Sea Acres Rainforest Centre

Sea Acres National Park

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Overview

Close to Port Macquarie, Sea Acres Rainforest Centre is the gateway to your rainforest experience. Friendly staff provide information and there is a café where you can enjoy a delicious breakfast and lunch.

Type
Visitor centres
Where
Sea Acres National Park in North Coast
Accessibility
Easy
Opening times

9am to 4.30pm daily. Closed Christmas Day.

Bookings
Bookings for the Rainforest Cafe can be made on 02 6582 4444.
Please note

Self-guiding brochures are available at the Rainforest Centre.

Sea Acres Rainforest Centre is the ideal place to begin your fascinating journey through Sea Acres National Park, near Port Macquarie. Eco-displays provide a wealth of information about local Aboriginal culture and the surrounding rainforest environment. There are also regular exhibitions of works by local artists, and a gift shop stocking a range of unique environmental products, gifts, crafts, educational toys and games.

Chat to our friendly staff in the Sea Rainforest Centre - they're experts in the area so will be able to tell you all about Sea Acres Aboriginal bush tucker and Discovery tours. The Rainforest Centre is also the meeting place for rainforest meditation that runs once a month.

Stretch your legs along Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk, or the adjacent Rainforest Cafe, nestled amidst a magnificent grove of bangalow palms, is a great place to stop and enjoy a delicious lunch as well as morning and afternoon tea.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Also see

  • A couple enjoys the Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk. Photo: John Spencer © OEH

    Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk

    The Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk is an easy 1.3km walk through the rainforest canopy. You’ll see rainforest birds and animals. It's a great walk for all ages.

  • Roto House, Roto House Historic Site. Photo: John Spencer/NSW Government

    Roto House

    Step back in time and explore the rooms of Roto House, a beautifully preserved, late-Victorian building in Port Macquarie. If you're lucky you might spot a koala in the surrounding trees.

Map


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Current alerts in this area

There are no current alerts in this area.

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/visitor-centres/sea-acres-rainforest-centre/local-alerts

Park info

See more visitor info

Visitor info

All the practical information you need to know about Sea Acres Rainforest Centre.

Getting there and parking

Sea Acres Rainforest Centre is located at the entry to Sea Acres National Park. To get there:

  • From Port Macquarie, head south along Pacific Drive.
  • Sea Acres Rainforest Centre is on the left just after Shelly Beach Road

Road quality

  • Sealed roads

Vehicle access

  • 2WD vehicles

Weather restrictions

  • All weather

Parking

Parking is available at Sea Acres Rainforest Centre.

Best times to visit

Summer

Head to the cool rainforest to escape the summer heat.

Winter

Take binoculars and a camera on beach walks to look to sea for migrating whales.

Facilities

Cafe/kiosk

Maps and downloads

Safety messages

Mobile safety

Dial Triple Zero (000) in an emergency. Download the Emergency Plus app before you visit, it helps emergency services locate you using your smartphone's GPS. Please note there is limited mobile phone reception in this park and you’ll need mobile reception to call Triple Zero (000).

Accessibility

Disability access level - easy

  • The top floor of Sea Acres Rainforst Centre is fully wheelchair accessible. This includes the entrance, toilets, shop, and  ticket sales desk. 

  • The lower floor of the centre, including the theatrette, is not wheelchair accessible. Please contact the centre in advance to request information about assistance to access the lower floor.

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.

Visitor centre

Learn more

Sea Acres Rainforest Centre is in Sea Acres National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:

    Ancient connections

    Rocky coastline with a distant lighthouse, Sea Acres National Park. Photo: Rob Cleary

    Sea Acres National Park is the traditional country of the Birpai People. The park's landscape has provided a rich source of food, medicines and shelter for thousands of years. Evidence of Aboriginal inhabitants has been found in Sea Acres National Park, and it's likely that the Birpai used the area for fishing, hunting and gathering.

