Your Guide To Boomerang Beach - Australian Traveller

The sleepy NSW beach town you need to know about now.

Located in the Pacific Palms region of NSW’s North Coast, the tiny township of Boomerang Beach is what the summer holidays of our childhoods were made of. Where days are spent hot-sand hopping along the beach, fossicking around rock pools, chowing down on fish and chips drenched in vinegar, and around a campfire at dusk… sun-kissed skin, salty hair and sandy feet for the win.

an aerial view of Elizabeth Beach, Booti Booti National Park — Take the scenic route to Elizabeth Beach. (Image: Destination NSW)

It’s the simplicity of life here that is the lure. Tourism Australia’s ‘Beach Expert’ Brad Farmer seems to agree, placing this “sunburnt Aussie surfing haven" in second place on his 2023 list of Best Beaches in Australia. He describes the region’s tapestry of beaches, lakes, rivers and coves as nature’s gift and an idyllic place for campers and van-lifers. We dig our toes a little deeper in the sand to bring you this weekend getaway guide.

an aerial shot of Boomerang Beach — Dip into the crystalline waters. (Image: Undertow Snaps)

How to get to Boomerang Beach

Boomerang Beach is located on NSW‘s Barrington Coast, a 20-minute drive south of Forster and two hours north of Newcastle.

a path leading to Boomerang Beach — Head out with the fam for a beach holiday at Boomerang Beach. (Image: Claudia Gabriel Lim)

Top things to do in Boomerang Beach

Swim, surf, and sunbathe at the many beaches

The region is known for its vast, uncrowded beaches, where soft, pristine sand is lapped by crystalline water. It’s also a surfer’s utopia. Aptly named Boomerang Beach is a kilometre-long curved stretch of sand that is bookended by headlands.

an aerial view of a person surfing on the turquoise blue waters, Hola Palms, Boomerang Beach — Surf on gigantic translucent waves. (Image: Tom Radcliff Visuals)

Its east-facing position and rock ledges capture ideal and consistent swell, drawing surfers in far and wide, and has also hosted major surf events. Blueys Beach, to its south, is another favoured surfing spot.

Just north of Boomerang lies Booti Booti National Park where you’ll find Shelly Beach, which is popular with rock fishermen and nudists who stick to the northern corner, and Elizabeth Beach, a calm spot for relaxed swimming and families, and Seven Mile Beach, which stretches all the way to Forster.

a stunning beach and grassy landscape at Booti Booti National Park — Soak up nature and stunning beach views at Booti Booti National Park. (Image: Destination NSW)

While a little further south, Sandbar (also known as Cellito Beach) is an absolute beauty with next to sugar-white sand and turquoise water, accessed by a boardwalk that cuts through littoral rainforest. You can four-wheel-drive on the beach at Sandbar, but you need to apply for a permit.

Scenic coastal views across Elizabeth Beach in Booti Booti National Park. — The region is known for its vast, uncrowded beaches. (Image: Destination NSW)

Isolated surf village Seal Rocks is also nearby (around 25 minutes south of Boomerang). Its main beach, also known as Number One, is popular with beginner surfers and SUP riders, while Treachery Beach and Lighthouse Beach are both magnets for advanced surfers.

a surfer catching waves at Seven Mile Beach which stretches from Gerroa to Shoalhaven Heads — Get ready to catch the waves at Seven Mile Beach. (Image: Destination NSW)

Learn to surf with Gary Hughes Surf School, which runs lessons all over the Barrington Coast. Or if gliding about on a SUP is more your pace, hire a board or book a lesson with Pacific Palms SUP.

three surfers heading out into the water at Elizabeth Beach in Booti Booti National Park — Learn to surf with your mates at Elizabeth Beach. (Image: Destination NSW)

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

Trail the many bushwalks

Booti Booti National Park is an eight-kilometre peninsula wedged between ocean and lake just north of Boomerang. Meaning ‘plenty of honey’ in the local Worimi language, this protected paradise comprises The Booti Hill and Wallis Lake Walking Track, a seven-kilometre loop through coastal rainforest, past white-sand swimming spots and along headlands with views.

an aerial view of Number One Beach, Seal Rocks — Hike up the headlands for incredible views of Number One Beach, Seal Rocks. (Image: Destination NSW)

If you’re venturing to Seal Rocks, make time for the easy Treachery Headland Walking Track, a two-kilometre walk through rainforest with views of Sugarpoint Lighthouse.

