Booti walking track
Booti Booti National Park
Overview
Just 20km from Forster, Booti walking track is a loop walk which beautifully captures the park's scenic features and offers family-friendly opportunities for swimming and picnicking.
- Where
- Booti Booti National Park in North Coast
- Accessibility
- No wheelchair access
- Distance
- 8km loop
- Time suggested
- 2 - 3hrs
- Grade
- Grade 3
- Entry fees
- Park entry fees apply
- What to
bring - Drinking water, hat, sunscreen
- Please note
- Booti walking track can also be approached from The Ruins Campground and Sunset picnic area on The Lakes Way.
- Remember to bring your binoculars if you want to bird or whale watch
Booti walking track takes you along Booti Booti National Park's rugged coastline, sheltered rainforests and by the tranquil shores of Wallis Lake. It combines three shorter walks to form a rewarding 8km loop with beautiful views to savour along the way.
Starting from Elizabeth Beach, the Booti Hill walking track gradually winds up to a stunning lookout over Charlotte Headland and Shelly Beach. It’s a great place to enjoy an ocean sunrise. The track heads north along the coastal side of the peninsula through palm groves, rainforest and open woodland before gently leading down to Seven Mile Beach. You'll pass through The Ruins campground and picnic area which is a good pit stop for amenities and drinking water. Enjoy the change of pace as you meander along the Wallis Lake Walking Track.
Look out for water birds along the way to Sunset picnic area. The final section of the walk is along Sunset walking track. You'll gently wind your way around the hill, over rocky outcrops and through lush gullies before reconnecting with the Booti Hill walking track. It's a short walk back down to Elizabeth Beach where you can finish with a refreshing swim.
Nearby
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Elizabeth Beach picnic area
A short drive from Forster, Elizabeth Beach picnic area offers a great spot to relax near a beach popular for swimming in summer and whale watching in winter.
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The Ruins campground and picnic area
Located just 15km south of Forster, The Ruins campground is well equipped and a convenient base to explore nearby beaches, swimming, walking and whale watching activities.
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Sunset picnic area
Sunset picnic area in Booti Booti National Park offers sensational lake and mountain views. It’s great for lake swimming, fishing, kayaking, or relaxing on the grassy waterfront of Wallis Lake.
Map
Map legend
Map
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/walking-tracks/booti-walking-track/local-alerts
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
Park info
- in Booti Booti National Park in the North Coast region
Booti Booti National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
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Park entry fees:
$8 per vehicle per day. Day passes are available from the Manning Great Lakes Area Office, Bulahdelah Visitor Information Centre and the Hawks Nest Newsagency.
Buy annual pass.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Booti walking track.
Track grading
Features of this track
Distance
8km loop
Time
2 - 3hrs
Quality of markings
Sign posted
Experience required
Some bushwalking experience recommended
Gradient
Short steep hills
Steps
Many steps
Quality of path
Formed track, some obstacles
Getting there and parking
To get to Elizabeth Beach:
- Drive about 20km south from Forster along The Lakes Way
- Turn left onto Lakeside Crescent and left again at Lethbridge Road
Parking
Parking is available at Ruins campground, Elizabeth Beach, or Sunset picnic area, all accessible via The Lakes Way.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Booti Booti National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Spring
See the park's magnificent wildflower displays as they bloom across the heathlands.
Summer
Swim at the seasonally patrolled Elizabeth Beach or kayak in Wallis Lake, whilst staying at the nearby Ruins campground.
Winter
Visit Cape Hawke lookout to watch whales migrating off the coast.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
15°C and 30°C
Highest recorded
45.2°C
Winter temperature
Average
5°C and 20°C
Lowest recorded
-5°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
March
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
280.2mm
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - no wheelchair access
This walk isn't suitable for visitors with restricted mobility.
Permitted
Fishing
A current NSW recreational fishing licence is required when fishing in all waters.
Prohibited
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Learn more
Booti walking track is in Booti Booti National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
A haven for birds and birdwatchers alike
Booti Booti National Park features a substantial number of amphibians and reptiles, including red-bellied black snakes, brown snakes, rose-crowned snakes and blue-bellied swamp snakes. Goannas are regular visitors to The Ruins campground and picnic areas, and you may even be lucky enough to see a land mullet or water dragon. The unusual peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and Wallis Lake also provides an outstanding habitat for over 210 species of birds, including rainbow and scaly-breasted lorikeets, yellow-faced honeyeaters and silvereyes, as well as a number of waterbirds, including pelicans and the endangered little tern.
