We first stumbled upon Wallingat National Park when we were looking for some non beachy things to do near Seal Rocks. There wasn’t a lot of information about the park online, but we decided to give it a go. I’m really glad we did because Wallingat is an absolute delight. The walks are stunning and the drive was so good we had to keep stopping the car to take photos!
The park is also incredibly quiet which makes a visit here really peaceful. If you’re visiting Seal Rocks or Forster we’d highly recommend a little beach diversion to check it out.
Here’s what to expect from a visit to Wallingat National Park.
Why we love Wallingat National Park
Unlike many of the places we visit, Wallingat isn’t only about the walks. Yes, the trails here are great, but this small national park also has a lot for those who don’t fancy hitting the trails.
The star in Wallingat is the scenery and it’s so accessible that you don’t even have to leave your car. It gets even better when you do though, and it’s a place where you can escape the outside world, and immerse yourself in nature.
Here’s a guide to everything you can do at Wallingat National Park:
Walking trails at Wallingat National Park
If I could change anything about the park it would be to add in more, or longer walking trails. The area is so beautiful and there are only two official tracks to get out and explore, both of which very short. There are other possible trails you could take down by the river but they are not official trails.
Having said that, the two walks they do have are easy and absolutely beautiful. We didn't see another soul on either, which made it feel like we had the entire forest to ourselves.
The Coachwood Loop
Both trails start in the same area (the Sugar Creek picnic area) and overlap at the start. The Coachwood Loop is 870m long and a flat, easy walk. Seconds after stepping onto the trail I knew it was going to be special.
You are immediately dwarfed by some of the biggest Cabbage tree palms I have ever seen, and they are everywhere! The trail, whilst distinct, also feels quite natural. It’s covered with palm fronds and makes a satisfying crunching sound as you make your way round.
There are one or two trees which have come down over the track but they can be easily climbed over and only add to the feeling of being out in the wilds.
After 170m you’ll reach the intersection with the Cabbage palm loop. We’d recommend walking both trails as though the scenery is similar, it’s so beautiful that even both were not enough for us!
The trees make such a dense canopy overhead that what little light shines through makes it feel like sunset all day long. It really is special.
As well as Cabbage palms, there are lots of twisted hanging vines, coachwood trees and a striking flooded white gum which really stands out.
The Cabbage palm Loop
The Cabbage Palm Loop is a 1.6km loop which is again almost entirely flat (there’s 25m elevation on these two trails combined) and easy. The scenery is much the same as on the Coachwood Loop but you get to enjoy a bit more of it and go a bit deeper into the forest.
There are even more Cabbage palms and at one point I turned around and realised I was surrounded by them on all sides, it was absolutely beautiful.
It’s all really well signposted but for one part, 900m in, when the sign is quite well hidden. Watch out for it and turn right here. You’ll soon come to an old logging tree which is marked with a plaque - it makes me so sad to think about such a majestic forest being logged, but also grateful that it’s now protected.
We could definitely hear some wildlife along this track, but the forest was so dense, we could never identify what it actually was, we thought it was possibly wallabies but it could also have been a brush turkey or lyrebird.
The scenery throughout the trail was just gorgeous, it was such a great walk that I didn’t want it to end!
The best picnic spots
There are several different picnic spots in the park but two stand out above the rest. The first are the tables at the Sugar Creek picnic area, where the two walking tracks begin.
Despite being just a few paces from the car park they feel nicely secluded by the tall trees and have really great jungle vibes.
Another really good option is at the Whoota Whoota Lookout. The lookout offers a gorgeous view over Wallis Lake and the coastline.
There’s only one picnic table here though, so it might be worth bringing a picnic blanket with you in case it’s taken.
The Wallingat Forest Drive
All of the roads inside the Wallingat National Park are unsealed. The road leading to the Sugar Creek picnic area is generally in good condition, however there are a few potholes, but it’s definitely doable in a 2WD. Parts of the 25km loop which make up the Wallingat Forest Drive are not in such a great state.
