Monument Hill walking track
Arakoon National Park
Overview
Featuring stunning coastal views, the easy Monument Hill walk takes in the historic monument built for German gaol internees before finishing at Little Bay picnic area.
- Where
- Arakoon National Park in North Coast
- Accessibility
- Medium
- Distance
- 1.4km one-way
- Time suggested
- 30min - 1hr
- Grade
- Grade 3
- What to
bring - Drinking water, hat, sunscreen
- Please note
- Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch or whale watch.
- Take care on this path as the casuarina needles can be slippery and there are some steep sections.
- Mermaid Pools, near this walking track, is not recommended for swimming. Large waves wash over the area and visitors can be swept off the rocks.
If you take a walk along the Monument Hill walking track, you’ll be rewarded with the sight of casuarinas in the heathlands, spectacular coastal views, and the fresh sea breeze upon your cheeks as you approach the summit.
The monument itself was built as a tribute to German internees who passed away in Trial Bay Gaol during World War I. Along the walk you’ll see many flannel flowers, planted by the internees because they reminded them of edelweiss and of home.
If you do feel like a longer walk, you can join the Bridle trailand loop back via Powder Magazine walking track, and if you’d like a break, you can enjoy a picnic or go for a paddle around Little Bay picnic area.
Map
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/monument-hill-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 Arakoon National Park in the North Coast region
Arakoon National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Monument Hill walking track.
Track grading
Features of this track
Distance
1.4km one-way
Time
30min - 1hr
Quality of markings
Clearly sign posted
Experience required
Some bushwalking experience recommended
Gradient
Short steep hills: There are short to medium sections of the track that have steep hills.
Quality of path
Formed track: The track is 2m-wide and mostly bitumen along its length, except for short sections at the start and the end of the track, which are asphalt.
There's also a short steep section of gravel and asphalt between the monument and Little Bay.
Steps
Occasional steps: There are 2 steps at the start of the walk as you approach the track head from the Trial Bay Gaol carpark. The steps are wide and asphalt.
Other barriers
Pinch points: There may be points where the track narrows due to vegetation.
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
Monument Hill walking track starts at Trial Bay Gaol in the Trial Bay Gaol precinct of Arakoon National Park.
From South West Rocks:
- Follow Phillip Drive
- Turn left onto Cardwell Street
- Continue along Trial Bay Gaol Access Road until you reach Trial Bay Goal
- The walk begins 200m back up Trial Bay Gaol Access Road
Alternatively, if starting from Little Bay picnic area
- Follow Phillip Drive (it becomes Wilson Street)
- Turn right onto Gladstone Street which becomes Carri Street
- Continue along Carri Street until you reach Little Bay picnic area
Parking
Trial Bay Gaol carpark is the closest carpark to the start of the track. it has 2 accessible parking spots and designated bus parking
There are also 2 small asphalt carparks at Little Bay picnic area where the walk ends.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Arakoon National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Spring
The wildflowers will be out so it’s a great time to hike the park’s walking tracks. Keep an eye out for the glossy black cockatoos that feed on the seeds of ripe she-oak fruit during spring.
Summer
School's out and it's a great time for a family camping holiday – spend your days swimming, snorkelling, fishing and exploring the park's attractions.
Winter
Catch the whales on their journey north along the coast.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
20°C and 26°C
Highest recorded
41.7°C
Winter temperature
Average
12°C and 20°C
Lowest recorded
4°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
March
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
343.7mm
Facilities
The nearest toilet and picnic facilities are located at Trial Bay Gaol. There's also an amenities block at the other end of the track at Little Bay picnic area.
Seats and resting points
There are 5 bench seats with backrests at regular points along the track.
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - medium
Monument Hill walking track is 2m-wide and mostly bitumen, with short sections of asphalt at the start and end of the track.
There are parts of the track where people with reduced mobility may need assistance:
- There are 2 wide asphalt steps at the Trial Bay Gaol track head
- There are some steeper sections along the walk, including a short steep section of gravel and asphalt between the monument and Little Bay.
- There may be points where the track narrows due to vegetation.
There are 5 bench seats with backrests at regular points along the track.
Accessible parking is available in an asphalt carpark at Trial Bay Gaol where this walk begins, and there's one accessible flush toilet at the Bayview amenities block at nearby Trial Bay Gaol campground. There's also an accessible amenities block at the end of the track (at Little Bay picnic area).