- Cape Hawke lookout Just five minutes from Forster, the Cape Hawke lookout offers spectacular views along the coast from the top of a dedicated tower, perfect for whale watching.
- Elizabeth Beach picnic area A short drive from Forster, Elizabeth Beach picnic area offers a great spot to relax near a beach popular for swimming in summer and whale watching in winter.
- Junior ranger: Booti Booti coastal adventure tour Join us for a Junior ranger adventure, as we traverse the shores of Seven Mile Beach. Walk alongside a Discovery Ranger to find out what plants and animals live here, and how they survive in this magical environment.
- Sailing Club picnic area An alternative to the ocean-front options of Booti Booti National Park, Sailing Club picnic area offers a shady rest spot on the shore of Wallis Lake.
Aye, Captain
Captain Cook first sighted Cape Hawke on May 12, 1770, and named it in honour of the First Lord of the Admiralty, Edward Hawke. The famous explorer and surveyor John Oxley later passed through the area in 1818. The first European inhabitant was Captain J. Gogerly, who sailed between Forster and Sydney ferrying timber, oyster shells, and sandstone. Today you can pay respects to Captain Gogerly and some of his relatives at their gravemarkers, across the road from the Ruins campground.
- Booti walking track Just 20km from Forster, Booti walking track is a loop walk which beautifully captures the park's scenic features and offers family-friendly opportunities for swimming and picnicking.
- Junior ranger: Booti Booti coastal adventure tour Join us for a Junior ranger adventure, as we traverse the shores of Seven Mile Beach. Walk alongside a Discovery Ranger to find out what plants and animals live here, and how they survive in this magical environment.
Spirituality, identity and lifestyle
Booti Booti National Park holds important cultural significance for the Worimi Aboriginal people, who have lived on and used the land and waters for many thousands of years. Dozens of Aboringal sites exist within the park, including artefact scatters, stone quarries, tool sites, and shell middens. These are important markers of Aboriginal history in the region, demonstrating how land, water, plants and animals contributed to and continue to have significance for Aboriginal identity, spirituality, and lifestyle.
- Aboriginal culture Bring your students to this unique excursion in Booti Booti National Park, near Forster. They’ll experience the park through the eyes of an Aboriginal person on this Stage 2 (Years 3-4) Aboriginal culture Geography excursion.
- Junior ranger: Booti Booti coastal adventure tour Join us for a Junior ranger adventure, as we traverse the shores of Seven Mile Beach. Walk alongside a Discovery Ranger to find out what plants and animals live here, and how they survive in this magical environment.
Plants and animals protected in this park
Animals
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Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
The humpback whale has the longest migratory path of any mammal, travelling over 5000km from its summer feeding grounds in Antarctica to its breeding grounds in the subtropics. Its playful antics, such as body-rolling, breaching and pectoral slapping, are a spectacular sight for whale watchers in NSW national parks.
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Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)
The curious pelican is Australia’s largest flying bird and has the longest bill of any bird in the world. These Australian birds are found throughout Australian waterways and the pelican uses its throat pouch to trawl for fish. Pelicans breed all year round, congregating in large colonies on secluded beaches and islands.
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Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus)
The grey-headed flying fox is Australia's largest native bat, with a wingspan up to 1m. This threatened species travels up and down south-eastern Australia and plays a vital role in pollinating plants and spreading seeds in our native forests.
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Lace monitor (Varanus varius)
One of Australia’s largest lizards, the carnivorous tree-dwelling lace monitor, or tree goanna, can grow to 2m in length and is found in forests and coastal tablelands across eastern Australia. These Australian animals are typically dark blue in colour with whitish spots or blotches.
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Tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides)
Found throughout Australia, the tawny frogmouth is often mistaken for an owl due to its wide, powerful beak, large head and nocturnal hunting habits. The ‘oom oom oom’ call of this native bird can be heard echoing throughout a range of habitats including heath, woodlands and urban areas.