Just a short run from Taree or Forster, Crowdy Bay National Park is where the forest quietly gives way to the sea.

Sweeping beaches, dramatic headlands and pockets of bush thick with wildlife, this one’s built for a slow scenic drive and a picnic that drifts along with the tide. No fixed start point needed, wherever you’re coming from on the coast, you’re not too far away.

Good to know

Best any time of year really, spring brings the wildflowers out, summer’s for swimming and winter has the whales cruising past the headlands. Crowdy Bay National Park stays surprisingly quiet most of the year, so picnic spots are easy to come by.

Pack water, all your picnic supplies, snacks, insect repellent and sunscreen. NPWS Park entry fees apply and are best bought online before you go.

Nature does its own thing out here, the coastline shifts, conditions change without much notice, so keep your wits about you and always wade in rather than dive if you’re cooling off, the sandbanks and currents aren’t always where you left them.

There are no bins in the park, so pack out what you bring in. Roads suit 2WD, though there are signposted 4WD access points for the beaches if you’ve got a permit.

Dogs aren’t allowed in the national park itself, but Pilot Hill and Crowdy Head Lighthouse sit within Harrington Beach State Park, so your four legged friend can tag along there.

Morning: lighthouse views and ocean breezes

Start on the headlands, salty air and views for days. These first stops are as much about the walk as the picnic.

Pilot Hill Lookout, Harrington. A short hop into Harrington gets you this hilltop picnic spot with views over the Manning River delta, right where the river gives way to the Pacific. It’s a formed path and a solid barrier up here, so no need to lean over the edge for the money shot, the view does the work for you. Grab something from Beach Street Dispensary on the way for a morning tea with a proper view.

Crowdy Head Lighthouse, Crowdy Head. Grassy picnic spots, ocean views in every direction and prime whale watching territory come winter. Sunset Café is right nearby if you need a coffee to go with the view.

Afternoon: beaches and wildlife

Head into the national park proper from here, wild beaches and the odd curious kangaroo waiting.

Crowdy Gap. Picnic tables and barbecues tucked beside the coastal forest, with a short walk down to the beach. Toilets on site.

Kylies Hut and Kylies Beach. A campground nearby with toilets and showers, beach access and coastal walking tracks. Worth a look at Kylie’s Hut too, rebuilt after the 2019 fires, where novelist Kylie Tennant once wrote through the 1960s.

Diamond Head Loop Walk. Picnic tables, barbecues, toilets and ocean views, plus the kind of kangaroo encounters on the sand that tend to end up on Instagram. Rockpools and walking trails across the headland round it out.

Muir Park, Crowdy Head. Technically outside the national park, on the grassy flats beneath the lighthouse, this one’s made for a sunset picnic, just a short stroll to the beach. Barbecue, picnic tables, playground, toilets and bins all here.

Evening: dine out in Harrington

After a day of sand and salt air, Harrington’s waterfront has plenty of ways to finish the night.

Shoreline Tavern sits right on the Manning River with a friendly pub feel, live entertainment and a menu leaning into fresh local seafood alongside the usual pub classics.

Club Harrington has that prime waterfront position with beer garden views out over where the river meets the sea. Try the mezze plate or Peking duck spring rolls to start, then the ocean burger or a spicy pork and mushroom risoni.

Harrington Hotel overlooks the Manning River too, a longtime local favourite for catching up with family and friends over locally sourced produce and fresh seafood.

Nate’s Pizzeria covers more ground than the name suggests, panini, salads, pasta, schnitzel, even kebabs alongside the pizza. They’ve won multiple awards. Leave room for the churros with Nutella.

Em’s Thai Kitchen brings an authentic Thai menu to this stretch of river, a genuine local favourite for good reason, book ahead if you can.

Know a spot around Crowdy Bay that deserves a mention here? Get in touch, we’re always adding to it.