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
Monument Hill walking track is in Arakoon National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Abundant bird life
Birds are abundant in Arakoon National Park. In wetland areas, you might see black swans, egrets, herons and spoonbills. On the heath, there are fantails, wrens, honeyeaters and quails. Hawks, falcons, ospreys and eagles soar above the cliffs and forage along the beaches. During the spring, when the she-oaks produce fruit, glossy black cockatoos come in to feed on the ripe seeds. Despite its small size, Arakoon harbours several threatened species, including the osprey and glossy black cockatoo. You're also likely to spot wallabies and echidnas, and the nocturnal brush-tailed phascogales and sugar gliders. During September and October, you can often see humpback whales just offshore, on their return journey to Antarctica.
Fascinating heritage
Dating from 1886, Trial Bay Gaol is a unique example of a public works prison. It was also used as an internment camp in World War I and today the ruins continue to intrigue visitors. It'll take you about an hour to wander through the gaol and the museum. The region has high cultural and spiritual significance to the local Dunghutti people.
- Bridle trail Bridle Trail walking track is an easy short walk offering a glimpse of the historic heritage of Trial Bay Gaol in Arakoon National Park near Kempsey.
- Friends of Trial Bay Gaol The historic ruins of Trial Bay Gaol, in Arakoon National Park on the NSW Mid North Coast, are a significant heritage area. Friends of Trial Bay Gaol invite you to volunteer to help in the protection and promotion of this amazing piece of local history, especially during the annual Sculpture in the Gaol.
- Heritage detectives Help unlock mysteries of the past while exploring historic Trial Bay Gaol from top to bottom. Who were the prisoners and where did they came from? What crimes did they commit to deserve their punishment and what work they carry out in captivity?
- History mysteries Explore the old granite gaol at Trial Bay and help to unlock mysteries of the past on the History Mysteries school excursion. This is a Stage 2 (Years 3-4) excursion to Arakoon National Park, focusing on History.
- Monument Hill walking track Featuring stunning coastal views, the easy Monument Hill walk takes in the historic monument built for German gaol internees before finishing at Little Bay picnic area.
Ideal family getaway
Arakoon National Park is in a magnificent natural setting with a spectacular coastline. There are coastal walks with wonderful views and places to picnic and excellent beachside camping and cottage accommodation. If you’re looking for a place to swim and snorkel, head to sheltered Trial Bay and the kiosk is nearby if you’re looking for a relaxed lunch or dinner. The picnic area at Little Bay is popular with young families, offering barbecues and a large grassed area for games.
- Front Beach Front Beach offers family friendly options including swimming, paddling, liloing and picnicking in Arakoon National Park on the mid North Coast of NSW.
- Little Bay picnic area Little Bay, a popular beach picnic spot near South West Rocks on the north coast where you’ll find shaded tables and a kangaroo or two.
Scenic headlands
The Smoky Cape Adamellite which forms Little Smoky and the Arakoon peninsula is significant as the only coastal outcropping of granite between Bundaberg in Queensland and Moruya Heads in southern NSW. It was used to construct the prison. The naturally vegetated hillslopes of Arakoon form a scenic backdrop to Trial Bay and the popular holiday town of South West Rocks.
- 2-day Port Macquarie motorcycle adventure Enjoy superb scenery as you ride through Arakoon National Park and beyond on this guided adventure with Endeavour Motorcycle Tours, near Port Macquarie.
- Bridle trail Bridle Trail walking track is an easy short walk offering a glimpse of the historic heritage of Trial Bay Gaol in Arakoon National Park near Kempsey.
- Heritage detectives Help unlock mysteries of the past while exploring historic Trial Bay Gaol from top to bottom. Who were the prisoners and where did they came from? What crimes did they commit to deserve their punishment and what work they carry out in captivity?
- Mermaid Pools Mermaid Pools is closed to visitors because it's extremely unsafe for swimming. Many people have been seriously injured here. The pools are located near South West Rocks and Trial Bay in Arakoon National Park.
- Monument Hill walking track Featuring stunning coastal views, the easy Monument Hill walk takes in the historic monument built for German gaol internees before finishing at Little Bay picnic area.
Traditional lands of Dunghutti people
The region surrounding Arakoon National Park has high cultural and spiritual significance to the local Dunghutti people. There are numerous Aboriginal sites within the park of great spiritual and cultural significance, with dreaming stories and cultural learning part of them, still passed on today. These include middens, stone arrangements and spiritual sites. We work with local Aboriginal communities to protect this rich culture.
Plants and animals protected in this park
Animals
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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.
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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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Swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor)
The swamp wallaby, also known as the black wallaby or black pademelon, lives in the dense understorey of rainforests, woodlands and dry sclerophyll forest along eastern Australia. This unique Australian macropod has a dark black-grey coat with a distinctive light-coloured cheek stripe.
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Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)
One of only 2 egg-laying mammals in the world, the short-beaked echidna is one of the most widespread of Australian native animals. Covered in spines, or quills, they’re equipped with a keen sense of smell and a tube-like snout which they use to break apart termite mounds in search of ants.