Innes Ruins Historic Site guided tour

When

2026 tours:

• 14 February 9am to 11am
• 4 and 14 March 9am to 11am
• 1 and 11 April 10am to 12pm
• 6 and 9 May 10am to 12pm
• 3 and 13 June 10am to 12pm
• 1 and 11 July 10am to 12pm
• 5 and 8 August 10am to 12pm
• 2 and 12 September 10am to 12pm
• 7 and 10 October 9am to 11am
• 4 and 14 November 9am to 11am
• 2 and 12 December 9am to 11am

2027 tours:

• 6 and 9 January 9am to 11am
• 3 and 13 February 9am to 11am
• 3 and 13 March 9am to 11am 

Meet at the gate 15mins before the tour departs. You'll need to drive 4km in your own vehicle from the entry gate to the historic site. You'll drive to the site in convoy with NPWS staff. The gate is locked when the tour departs.

Where

Innes Ruins, Innes Ruins Historic Site

Accessibility

Medium

Grade

Easy. Suitable for adults and children 5 years and over. You’ll walk 1km. Visitors enter the Ruins site via an unsealed path with a slight incline and there are some raised boardwalks.

Price

Adult $25 per person. Concession $20 per person. Child (5 to 16 years) $15 per person. 

Meeting point

Locked gate at the entrance to Innes Ruins Historic Site (intersection of The Point Drive and end of The Ruins Way). You will need your own vehicle to drive 4km in convoy from the gate to the historic site.

What to
bring

Drinking water, insect repellent, suitable clothing, sturdy shoes, hat

Bookings

Bookings required. Email us, phone 1300 072 757 for more information or book online.

Perched above serene Lake Innes (Burrawan), Innes Ruins are a significant reminder of early colonial history on the mid-north coast of NSW. These extensive ruins are some of the oldest surviving brick structures in northern New South Wales. The site offers a window into the early colonisation of NSW, convict labour and colonial life in the 1800s.

The house was built by Major Archibald Clunes Innes, but the economic crash of the 1840s led to his financial downfall, and the closure of Port Macquarie as a penal colony meant he lost access to convict labour. After Innes' departure, the house was occupied for several more decades, but by the early 1900s it was abandoned.

During this guided tour, you’ll hear excerpts from the personal diary of Innes’ niece, Annabella Boswell, offering a fascinating glimpse into life on the Innes Peninsula during the 1830s.

Learn surprising Australian firsts you never expected, while reflecting on the deep and lasting impacts of colonisation on this land and its people.

Be sure to wear long clothing and insect repellent for protection against mosquitoes.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info