myall Lakes National Park are paved, and can be accessed in any weather, although the park can only be accessed via car. The quickest way to come into the park is via Bombah Point Road from the Pacific Highway. Do note though, by using this route, you will need to take a cable ferry crossing Two Mile Late/White Tree Bay to get to the south-eastern ends of the park. There is also a southern entry point as well, and is much quicker to use but the catch for those coming from the south is that you will need to take a right turn off a divided highway, two lanes each way with passing traffic continuously coming at 110km/h. The third way, coming via Seal Rocks Road is a much better alternative for those who do not want to do the other two routes. Do also note, while buses do run on the Pacific Highway, they do not divert to the park, nor do they stop anywhere nearby.

If travelling south from Brisbane or Port Macquarie continue along the Pacific Highway (A1) and then turn left onto The Lakes Way following the Forster and Tuncurry signs. This will take you through Tuncurry and then Foster. Continue on the Lakes Way travelling for approximately 30 minutes and then turn left onto Seal Rocks Road and then you'd have arrived into the park.

Northwestern side
When travelling on the Pacific Highway, exit onto Tourist Drive 6 The Lakes Way and then turn onto Stoney Creek Road. Then you'll be heading underneath the highway, and then you're on the other side.

Fees and permits
There are fees into Myall Lakes National Park, although the fees are not that much compared to other parks. But in general, it's $2.50 per pedestrian, $6 per vehicle, with an additional $6 for caravans, trailers or boat trailers, $5.50 per motorbike and $10 per vehicles 4 tonnes or larger.

Get around
Generally, it's best to take the car around given the large distance this park covers. Unlike other rural national parks in NSW, all main roads are paved and in very good quality to take around. But if you really want to go off the roads, 4WDs are allowed on the beach near Dark Point. However, that is only under certain conditions, and be sure not to destroy the surrounding environment as Dark Point is a very sacred site. However, if you have a preference for walking, Myall Lakes National Park is never short of them. Although don't attempt to cross the divided highway though...

See
While many don't really associate Myall Lakes National Park with sacred sites, Myall Lakes National Park is home to a sacred meeting spot used over a period of 4000 years. As this park gets really close to the coast with elevated sand dunes, that also means that if you're keen on whale watching, come here between May to November, and you might see one.

Do
If there's anything to do, Myall Lakes National Park is nothing short of things to do. From kayaking, to hiking trails, to swimming, Myall Lakes National Park has something for anyone who likes the outdoors.

Kayaking
If you want to go kayaking, but didn't bring your own kayak, here's the options you've got. Do note though, that the water in Myall Lakes National Park is very shallow at places.

Diving
The park is not very well known for its dive sites, but one notable spot; Seal Rocks has a lot to offer the traveller, and arguably one of the best in Australia, although that heavily varies on opinion. Some of the aquatic life in Seal Rocks that are of interest to travellers include Grey Nurse Sharks, huge cod, massed schools of baitfish, kingfish, snapper, giant lobsters and sometimes the occasional Bronze Whaler Shark.

Apart from aquatic life in Seal Rocks, it's also possible to see the Shipwreck, S.S. Satara and Shipwreck, S.S. Catterthun. The S.S. Satara shipwreck is rated as one of the best wreck dives on the east coast of Australia wile the S.S. Catterthun is also fantastic, but its 55-62m depth and strong currents make it only available to professional divers making it less accessible.

There are also caves as well, both with depths of around 33m, and is best taken via an underwater tour, although be sure to bring a flashlight. Advanced diving qualifications are essential on this one though.

Buy
There is nothing you can "buy" in Myall Lakes National Park just like most other national parks in NSW.

Eat
There are no cafes, restaurants or anything like that in Myall Lakes National Park. However, there are picnic areas. But if you did not bring any food, there are numerous places to buy food from nearby Bulahdelah albeit the town not in the park. This article only covers what's in the park.

Drink
Given that there are no places to eat, yep, no places to drink in the park and that is quite obvious.

Sleep
Unusually, Myall Lakes National Park has more places to rest your head than a usual park anywhere in the Mid-North Coast, however much of these are far more interesting as they may look. This is because much of these are beside the lake as the park name suggests, or what better, beside the sea on the sand dunes.

Stay safe
Safety of anything is not a concern in Myall Lakes National Park and wildlife is nothing to be concerned about but avoid walking bare foot on the sand in summer, as the temperatures can be more surprising than you think.

Go next

 * Head south towards Tomaree National Park or somewhere much closer, head to Forster
 * A little less than an hour away from Myall Lakes is Barrington Tops National Park, a world heritage listed park as part of the many Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, this one being the closest to Sydney