Norah Head, NSW Australia

From Wagstaffe, I set off towards Norah Head with my first stop at Bouddi National Park, tackling the 5mi (8km) trail from Putty Beach to Macmasters Beach. It was an incredible, rugged track, just like the coastline, with a nice lookout at Gerrin Point. The sea was wild as it smashed against the coastline, showing its powerful force. The trail descended onto the beach at Maitland Bay, named after SS Maitland, a paddle steamer that wrecked offshore in 1898. The park’s boundary extends about 984ft (300m) into the Tasman Sea and is frequented by whales, dolphins, and seals. 

Keeping an eye on the sky, I was hoping to see an osprey or sea eagle as I ventured on northbound until I reached The Entrance, a small town where Tuggerah Lake meets the Pacific Ocean through a narrow tidal channel. Pelican feeding is a major attraction, a tradition that started in the late 20th century, and so is fishing, with catches including whiting, bream and flathead.

Next, I circled around Tuggerah Lakes, a wetland system consisting of three interconnected lakes, with Tuggerah Lake being the largest. Interestingly, while all three lakes are quite large, with a combined perimeter of 65mi (105km), none exceed 6.5ft (2m) in depth, making them quite shallow. Because of the shallow water, it has extensive beds of seagrass attracting waterbirds like sharp-tailed sandpipers, chestnut teals and black swans.

I finished my day’s wanderings at Norah Head, a sleepy coastal village and headland home to the historic 1903 Reflections Norah Head Lighthouse. During World War II, several naval battles occurred near here, resulting in the sinking of the Nimbin in 1940 and the fishing trawler Millimumul in 1941. When the SS Iron Chieftain was sunk by a submarine in 1942 near Manly, NSW, the surviving crew floated on one of the life rafts until they were rescued and reached shore at The Entrance a day later. I found myself at Soldiers Beach, listening to the rhythm of the waves, as I ended another perfect day.