Or drive inland to Wallingat National Park, which comprises forest and swamp landscapes and is home to more than 200 species of birds, as well as goannas, echidnas and kangaroos, with a number of tracks including the hyper-green 1.7-kilometre Cabbage Palm Loop.

an aerial view of scenic waters off Number One Beach, Seal Rocks — Capture breathtaking views of Number One Beach, Seal Rocks. (Image: Destination NSW)

Relax at Blueys Beach Natural Health Centre

Located within the small village of Blueys Beach, Blueys Beach Natural Health Centre is a wellness hub offering yoga, pilates and qigong in the garden. Or book in for a relaxing treatment such as a massage, facial or remedial therapy, including acupressure, naturopathic Chinese medicine, iridology, reiki and more.

Where to eat in Boomerang Beach

Blueys Beach may be a tiny village, but it has all the essentials you need for a blissful weekend getaway, starting with coffee. Kembali Cafe does a mean cuppa with an Indo-inspired menu for both breakfast and lunch, while across the road Drift Palms is a casual spot with acai bowls, burgers, fish and chips and the like. Hueys at Blueys Pizzeria serve up gourmet pizzas (and they also deliver) or pick up some local provisions such as cheese, cured meats and wine at Blueys Cellars and Deli.

A little further afield, The Recky at Elizabeth Beach is perched on Wallis Lake and has a pub-style menu with a large lawn that is great for kids; they also run a courtesy bus.

people dining on the lakeside lawn at The Recky, Elizabeth Beach — Dine al fresco in front of Wallis Lake at The Recky.

Or venture to Forster for a host of excellent eateries, including Mexican cantina Si Senorita or Wharf Street Distillery to dine on modern Australian and sample the gins made onsite.

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Where to stay in Boomerang Beach

Mahalo

Mahalo in Boomerang Beach is an exquisite home located a stone’s throw from the beach. It sleeps up to 10 guests and prioritises fun family time as much as it does luxury (think a swimming pool, fire pit, pizza oven, board games, bunk beds, skateboard, beach cart and more). It is just one of the exquisite holiday homes hosted by Hola Palms, a bespoke collection of architecturally designed properties around Boomerang Beach, Blueys Beach and its surrounds.

Moby’s Beachside Retreat

Moby’s Beachside Retreat is a short walk from Blueys Beach and has a variety of beach houses that sleep two to six guests, with a pool and spa, gym, tennis court and Sips at Moby’s, a bistro that is open all day.

The Southern Highlands earns its title as Australia’s top country town in the cooler months, and it’s worth every minute of the 90-minute drive from Sydney.

Many Sydneysiders head to the Southern Highlands in spring for the tulips. It’s one of the most stunning spring carnivals in Australia. But the ones in the know come to Bowral in winter.

The first thing you notice at this time of year is the quality of the light. It catches the tangled limbs of the gums and tints the fields, farms and forests a pretty shade of Granny Smith green. And then, a world-class art museum, an impressive network of walking trails, great shops, cosy restaurants and bars and luxury accommodation take centre stage, making Bowral a place you want to linger as the mercury drops.

Just 90 minutes south of Sydney, a Bowral winter getaway is the coolcation city folk desperately need. Here are eight reasons to pack a good coat and head for the Southern Highlands.

1. Check in

aerial of Ardour Milton Park Bowral in winter — Check in to the gorgeous Ardour Milton Park Bowral. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Ardour Milton Park Bowral rises like a hologram in the hazy green light as you turn onto Horderns Road. A $10 million refurbishment of the grand 1910 estate was completed in early 2026, and the beautifully restored hotel now includes 44 guest rooms washed in sage green, cobalt blue and dusty blush. The dining room at Horderns Restaurant continues with a botanical theme – earthy banquettes, floral touches throughout – and a menu that moves with the seasons.

After enjoying slow-braised Cowra lamb and a second glass of red, move to the Polo Bar, which has a fireplace and views across the estate gardens. Build a grazing board from the dedicated Charcuterie Room and take it outside while the light lasts. If the sky clouds over, use this as your cue to enjoy a next-level spa experience at Èliva.

2. Hunt for treasure

couple exploring Dirty Janes bowral — Find vintage treasures in Dirty Janes. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Winter is the perfect season to lose an afternoon inside Dirty Janes Bowral. Over 1600 square metres of covered space houses 90 individual sellers of everything from mid-century furniture to industrial lighting, antique silverware, vintage clothing and objects whose previous lives you can only imagine. Enjoy a bit of off-the-cuff banter with your fellow fossickers in between searching for that must-have military jacket or vintage silk scarf.

