The villas at Shores Elizabeth Beach sit inside Booti Booti National Park. Not near it, not a short drive from it. Inside it. On a clear June morning, when the air has that coastal-winter sharpness and the light sits low over the Pacific, you can lace up your boots, step off the verandah, and be walking park trails within minutes of finishing breakfast.
That’s what makes these booti booti national park walks different from the usual “book a park day trip” proposition. You’re not driving to a trailhead. The trailhead is your front path.
June is genuinely the best month for this. The Barrington Coast’s winter sits mild and dry, humidity near zero, midday temperatures in the mid-teens. The park tracks aren’t busy, the headlands are clear, and the ocean below them is often glassy. It’s walking weather in the truest sense.
What Are the Main Walks in Booti Booti National Park?
Booti Booti National Park offers a range of coastal and lakeside walks accessible directly from the Elizabeth Beach area. The most popular routes cover Elizabeth Beach to Charlotte Head and the Boomerang headland (approximately 5 km return), the Cape Hawke summit boardwalk to an elevated ocean lookout (3.6 km return), the Booti Booti lakeside loop along the Wallis Lake foreshore (around 4 km), and the full Seven Mile Beach coastal track heading north from the village. All suit moderately fit walkers; Cape Hawke involves a steady climb but rewards with panoramic views from the boardwalk summit platform.
The Walk That Earns Its Elevation: Cape Hawke Summit
If you do one walk from the property this winter, make it Cape Hawke. The summit boardwalk is 3.6 km return from the Cape Hawke picnic area carpark, a short drive south of the property, though guests with time to spare sometimes walk the beach and pick up the trail from the southern end of Seven Mile Beach.
The climb through spotted gum and paperbark forest is steady rather than steep, and the track is well-formed throughout. The boardwalk platform at the summit sits at around 180 metres and looks out across the full Barrington Coast: Seven Mile Beach running north, Forster and Tuncurry to the south, Wallis Lake spreading west behind the sand barrier, and the open Pacific east to the horizon.
In June, the winter light is low-angled and long, and with almost no humidity, the distance holds. On a clear morning you can see headlands forty kilometres away. For land-based whale watching, the Cape Hawke headland is one of the better vantage points on the Mid North Coast. Humpbacks move through from May to November, and the elevated platform gives an unobstructed sightline.
Allow two hours return from the carpark including time at the summit. Bring water and something to eat at the top.
The Headland Walk: Elizabeth Beach to Charlotte Head
This one starts close enough to the villas that you can walk to the trailhead without driving. Head to the southern end of Elizabeth Beach and pick up the Booti Booti coastal track as it rises toward Charlotte Head, the rocky headland separating Elizabeth Beach from Boomerang Beach to the south.
The walk to Charlotte Head is around 2.5 km one-way, gaining elevation through open heathland and coastal scrub with regular views back over Elizabeth Beach and north toward Seven Mile Beach. The turnaround point on the Boomerang headland gives you a view south down the coast and, on still mornings, down into the water below.
This is the walk most guests do before breakfast. It’s not demanding; fit walkers can do the return in under two hours, and the lower Charlotte Head loop is accessible for families with older children. In winter the path is uncrowded, shared mainly with dog walkers from the Pacific Palms community.
The Lakeside Side of the Park: Wallis Lake Foreshore
Booti Booti isn’t only ocean-facing. The villas sit between the beach and the lake, and a short track leads west through the park to the lake’s edge, where you can pick up the foreshore loop through paperbarks and wetlands.
The lakeside tracks run roughly 4 km in a loop, flat and shaded, with the lake on one side and the paperbark-dense park interior on the other. This is the walk for afternoons. The light on Wallis Lake in late winter is warm and horizontal, the stillness on the water in June is consistent. You might see pelicans in numbers, black swans, and occasionally dolphins working the lake from the ocean entrance at Forster.
The track is suitable for all ages and easy to shorten if you want a quick leg-stretch rather than a full circuit.
How to Plan Your Walking Days at Shores
When to go: Morning walks have the best light and the coolest temperatures. The Cape Hawke summit deserves a morning start; afternoon haze can reduce visibility from the top.
What to wear: A light wind layer and comfortable walking shoes handle most tracks. The headland walks can be sharp in the breeze; the lakeside loop is flat and accessible in light trainers.
Water: Bring more than you think you need for Cape Hawke. The climb is gentle but sustained and the summit exposure means you’ll work harder than on a flat beach walk.
Track access from the property: The coastal headland tracks start at the southern end of Elizabeth Beach, a short walk from the villas. Cape Hawke requires a ten-minute drive to the carpark. Lakeside access runs through the park from the western side of the property.
Frequently Asked Questions About Walking in Booti Booti National Park
Do I need a national park pass to walk the trails?
Yes. Booti Booti National Park is a fee-paying park. Passes are purchased online or at park entry points via the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. The fee applies to the Cape Hawke carpark; walks accessed directly from the beach may not require entry.
How difficult is the Cape Hawke summit walk?
Moderate. It’s 3.6 km return with a steady climb to 180 metres. The track is well-maintained with no scrambling required. Most people of average fitness complete it comfortably in two hours.
Is whale watching possible from Cape Hawke headland?
Yes. Land-based whale watching from Cape Hawke is worthwhile from May through November when humpback whales migrate along the NSW coast. The elevated boardwalk platform gives an excellent unobstructed ocean view. Bring binoculars.
Can I walk from the villas to the national park trails?
Yes. The Elizabeth Beach to Charlotte Head coastal track is accessible on foot from Shores. The lakeside foreshore loop connects through the park from the western side of the property. Cape Hawke is the only walk that requires driving to the carpark.
Are the walks dog-friendly?
Dogs are not permitted in Booti Booti National Park. This applies to all tracks within the park boundary.
Ready to plan a winter stay around the walks? Check our villas at Elizabeth Beach for self-contained accommodation that puts the national park on your doorstep. Check availability for your dates.
Image credit: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
