This is a pleasant walk which wanders around the coast from Bittangabee Bay to the rocky Hegartys Bay. The walk is an excellent outing from Bittangabee Bay camping and picnic areas, and it passes a few good places for a swim. The walk is well marked and explores the coast north of Bittangabee Bay. The red coast at Hegartys bay is fantastic. If you want, there is a bush camp at Hegartys Bay, making this into an overnight walk.
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Please note: This is a 'return' style walk and therefore these graphs only show the terrain for the first half of the walk (until the turn around point.)
Cross sectional view of the Bittangabee Bay to Hegartys Bay bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Bittangabee Bay to Hegartys Bay bushwalking track
Overview of this walks Grading - Based on the AS 2156.1 - 2001
These details are new. This new feature still requires more testing and refining. Please use the 'Walker Feedback' for report specific issues. Please e-mail Matt if you have any general comments. Hope you find it helpful.
Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.
Length
9km
Time
3 hrs 30 mins
.
Grade 4/6
Track: Hard
AS 2156.1
Gradient
Very steep (4/6)
Quality of track
Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
Signs
Minimal directional signs (4/6)
Experience Required
No experience required (1/6)
Weather
Storms may impact on navigation and safety (3/6)
Infrastructure
Limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) (4/6)
*This summary of grading information is new and still in testing
Some more detail of this walks Grading
Here is a bit more details explaining the grading looking at sections of the walk. Gradient
2.6km of this walk has short steep hills and another 1.7km is very steep. The remaining (280m) has gentle hills with occasional steps.
Quality of track
Around 2.3km of this walk follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles, whilst the remaining 2.3km follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely.
Signs
2.3km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection and another 1.9km has minimal directional signs. The remaining (380m) is clearly signposted.
Experience Required
This whole walk, 4.6km requires no previous bushwalking experience.
Weather
Around 4.3km of this walk is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation), whilst the remaining 280m is affected by storms that may impact your navigation and safety.
Infrastructure
2.3km of this walk has limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) and another 1.9km has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced). The remaining (380m) is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).
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Bittangabee Bay Picnic Area is near Bittangabee Bay and camp area in Ben Boyd National Park. The picnic area is a day-use only area with a few picnic tables, an electric BBQ and a pit toilet. There is a reasonable amount of natural shade, and is close to a car park. There is short walk to the beach and ruins at Bittangabee Bay. The picnic area is well signposted on the loop road near the Bittangabee camping area.
(0 km)
Bittangabee Bay Picnic area
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Bittangabee Beach Optional sidetrip: Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 90 m
Time = 2 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -6 m
Turn sharp left: From the road just near the picnic area, this walk heads down the hill, passing through the picnic area and down the stairs. The water and beach are visible through the trees, the track soon leading down onto the beach. (Retrace your steps back to the main track, then turn right to continue along this walk.)
Bittangabee Bay Beach
Alt = 3 m
Bittangabee Bay Beach, Ben Boyd National Park, is a small beach at the south-western corner of the bay. The beach can be accessed by a short walk from Bittangabee picnic area in Ben Boyd National Park. The yellow sand beach has a small creek and lagoon behind. The beach also has rock platforms at each end and is fairly well-protected from swells, being tucked away in the bay. The historic storehouse is visible on the shore to the right.
(0 km)
Bittangabee Bay Picnic area
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Int. Coast and Ruins Trks Sth Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 154 m
Time = 3 mins
Climb = 5 m
Descent = -1 m
From the picnic area, the walk follows the sign to 'Saltwater Creek 9.0km' down the hill, keeping the road above on the left. The track heads down the hillside and crosses a rocky creek bed, then leads up the hill to an information sign marking the intersection.
(0.15 km)
Int. Coast and Ruins Trks Sth
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Int. Coast and Ruins Trks Nth Alternate Route:
Track: Moderate - bushtrack
( Show detail)
Length = 420 m
Time = 8 mins
Climb = 10 m
Descent = -11 m
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk passes the 'Welcome to Bittangabee' sign (to the left of the track) as it heads down the hill keeping the water below on the right. The track keeps the water below on the right to tend left, around the hillside. The track passes numerous bay access tracks on the right to soon come to a signposted intersection. Veer right to rejoin the main walk, following the notes from 0.53km 'Int. Coast and Ruins Trks Nth'.
(0.15 km)
Int. Coast and Ruins Trks Sth
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Imlay House Ruins Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 143 m
Time = 3 mins
Climb = 10 m
Descent = -2 m
Veer left: From the intersection, the track heads up the hill keeping the 'Welcome to Bittangabee' sign below on the right. The track tends right up the hill, to a black platform overlooking the Imlay House ruins.
