Overview
Discover the amazing world of rockpools along the shores of Merewether and Burwood Beach, on this 2-hour guided tour in Glenrock State Conservation Area, near Newcastle.
- When
2026 tours:
- 12 January, 10am to 12pm
- 14 April, 11am to 1pm
- 17 July, 3pm to 5pm
- 6 October, 10.30am to 12.30pm
- Accessibility
- No wheelchair access
- Grade
- Easy. Suitable for adults and children 5 years and over. There is a 1km return walk over rough ground.
- Price
-
Adult $15 per person. Child $10 per person. Family $40 (2 adults and 2 children).
- Meeting point
- Merewether Baths, behind amenities building.
- What to
bring - Hat, sunscreen, drinking water, sturdy shoes
- Bookings
- Bookings required. Phone 1300 072 757 for more information or book online.
Come along and learn about tidal zones and the different sea life that occupies these areas.
You’ll learn all about various types of beautiful shells that colour this coastline. Looking below the surface, you’ll discover gastropods and bivalves – amazing invertebrate animals encased by a shell – in their natural environment. Get to know these animals and understand why rockpools play such an important role in this harsh environment.
Rockpools play host to a diverse ecosystem that includes red, green and brown algae. Discover how marine life uses this fragile environment to survive. Cunjevoi or 'sea squirt' is exposed to the air for only a few hours a day in the low tide zone – it’s a great place for the oyster catchers to score a meal.
We might find Port Jackson shark egg cases, cuttlefish, fish, crabs, limpets, zebra shells, elephant snails, sponges and coal washed up along the foreshore.
Look out for the bottlenose dolphins which are often seen off the rock shelves, swimming and playing in large groups. Discover how the white-bellied sea eagle uses this coastal area for food and nesting. See if you can spot shorebirds feeding on the rock platforms and pool edges.
Rockpool areas can be slippery. Wear sturdy enclosed non-slip shoes and be prepared to get them a little wet.
Bookings
- 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
- NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
Park info
- in Glenrock State Conservation Area in the North Coast region
Glenrock State Conservation Area is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
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