Haycock Point to Barmouth Beach
Area: Pambula-Haycock
Guide updated · official metrics — verify open/closed status on NSW National Parks
Coastal one-way from Haycock Point to Barmouth Beach. 3 km, Grade 3, 1.5–2.5 hours. Steps. Decide a turnaround or a second car before you start — it is not a loop.
- Grade 3 · one-way coast
- 1.5–2.5 hrs
- 3 km one-way
- Effort: moderate
- Best for: A proper northern coastal walk with steps, not a five-minute lookout
Distance, grade, time and open/closed status change — verify on NSW National Parks before you go.
Official NPWS info (verify status)Do not pair: Do not pair with Boyds Tower the same day. The Pinnacles first only if legs and daylight remain — never as a 3pm stack.
Turnaround: Write the clock at Haycock picnic before you leave the car. If anyone is slow on the first steps, picnic is the complete stop. Barmouth is unpatrolled — not a swim plan.
- Starting without a turnaround time or a second car, then walking steps back in fading light.
- Adding Boyds Tower the same day, or starting after 3pm because “it is only 3 km.”
Haycock–Barmouth — Barmouth Beach
R Burgess · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Where you start
Haycock Point
Haycock Road off the Princes Highway south of Pambula. Picnic area. Free vehicle entry. 2WD gravel.
How to get there
- From Pambula ~9 km south on the Princes Highway, left Haycock Road (2WD gravel). Free vehicle entry.
- Start at Haycock Point picnic. If you want a one-way finish at Barmouth Beach, leave a car or agree a pickup.
- Otherwise walk out-and-back and write a turnaround time before you leave the picnic area.
- After extreme rain, treat Haycock Road as possibly closed. Read alerts. Park only in signed bays.
How to do it (step by step)
- Follow the signed coastal track. Steps and exposure. Official 3 km one-way, Grade 3, 1.5–2.5 hours.
- This track is on the official night-shooting list after 6pm through 6am Friday 25 September 2026 (along with Haycock Point picnic). Open 6am–6pm. Finish before dusk. [VERIFY].
- Do not start at 3pm. If you have no second car, turn around with daylight in the bank.
- Barmouth Beach is unpatrolled. Swim only if you accept rips and have read Beachsafe. Carry water — little shade.
What to expect
Official: 3 km one-way, Grade 3, 1.5–2.5 hours, Haycock Point to Barmouth Beach. Coastal, steps, exposure. It is not a loop and not a five-minute lookout.
This is the northern walk that feels like a walk. Boyds Tower is shorter and in the other section. Light to Light is a booked multi-day in the other section. Do not merge them.
One-way logistics
Write a turnaround time or leave a second car at Barmouth before you start. “We’ll see how we go” is how people walk steps back in fading light.
Haycock Point picnic is the signed start. Free vehicle entry. 2WD gravel via Haycock Road.
Night shooting on this track
Official alerts list Haycock Point to Barmouth Beach walking track (and Haycock Point picnic) in the night-shooting window through 6am Friday 25 September 2026. Sites are open 6am–6pm. Finish before dusk. [VERIFY] live alerts.
1080 baiting is listed park-wide 1 July–31 December 2026. Pets are not permitted.
What to pair
Strong pair: The Pinnacles in the morning, then this walk only if energy and daylight remain. Weak pair: starting after 3pm; adding Boyds Tower the same day.
Barmouth is unpatrolled. If swimming quality matters, use a flagged town beach and treat Barmouth as the finish, not a pool.
Two failure modes (and the turnaround)
Failure one: no second car and no turnaround clock. Official 3 km one-way with steps. “We’ll see how we go” is a dusk walk back.
Failure two: treating this as the same park as Boyds Tower. Different section, different fee, highway between them.
Official vs the sign: finish before dusk while night shooting is posted. The Haycock picnic is a complete success if the walk is not happening.
Kit searches (water, sun, dry bags, PLB) live on the gear page— Amazon merch stays there, not on this walk page.
Map (orientation)
Pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads, parking and track status on NSW National Parks before you drive.
Interactive map — pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads and road status before you drive.
Extra tips
- This is the northern “real walk” if Boyds Tower feels too short and Light to Light is too long.
- Barmouth Beach is unpatrolled. Swim only if you accept rips and have read Beachsafe.
- Pair with The Pinnacles in the morning only if the group still has legs for steps after the loop.
- Picnic at Haycock is a complete stop if the walk is not happening. Check night-shooting alerts.
Often paired with The Pinnacles— only if energy and weather allow.
Area guide: Pambula-Haycock
Nearby stays (optional)
After the walk plan is solid: Eden / Merimbula / Pambula beds if you still need them. Official NPWS camping, park fees and government bookings are never affiliated. Guided tours live on the Tours hub — not pushed on every trail. Kit searches live on /gear/.
Nearby stays
Eden (primary) · Merimbula · Pambula
- Hotels & stays in EdenSouthern gateway — Boyds Tower, Green Cape, Light to Light start
- MerimbulaNorthern services hub and NPWS office — Pambula-Haycock days
- PambulaClosest village for the Pinnacles and Pambula River track
All Booking.com links open in a new tab and may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Official NPWS camping and cottage bookings are never affiliated.
Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Park fees, official NSW National Parks camping bookings and fishing licences are never affiliated. Affiliate disclosure · Privacy
Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Park fees, official NSW National Parks camping bookings and fishing licences are never affiliated. Disclosure · Tours hub