Imlay House
Alt = 19 m
Imlay House ruins still show the foundations of a house built by the Imlay brothers in 1844. The ruins are found in Bittangabee Bay in Ben Boyd National Park, along the Light to Light track. The house was to be a station for the Imlay family to further their grazing and whaling in the area. It appears the stone house was never completed, with the brothers dying in 1846 (George) and 1847 (Alexander). Soon after the Imlay brothers died, Benjamin Boyd began using the bay for his own whaling company in 1848. More info
(0.3 km)
Imlay House Ruins
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Bittangabee Creek Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 582 m
Time = 12 mins
Climb = 10 m
Descent = -23 m
Continue straight: From the platform, the walk keeps the platform and ruins on the right as it heads down the hill to a signposted intersection. Veer left: From the intersection, the walk follows neither arrows on the sign but heads away from the face of the sign, keeping the bay below on the right. The bay becomes narrower as the track tends left into a gully. Soon, the track comes to be above a creek.
Bittangabee Creek
Alt = 6 m
Bittangabee Creek is a small creek feeding Bittangabee Bay in Ben Boyd National Park. The creek enters the bay and is crossed by the Light to Light track about 800m north-west of Bittangabee Campsite. The creek provides a quiet place for people to paddle and relax.
(0.88 km)
Bittangabee Creek
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Black cliffs south Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 1.43 km
Time = 29 mins
Climb = 51 m
Descent = -50 m
Continue straight: From the creek, this walk crosses immediately over the rocky creek bed to the other side, and then winds right along the hillside of the creek's gully. The track leads up out of this gully, tending left, to following track markers bolted to the trees. The track undulates out of the bush and into the heath before dropping down onto a rock shelf above the sea.
Black cliffs
Alt = 7 m
The black cliffs of Ben Boyd National Park provide a great vantage point. The headland on the north side of Bittangabee has a fairly large clearing on a rock platform, high above the ocean. There are great views out to sea and into the mouth of Bittangabee Bay. There are no fences or facilities at this informal lookout. Being dark in colour, this rock platform can get very uncomfortable on hot days - trees on the south side provide some respite with shade. The rock slopes into the sea on the south side, but would be too dangerous for swimming.
(2.31 km)
Black cliffs south
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Hegartys Bay Camp Track: Hard - rockshelf,bushtrack
Length = 1.94 km
Time = 35 mins
Climb = 40 m
Descent = -38 m
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk heads up the rock shelf, keeping Green Cape Lighthouse and the bay behind, and the ocean to the right, of the track. The track leads up the rock platform, with its stunning views over the ocean and coast to the right. Before the end of the rock platform, the walk comes to an intersection with a track on the left, marked by some boulders. Continue straight: From the rock platform, this walk heads up the stairs away from the ocean and rock platform. The track winds through the heath for some time, tending right and then parallel to the sea, which is on the far right of the track. The track continues across this headland, to then drop down into a creek, which it passes over to head up the hill to a signposted clearing, 'Hegartys Bay Camping Area'.
Hegartys Bay camping area
Alt = 9 m
Hegartys Bay camping area is a basic bush campsite on the Light to Light walk, about 2km north of Bittangabee. The campsite is signposted and is just north of a small creek that leads to Hegartys Bay. There is another, smaller campsite that is not signposted, about 50m north. The creek is very unreliable and other than some impromptu chairs made from driftwood, there are no facilities provided. The campsite is nestled in a clearing among the tall, dense bush, providing some shade and shelter from winds.
Hegartys Bay
Alt = 4 m
Hegartys Bay is a north-east facing bay, about 2km north of Bittangabee in Ben Boyd National Park. The bay has many small boulders at the apex that then fade to rock shelves at each end. The bay is walled by red cliffs at the entrance and the northern wall has some spectacular examples of rock folding. The bay can be accessed along the Light to Light track and is home to a bush campsite.
(4.25 km)
Hegartys Bay Camp
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Hegartys Bay Beach Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 323 m
Time = 6 mins
Climb = 8 m
Descent = -10 m
Continue straight: From the clearing, this walk keeps the ocean on the right as it passes behind Hegartys Bay. The track winds through the bush, passing a small clearing and fireplace on the left of the track before heading down into the bay. The track follows arrow markers along the rock features of the bay, to the sandy beach of Hegartys Bay.
Fire Danger This walk passes Far South Coast fire area which currently has a LOW MODERATE rating and No fire ban in place. (Tomorrow the Fire Danger Rating is LOW MODERATE, No fire ban.) (Downloaded 7 years ago) Please Note: Each park may have its own fire ban, this rating is only valid for today and is based on information from the RFS Please check the RFS Website for more information.
Ben Boyd National ParkLink to official closures and fire bans page Ben Boyd National park is on the NSW South Coast, near Eden. The park was named and established in 1971, in the honour of Benjamin Boyd (1801-1851). Ben Boyd National park protects a wonderful section of coast line from Pambula to Green Cape, split into two distinct sections, one north of Eden and the other south. The park is well known for its contrasting red rocks, whale sighting, Boyd Tower, Green Cape Lighthouse and associated history. Ben Boyd National park offers some great insights into recent European history, Indigenous occupation and natural history. The park provides two campsites some other great recreational experiences. Region: South Coast & Highlands Park feesCampingFacilities I am not aware of any closures in this park at the moment.
Hiking near Sydney 
Track: Hard
1 km
A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.
not too much longer now :)