Blessed with sparkling blue waters of the South Pacific Ocean and Wallis Lake, surrounded by lush rainforest, Pacific Palms is a place of natural beauty.
Directions to Pacific Palms
How to get to Pacific Palms by car, train, coach or plane.
Scenic lookouts, secluded coves, hidden beaches, famous surfing, coffee shops, galleries and rainforest walks characterise this amazing wonderland.
The perfect coastal retreat
Encompassing Blueys Beach, Boomerang Beach, Elizabeth Beach, Charlotte Bay, Tiona and Whoota, there's a special charm that draws people to the ‘Palms’.
It's also the main access point for Coomba Bay and Coomba Park on the western side of Wallis Lake opposite Forster.
Named after the majestic cabbage tree palms, Pacific Palms blends with the magnificent Booti Booti and Wallingat National Parks and the Port Stephens Great Lakes Marine Park.
Scenic lookouts, secluded coves, hidden beaches, famous surfing, coffee shops, galleries and rainforest walks characterise this amazing wonderland. Combine this with a community in touch with its natural surroundings and you begin to understand why Pacific Palms is the perfect coastal retreat that will have you coming back for more.
Blueys Beach
One of the famous surfing beaches and the home to the cafes and shops of Pacific Palms.
Legend has it that this beautiful stretch of beach gained its name from a misadventure by a local cow on the southern headland. Expansive views of this headland can be found at the northern end. Perch on the benches above the surfers or gaze south all the way to Seal Rocks.
Care should be taken when swimming at Blueys Beach as it's not patrolled Nearby Elizabeth Beach and Boomerang Beach have summertime patrols.
Blueys Beach village is home to cafes, restaurants and specialty stores. You'll also find a volunteer-run Visitor Information Centre where visitors can chat to a local about the best things to do in Pacific Palms.
Boomerang Beach
Named after the shape of this 1.5 km stretch of sand, Boomerang Beach is the second beach in Pacific Palms that draws surfers from around the state.
Known for its clean break, the beach hosts annual surfing competitions and is a popular family swimming location, particularly the northern end which is patrolled in the summer months.
Boomerang Beach village is quite residential with holiday rentals perched along the beachfront.
Elizabeth Beach
Affectionately known to locals as Lizzie's, Elizabeth Beach is part of Booti Booti National Park which encompasses the northern tip of Pacific Palms.
Lizzie's is by far the most popular swimming beach in Pacific Palms.
Elizabeth Beach is by far the most popular swimming beach in Pacific Palms. It's north facing aspect provides calm conditions with little swell. The clear and calm waters draw huge crowds in the summer months.
Pacific Palms Surf Lifesaving Club is located at Elizabeth Beach with the club providing patrols in the summer months of Elizabeth Beach and Boomerang Beach. The club also hosts many functions throughout the year and is the driving force behind the annual Battle of the Boats Surfboat competition held in February.
Shelly Beach
Shelly Beach is the neighbour to Elizabeth Beach and is also part of Booti Booti National Park. This unofficial clothing-optional beach is accessed via an 800m walk at the southern end of Elizabeth Beach.
Coomba Park
National Parks
Pacific Palms is home to two national parks - Booti Booti National Park and Wallingat National Park. The perfect mix of bush and beach, these parks are a huge drawcard for visitors, offering them the chance to be immersed coastal rainforest greenery.
Booti Booti National Park
Booti Booti National Park sits on an 8 km peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and beautiful Wallis Lake and stretches from Forster in the north to Shelly Beach in Pacific Palms. Home to beautiful north facing beaches of Elizabeth Beach and Shelly Beach as well as the expansive Seven Mile Beach.
Booti Hill Walk is a favourite which highlights the best of this park - coastal rainforest, expansive headland lookouts over the Pacific and lakeside tracks. Be sure to check out the aptly named Sunset Park for some of the best sunset snaps over Wallis Lake you will find.
Wallingat National Park
With its varied forest and swamp landscapes, Wallingat National Park offers hiking, touring, birdwatching and camping.
A network of unsealed roads throughout the park allows you to discover its best features. Accessible by 2WD, you can also explore them by mountain bike or horseback. There’s great fishing in the river and lake, and you can swim when the weather is warm. Keep your eyes peeled for kangaroos and wallabies, as well as some of the 200 species of birds that make Wallingat their home.
Be prepared to be amazed as you reach Whoota Whoota Lookout, one of the best lookouts in the Barrington Coast.
Whoota Whoota Lookout sits high atop Wallingat National Park. Peer out one way and you can see the vast stretches of eucalypt forest that make up much of the park. Look in the other direction and you can see the expanse of Wallis Lake as well as the winding, rugged coastline. Without doubt, one of the Barrington Coast's best lookouts.
Places to stay in Pacific Palms
Pacific Palms has a variety of accommodation options including camping, beachside retreats, holiday rentals and motel options.
Camping is popular at The Ruins Campground in Booti Booti National Park a well as Pacific Palms Caravan Park and Tiona Holiday Park on the edge of Wallis Lake. For those looking for a bit more luxury, Mobys Beachside Retreat offers secluded self-contained accommodation ideal for a family holiday, romantic weekend or a get-together with friends. Blueys Motel in the heart of Blueys Beach village with its coastal chic look and feel offers guests open and airy rooms in a convenient location close to the beach, shops and cafes.
Major events
Pacific Palms hosts many coastal themed events throughout the year. The most notable being the annual Battle of the Boats surf boat competition. Over boat crews descend on Elizabeth Beach for the competition and has become one of the most popular and successful carnivals on the National Surf Boat calendar.
Surfing NSW host several events at Boomerang Beach throughout the year including the Surfmasters and the Mothernest Great Lakes Pro.