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Bongil Bongil National Park
Bongil Bongil National Park is a diverse and very accessible national park located between Sawtell and Mylestom, about 15km south of Coffs Harbour.
The 4180ha park features unspoilt beaches, littoral and swamp rainforests, wetlands and mangroves, wet and dry heath, coastal dunes and pristine estuaries.
There’s also an array of rich and diverse plant and animal communities, referred to in its Aboriginal name Bongil Bongil, which means “a place where one stays a long time because of the abundance of food”.
Among the native animals you may encounter in the park are koalas, as the national park is home to one of the state’s largest koala populations. Bongil Bongil also offers refuge to 165 species of birds, including a number of threatened species.
The park’s waterways are ideal for kayaking, canoeing and fishing. A good place to launch your kayak or canoe is the pontoon at the Bongil Picnic Area on Williams Road at Bonville – at the northern end of the park. The picnic area further features BBQ facilities, a large undercover area, picnic tables and toilets.
Boating access to the park’s estuaries is via the Lyons Road boat ramp at Sawtell. For mountain bikers and bushwalkers, the popular Lyons Trail starts further west on Lyons Road at Toormina.
More bushwalking trails are found at the southern end of the park at the end of Tuckers Rock Road at Repton. The 1.8km Bluff Loop Trail offers a short return walk to Tuckers Rocks through some magnificent coastal eucalypt forest. The Bundageree Rainforest Walks from Tuckers Rocks to Bundagen Headland (6km return) is a gentle walk through the park’s coastal fringe through remnant rainforest.
Things to see and do
- Bushwalking: Try the Bundageree Rainforest Walk or the Bluff Loop Trail at Tuckers Rock – flat, gentle walks with a good chance of spotting a koala.
- Bird watching: Among the 165 bird species recorded here are threatened species such as the black-necked stork, pied oystercatcher, osprey and wompoo pigeon.
- Fishing: Excellent rock, beach and estuary fishing at Bonville Creek and the ocean.
- Canoeing and Kayaking: Easy access to the sheltered habitats of Pine and Bonville Creeks from the pontoon at Bongil Picnic Area.
- Picnic & BBQ: Pleasant creek-side picnic and barbecue area at the end of Williams Road at Bonville (day use only).
- 4WD: Several forest roads and fire trails offer great opportunities for 4WD-ing.
- Mountain biking: There are numerous forest roads and tracks throughout the park that are popular with mountain bikers.
Getting There
Vehicle access to the northern end of the park, in all weather conditions, is via Williams Road - take the Bonville exit off the new Pacific Highway and from the old highway, turn east into Williams Road, which passes under the new highway. The southern end of the park can be accessed via Tuckers Rock Road at Repton. Boating access to Bonville Creek is via the Sawtell boat ramp at Lyons Road, Sawtell.
Enquiries
For further information about Bongil Bongil National Park, contact the Coffs Coast National Parks and Wildlife Service on (02) 6652 0900 or visit www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au
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