    • Bush tucker in Sea Acres National Park Discover bushtucker secrets with our Aboriginal guide on this Stage 2 (Years 3-4) Geography excursion in Sea Acres National Park. An easy stroll along a boardwalk will reveal this area’s naturally occurring ‘supermarket’, and ‘hardware store’.
    • Muluman tour Take a walk to Shelly Beach in Sea Acres National Park on this Aboriginal ranger-guided activity. Discover bush tucker and medicine in the rainforest as you learn about Birpai culture.
    • Yun yi barragay tour Join this ranger-guided Aboriginal cultural tour along the rainforest boardwalk in Sea Acres National Park. You’ll go on a unique journey of discovery and learning.

    Find out more about this special place

    Rainforest boardwalk, Sea Acres National Park. Photo: Rob Cleary

    If you are looking for an educational experience within Sea Acres National Park then take some time out to have a look at The Spirit of the Land exhibition. This multimedia exhibition takes you on a virtual tour of Birpai Country and introduces you to key Birpai stories.

    • Port Macquarie coastal walk You'll pass historic sites, stunning coastal scenery, beaches, and rainforest along the Port Macquarie coastal walk. It can be enjoyed as a full day walk or broken up into several short walks.
    • Sea Acres Rainforest Centre Close to Port Macquarie, Sea Acres Rainforest Centre is the gateway to your rainforest experience. Friendly staff provide information and there is a café where you can enjoy a delicious breakfast and lunch.

    Midnight feast

    Brush tail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), Sea Acres National Park. Photo: Ken Stepnell/OEH

    In the evening, when all the visitors have left, the rainforest of Sea Acres comes alive as bats, possums and bush rats start their day. Rats forage for food in the forest undergrowth, possums hang from trees to munch on berries and leaves, and flying foxes swoop from one tree to another. The park is also the occasional home to koalas which feed on the eucalypts along the western boundary. The park is an important habitat for koalas in the Port Macquarie area as it is one of the largest naturally-vegetated areas remaining and contains some of their favourite food.

    • Muluman tour Take a walk to Shelly Beach in Sea Acres National Park on this Aboriginal ranger-guided activity. Discover bush tucker and medicine in the rainforest as you learn about Birpai culture.
    • Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk tour If you’re near Port Macquarie, come along to this unique ranger-guided experience in Sea Acres National Park. You’ll enjoy a walk under the lush canopy of this rare and spectacular coastal rainforest.
    • Sensing the rainforest Join us and explore the rainforest in this Stage 2 (Years 3-4) Geography excursion at Sea Acres National Park. Students will experience the wonders of this coastal environment through sensory activities.

    Worlds away

    Rocky coastine in Sea Acres National Park. Photo: Rob Cleary

    When you venture out on the boardwalk, immersed in the still beauty of the rainforest, you’ll really believe you've travelled back in time. And you're right. The environment here has remained unchanged for thousands of years. Engage your senses and let the rainforest and its residents take you away to another place. The rainforest is a haven for myriad birds, so look out for the colourful wompoo fruit dove and rose crowned fruit dove and listen for the distinctive yowl of the green catbird. You're bound to see a brush turkey or two foraging on the forest floor.

    • Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk The Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk is an easy 1.3km walk through the rainforest canopy. You’ll see rainforest birds and animals. It's a great walk for all ages.

    Plants and animals protected in this park

    Animals

    • Koala. Photo: Lucy Morrell

      Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

      One of the most renowned Australian animals, the tree-dwelling marsupial koala can be found in gum tree forests and woodlands across eastern NSW, Victoria and Queensland, as well as in isolated regions in South Australia. With a vice-like grip, this perhaps most iconic but endangered Australian animal lives in tall eucalypts within a home range of several hectares.

    • White-bellied sea eagle. Photo: John Turbill

      White-bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)

      White-bellied sea eagles can be easily identified by their white tail and dark grey wings. These raptors are often spotted cruising the coastal breezes throughout Australia, and make for some scenic bird watching. Powerful Australian birds of prey, they are known to mate for life, and return each year to the same nest to breed.

    • Australian brush turkey, Dorrigo National Park. Photo: Rob Cleary

      Australian brush turkey (Alectura lathami)

      The Australian brush turkey, also known as bush or scrub turkey, can be found in rainforests along eastern NSW. With a striking red head, blue-black plumage and booming call, these distinctive Australian birds are easy to spot while bird watching in several NSW national parks.

    Environments in this park

    Education resources (1)

    School excursions (2)