Around the corner, find the Instagram-famous front door of FoundAntiques, though the real finds are deeper inside. Bring cash, wear comfortable shoes and leave some room in the boot.

3. Slow down in a beautiful gallery

kids posing with donald bradman statue in bowral's The Bradman Museum — Learn about an Aussie legend at The Bradman Museum. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Ngununggula – meaning ’belonging’ in the language of the Gundungurra First Nations people – is the region’s first dedicated regional gallery, housed inside the sustainably transformed old dairy building at historic Retford Park. The onsite White Cottage Gallery and restored grounds of the former Fairfax estate reward a slow wander. Find a spot to sit in the courtyard filled with rivulets of winter light and enjoy the plaintive call of a currawong carrying across the heritage-listed grounds. It’s one of the best things to do in Bowral.

Add Bowral Honey Farm for a hands-on harvest experience, then continue into town to the Milk Factory Gallery to admire eclectic works by local artists in a converted industrial space. The Bradman Museum also knocks it out of the park. Australia’s largest dedicated cricket museum sits beside the heritage-listed Bradman Oval, where a young Sir Donald Bradman first picked up a bat.

4. A taste of France

table spread at Lucette bowral — Enjoy a taste of France at Lucette.

For a taste of France without the airfare, husband-and-wife team Julien and Romy Besnard – of long-loved Franquette Crêperie – have opened Lucette, a French cafe-bistro with Paris-born chef Guillaume Dubois at the helm. Dubois brings serious pedigree from Michelin-starred kitchens in France and Sydney’s former two-hatted Monopole, and it shows. Start your day with pastries for breakfast and bookend it with boeuf bourguignon for dinner. The chocolate mousse, freckled with Guerande Salt, is the kind of dish that will make you feel smug about the decision to drive south. Join the Sydneysiders dressed in charcoal coats, boots and black tights who’ve already worked this out; the whole scene is worthy of splicing it into an Instagram reel.

Francophiles should also be across Julien’s Bowral Brasserie – led by Frenchman Julien Viel, who also found his way to the Southern Highlands and stayed.

5. Indulge in a tipple

Centennial Vineyards bowral in winter — Spend time amongst the local vines. (Credit: Destination NSW)

The drive to Centennial Vineyards passes through a beautiful woodland idyll, the countryside a fuzz of green all around. Inside the Barrel Room, a tasting flight of cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay and reserve shiraz viognier flaunts how well the Southern Highlands does winter.

This is a region that takes its cool-climate wines seriously, and the pinot noir is one of the stars – a gentle, easy-drinking style with red cherry aromas. Follow your tutored cellar door tasting with another glass of wine in the Terrace Bar, which overlooks the vineyard and manicured grounds.

6. Blend your own gin

Millsheds Distillery & Bar is somewhat of a local secret. The award-winning small-batch operation produces gin, vodka and liqueurs using Australian botanicals and has picked up silver medals at both the London Spirits Competition and International Wine & Spirit Competition. Beyond the tasting paddle, the hands-on blending masterclass – where you design and leave with two bottles of your own custom gin – is the experience to book, while the terrace bar that wraps around the courtyard is a fine place to settle in afterwards.

7. Go for a walk at dawn

Switch your phone off sleep mode and set your alarm to early. Mt Gibraltar rises to 864 metres just east of Bowral’s main street and offers the best views in town. You will pass a raggle-taggle bunch of hikers on the way up to the summit, all making the same quiet pilgrimage into the crisp high-altitude air. On a clear morning, the bony ridges of the ranges come into sharp relief against the light. The return loop takes roughly 90 minutes. A flat white in Bowral tastes considerably better after completing one of the scenic walking trails.

8. Cosy up by the fireplace

A cosy bar is the perfect complement to winter in Bowral, and there are a few worth committing to. Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel is built for long, languorous evenings. Take a seat beside the fireplace laden with gnarled logs and work your way through a few whiskies and bar bites like Rangers Valley beef tartare, or salt cod and potato croquettes.

At Hickory’s within Peppers Craigieburn, well-dressed waiters in denim and leather move quietly between tables, and the cosy fireplace in the adjoining guest lounge attracts an Escape to the Country crowd.

Start planning your Bowral escape at visitsouthernhighlands.com.au.

A perfect guide to Boomerang Beach

The sleepy NSW beach town you need to know about now.

How to get to Boomerang Beach

Top things to do in Boomerang Beach