Light to Light walk
Green Cape area in Beowa National Park
Overview
Discover the wild beauty of the Far South Coast on the 32km Light to Light Walk, near Eden. Camp with views of the ocean at remote coastal campgrounds and end your walk at the southernmost lighthouse in NSW.
- Where
- Green Cape area in Beowa National Park in South Coast
- Distance
- 32km one-way
- Time suggested
- 2 - 3 days
- Grade
- Grade 4
- Trip Intention Form
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It's a good idea to let someone know where you're going. Fill in a trip intention form to send important details about your trip to your emergency contact.
- Personal Locator Beacon
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Hire a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) for free at the Merimbula office.
- Entry fees
- Park entry fees apply
- What to
bring - Drinking water, food supplies, first aid kit, personal locator beacon, clothes for all weather conditions, sturdy shoes, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent
- Please note
- This walk can be done as a whole or in sections. If you choose to walk the track in sections, consider car pooling ahead of time.
- In some sections you’ll be crossing slippery rock platforms, cobbled beaches and shallow creeks.
- Water availability along the track is limited, so make sure you take water with you for drinking and cooking. Bring containers to carry at least 5L of water.
- While the track offers easy walking along a well-marked route, it does cover some remote country so it’s a good idea to bring a topographic map and compass, or a GPS
The Light to Light Walk hugs the coastline between historic Boyds Tower and Green Cape Lightstation. The views are stunning and ever-changing – from heathland to forest, tea tree groves to banksia woodlands, and sheltered coves to towering red rock platforms. Plus, with so many seafront vantage points, you can spot seals, seabirds and whales.
Enjoy a small section of the walk or embark on a self-guided multi-day hike, staying overnight at the hike-in campgrounds.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Boyds Tower to Mowarry Point
Distance: 9km
Time suggested: 2 to 3 hours
Toilets at: Boyds Tower, Mowarry campground
Water at: Boyds Tower, Mowarry campground
From Boyds Tower, follow the trail south and keep the coast on your left. Signposts will guide you as you meander through a coastal forest, reshaping and regrowing since the 2019/2020 fires.
Today you will get glimpses of the dramatic Devonian era geology that Beowa National Park is famous for. Leather Jacket Bay provides a great lunch or rest stop with plenty of shade and protection from the wind.
A few more undulating kilometres down the track will take you to Mowarry campground, the site of an old European settlement. Pitch your tent on one of 10 camping platforms, change into your swimming gear and rinse off in the sapphire blue waters of the bay.
Day 2: Mowarry Point to Hegartys Bay
Distance: 10km
Time suggested: 2.5 to 3.5 hours
Toilets at: Mowarry campground, Saltwater Creek campground, Hegartys Bay campground
Water at: Mowarry campground, Saltwater Creek campground, Hegartys Bay campground
Day 2 has a lot of diversity. Head across Mowarry Beach and back into the bush, traverse across heathlands and hop on and off rock shelves until you arrive at Saltwater Beach. Saltwater Creek and Woodburn Creek are intermittently open and closed to the ocean depending on the tide – you may need to get your feet wet when crossing these shallow creeks.
Poke your head into Saltwater Creek campground if you need to use the facilities. Drop toilets, rainwater tanks, barbecues and rubbish bins are available here.
Head south along Saltwater Beach until you find the rock steps with a short climb up onto the heathland, and keep your eyes peeled for the elusive eastern ground parrot. Get your first glimpses of Green Cape Lighthouse way off in the distance as you wind your way along the track and down into Hegartys Bay.
It’s just you and your fellow walkers at this quiet, walk-in campground at Hegartys Bay. Drop your pack at one of the camping platforms and go and explore the bay.
Day 3: Hegartys Bay to Green Cape Lighthouse
Distance: 13km
Time suggested: 3.5 to 4.5 hours
Toilets at: Hegartys Bay campground, Bittangabee campground, Pulpit Rock lookout
Water at: Hegartys Bay campground, Bittangabee campground
Wake up to catch the sunrise over the ocean while you eat breakfast on the beach. Pack up camp and meander through the heathland bursting with wildflowers before you reach Bittangabee Bay. Bittangabee Bay offers a range of swimming, snorkelling and side adventures, as well picnic tables, drop toilets, barbecues and a rainwater tank.
Pick up the new trail heading south along the rock shelf and look out for the unique Light to Light wayfinding markers. The next few kilometres of trail holds everything Beowa National Park has to offer – rock shelves, pebbly beaches, quiet places and breathtaking views.
Pulpit Rock offers sweeping vistas, a scenic midway point for a lunch break.
Explore the nooks and crannies of Beowa National Park as rock steps and staircases lead you on and off rock shelves, providing dramatic views over the Pacific Ocean. You’ll catch tantalising glimpses of Green Cape Lighthouse through the bush as you near the end of your 32km walk.
Finish your epic hike by walking out past the lighthouse onto Green Cape Lookout where 360 views of Beowa National Park, Nadgee Nature Reserve and Croajingalong National Park will have you dreaming of your next adventure.
Nearby
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Green Cape Lighthouse
Green Cape Lighthouse, around 45min south of Eden, is the southernmost lighthouse in NSW. Towering above Green Cape Lightstation Keepers’ Cottages, soak up the maritime heritage and spot migrating whales.
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Boyds Tower
Boyds Tower is the starting point of the Light to Light Walk. Near Eden, this accessible landmark tells the story of Benjamin Boyd who built the tower in 1847. Visit for some of the best whale watching on the NSW south coast.
How to prepare for a multi-day hike
Preparation is key for a safe and enjoyable multi-day walk. If you’re new to overnight hiking, here’s a list of what to consider when planning your epic adventure.
Tell someone about your trip
Fill in a trip intention form to tell your family or friends where you're going, when you expect to return and who is with you. They can contact NSW Police if you don't return on time.
General enquiries
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Operated by
- Merimbula office
- Monday to Friday and some weekends during peak holiday periods, 10am to 3pm.
- 02 6495 5000
- npws.sapphirecoast@environment.nsw.gov.au
- 47 Merimbula Drive, cnr Sapphire Coast Drive, Merimbula NSW 2548
Park info
- in the Green Cape area of Beowa National Park in the South Coast region
The Green Cape area of Beowa National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
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$8 per vehicle per day in the Green Cape area of the park (south of Eden).
Buy annual pass