The top walks near Pacific Palms.
Named after the majestic cabbage tree palms endemic to the area, Pacific Palms sits serenely near the magnificent national parks of Booti Booti and Wallingat.
Blessed with sparkling blue waters of the Tasman Sea and Wallis Lake, Pacific Palms is a place of natural beauty. Here you'll find walks on beaches, headlands, lakeside and through coastal forest.
1. Booti Hill Walking Track
- START: The Ruins Campground on The Lakes Way, Pacific Palms
- DISTANCE: 7.3km loop
- TIME: 2.5 hours – 3.5 hours
- GRADE: Medium/Hard
This walk touches the Pacific Ocean and shores of Wallis Lake, with views from the headland and plenty of wildlife to spot. Starting near The Ruins Campground on the southern corner of Seven Mile Beach, look for the signposted track and stairs - this climbs up the northern side of Booti Hill.
The track emerges onto the ridge crest above Lindemans Cove and joins a fire trail. Go straight ahead to descend to Elizabeth Beach in Pacific Palms or turn right on the main walking track to descend down to the Lakes Way. Cross this busy road for a change of pace as the final 3.5km of this loop on Lakeside Walk follows the Wallis Lake shoreline, taking you back to your starting point at The Ruins.
2. Cellito Rainforest Walk, Smiths Lake
- START: Cellito Beach car park
- DISTANCE: 400 metres
- TIME: 10 minutes
- GRADE: Easy
From Pacific Palms, head south on the Lakes Way to the end of Sandbar Road at Smiths Lake.
From the carpark, follow the elevated boardwalk that winds through a remnant patch of coastal rainforest. It’s a great reminder of how these coastal rainforests once backed onto many beaches of the mid north coast.
The boardwalk onto the dunes at a viewing platform that’s a favourite spot for surfers to check the breaks. The views along Cellito Beach and Sandbar Beach towards Seal Rocks are just beautiful.
Cellito Beach is dog-friendly and becomes Sandbar Beach where the 4WD access road joins the beach (so watch for traffic if you're on foot with your pooch).
3. Sugar Creek Trail
- START: Sugar Creek Picnic Area, Wallingat National Park
- DISTANCE: 1.7km
- TIME: 45-75 minutes
- GRADE: Easy
Just a short drive from Pacific Palms, Wallingat National Park on the western side of Wallis Lake offers great trails for walks or mountain biking for the whole family with great bird watching and picnicking opportunities.
Sugar Creek Trail (also known as Hotel Creek track) is an easy walk through lush rainforest and dense palm forest with an abundance of wildlife, starting from Sugar Creek picnic area.
If you want to walk a bit more, there are two more tracks nearby called Cabbage Palm Loop (1.7km loop, 45-75 minutes) and Coachwood Loop (0.8km loop, 15-30 minutes). Vehicle access is 2WD but the gravel roads can become boggy after rain.