Whilst much of the road was good, there were a couple of sections which had really deep gullies and big pot holes which I wouldn’t dare try in anything other than a 4WD (these were south of the Wallingat River picnic area on River Road).
If you have a 2WD, you can go to Sugar Creek and then onto the Wallingat River campsite, but I wouldn’t do the rest of this loop or the drive up to the Whoota Whoota Lookout unless it improves.
But back to the drive itself, the forest is spectacular, particularly the sections which have tall blue gums and cabbage palms standing side by side. We couldn’t stop taking photos!
It was really quiet and peaceful, with only the sounds of the birds as we slowly made our way round the loop.
I have to say I was grateful to never meet a car going in the opposite direction though, as the road is quite narrow!
I’m not normally a massive fan of scenic drives, preferring to get out and explore on foot, but I have to say I really enjoyed this one.
The Whoota Whoota Lookout
The Whoota Whoota Lookout is the only viewpoint in the park and we made it our last stop of the day so we could watch the sunset.
As we discovered when we arrived, the sun set itself is obscured by trees, but it was still a beautiful time to be up there with lots of golden light.
In one direction you can see Wallis Lake and the coastline which was gorgeous. It looks a little hazy in our photos because they’d been doing a lot of back burning.
In the other direction you can see layers of mountains, which was actually my favourite view. Both sides are a little obscured by foliage but I didn’t really mind and still think it’s a lovely spot.
The drive up to the lookout is in pretty good condition, but the final section is pretty steep, which I personally wouldn’t be keen on doing in a small car (primarily because it’s a dirt road). Those gutsier than me would no doubt make it though!
We drove back down just before the end of sunset to make sure that we weren’t driving the unsealed roads in the pitch black.
Swimming in the Wallingat River
The best place we found to do a bit of wild swimming was straight from the Wallingat River campground. Access to the water was directly from the campsite and it was easy to get down to.
The river is lovely and calm and it’s such a peaceful spot. If you happened to visit and there were people around, you can walk from the campsite up the small trail to the right of the car park and access the river further up for a bit of tranquility.
Camping in the park
There are a couple of campgrounds in Wallingat, but the one we checked out was Wallingat River campground. You can pitch your tent directly in front of the river, which was pretty special and you’re surrounded by forest giving it a nice remote feel.
There are 20 camp spots but I can’t imagine there ever being that many people here! There’s not a lot of facilities but the long drop toilet was relatively clean and that’s the most important thing to me!!
The camp site is a bit of a bargain at $4 per adult and $2.50 per child (5-15 years). It goes up slightly in December and January as well as school holidays and long weekends but it’s still only $6 per adult and $3.50 per child.
Packing suggestions for Wallingat
Having the right gear can make a huge difference. Here’s what we pack and have relied upon for years:
Sunscreen: Cancer Council Active. With a high SPF, but not the greasy feel of other sunscreens. Makes a big difference when you’re working up a sweat on a sunny day! Check it out on Amazon
Good Rain Jacket: North Face This is an essential item we always pack in our bag! This jacket from North Face is designed to keep you dry but also comfortably warm (many rain jackets will make you feel like you’re in a sauna). Check it out on Amazon
Bushman Spray: Good for keeping off the mozzies, but also handy if there’s leeches after the rain. Check it out on Amazon.
Day Pack: Osprey Talon 22 (we’ve owned this for years). Check on Amazon or direct with Osprey
Hiking Boots: Merrell Moab (for men and women). We’ve both used these for over three years and they just keep going. Check them out on Amazon
Trekking poles: We’ve used Black Diamond for years as they are light, solid and durable. Check them out on Amazon.
Reusable water bottle: To avoid single-use plastic. Check them out on Amazon
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Have you visited Wallingat National Park before? Any spots we didn’t find? Let us know in the comments below!
