If the weather is good, Red Rock is the perfect destination for a relaxing day out with your special someone or the whole family.

The picturesque park by Red Rock River invites a rest, a picnic and a swim

Here are just a couple of things you can do when you’re in Red Rock:

• Swim across the crystal clear river to the sand bank, walk in the direction the tide is going, get back in and float back to the park where you entered the water. 
• Go fishing in the ocean or the river, from under a tree on the riverside or the boardwalk, or from your boat you can launch at the boat ramp (the caravan park kiosk sells bait).
• Bring a good book, a blanket and a picnic and relax under a tree in the picturesque park, or bring a ball or frisbee and play on the lawn of the riverside park.
• Launch your canoe, kayak or rubber dingy in the river and go for a paddle up through the undisturbed nature of Yuraygir National Park that starts here.
• Go for a walk along the boardwalk, you’ll see and hear lots of  birds by the waterside.
• Swim or surf in the ocean near the actual ‘Red Rock’ the village is named after.

Plus anything else you can think of that you can do in a park, on the beach, in the surf or on a river!

The near-deserted beach at Red Rock and the formation the village is named after

Just remember that there’s only the one shop/kiosk/takeaway at the Red Rock Caravan Park and no other shops, so you’ll have to bring most of what you need with you.

You’ll find it fairly quiet even though it’s a fantastic holiday destination, except for the summer school holidays when it can be pretty packed.

I guarantee it will be one of the most utterly relaxing days you’ve ever spent anywhere!

Get to Red Rock by heading north on the Pacific Highway from Coffs Harbour. It’s about 10 minutes past Woolgoolga, and signposted as a turnoff via Corindi. The trip from the Coffs CBD should take no longer than 35 minutes.

I dare say that the Jetty at sunset is the top choice for local couples to have their bridal pictures taken, and you’ll see at least one bride and groom there most Saturday afternoons or early evening.

The Coffs Harbour Jetty and Muttonbird Island at dusk and with a full moon

The Coffs Harbour Jetty (which is heritage protected) juts out into the harbour and you’ll get a good look, from many angles depending on where you stop to enjoy the view, at:

• the International Marina with its yachts and fishing vessels,
• Muttonbird Island and people walking up and down its path,
• the southern breakwall, Corambirra Point, the Deep Sea Fishing Club and the boat ramp,
• relatively flat and safe Jetty Beach with the vegetated foreshores behind it,
• Coffs Harbour’s popular Jetty residential area with expensive apartments up on the hill,
• people swimming and canoeing in the harbour,
• kids jumping off the Jetty (in summer mostly),
• people fishing off the Jetty (all year round),
• and possibly (have a good look down and around from the end of the jetty…) dolphins and turtles in the  water.

No matter how many times you have walked on the Jetty, or walked below it on Jetty Beach, it’s always a great way to spend half an hour or an hour before or after dinner in the evening.

Jetty Beach, the marina and Muttonbird Island glowing just after sunset

You could get a nice big ice cream first from Cold Rock at the nearby Jetty Strip of restaurants (Harbour Drive) and see if it lasts you until you reach the end of the Jetty. Or take the walk before or after you have dinner at one of the dozen or so restaurants there.

Want to feel the sand between your toes? Get onto Jetty Beach and walk to the Deep Sea Fishing Club at the southern end to enjoy an affordable dinner with an incredible view from inside their restaurant or the big wraparound veranda.

And if the sky and clouds look promising, don’t forget to bring your camera!

• great natural beauty,
• an attractive main beach (Sawtell Beach) tucked in between Boambee and Bonville headlands,
• picturesque Boambee and Bonville Creeks to swim, fish or paddle a canoe in, and
• a charming main street (First Ave) lined with great old fig trees, boutique shops and galleries and lots of al fresco cafés.

A great way to really enjoy all this beauty, if the weather is nice (which it can be year round), is to go for a stroll around Bonville Headland (also referred to as Sawtell Headland), look at the waves and the surfers, and to take a dip in the ocean, creek or rock pool.

The rock pool on Bonville Headland, Sawtell

Drive through First Ave (if coming from Coffs Harbour), turn left into Boronia Street and drive to the end. Park your car and go for a stroll or just sit down on a bench to take in the magnificent views across the ocean and south along Bonville Creek and Bongil Bongil National Park.  

All you need to bring is your swimmers/bathers and a towel, and go for a swim in the ocean or in the bend at the mouth of Bonville Creek. The rock pool on the south of the headland is ideal to do some short laps, protected from the waves.

Of course, you can also bring your kayak, canoe, air mattress or other inflatable device and paddle up and down Bonville Creek. You’ll soon be surrounded by the trees and birds of Bongil Bongil National Park.

I must admit I don’t go to Sawtell often enough. I know it’s there, I know I love it there, I know it’s only 10 minutes by car from Coffs Harbour, but somehow I don’t often actually go.

Today though, we went for breakfast at the Sawtell Surf Club Café which is right on Sawtell Beach. It’s outside seating only (partly under cover), it has wide open views out over the ocean and serves fantastic food. I wouldn’t go anywhere else after a swim in Sawtell, as you’re virtually still on the beach!

The view from just in front of the Surf Club Café, Sawtell