Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk
Sea Acres National Park
Overview
The Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk is best experienced on a guided tour. An easy 1.3km walk through the rainforest canopy, you’ll see forest birds and animals.
- Where
- Sea Acres National Park
- Accessibility
- Easy
- Distance
- 1.3km loop
- Time suggested
- 27min - 1hr 15min
- Grade
- Grade 1
- Price
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$9 adult, $5 school age child, $20 per family (2 adults, 3 children), $7 pension/seniors card, companion card/carer free of charge. See more entry fees and tour information.
- Opening times
Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk is:
- Open 9am-4.30pm (Monday to Sunday)
- Closed on Christmas Day
- Please note
- The guided tour is included in the boardwalk entry price when guides are available
- Brochures are available at the Rainforest Centre if you wish to explore the boardwalk alone
Many wonders of the rainforest reside above ground level, so getting up into the canopy is the best way to explore it properly. Rising seven metres through the forest understorey to the canopy above, Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk provides the perfect platform from which to experience this busy habitat.
Setting out from Sea Acres Rainforest Centre, you’re likely to see rainforest birds, like the scarlet robin, feeding and nesting in tree branches. And keep an eye out for goannas and the slithering diamond python.
This rainforest was a rich resource for the Biripai people. They used the walking stick palm as a travel aid and made weapons from the python tree, which is the second hardest wood in the world.
Take a walk in the canopy along the boardwalk, enjoy the colourful sculptures, and learn about the threatened species living in the precious littoral rainforest at Sea Acres.
Take a virtual tour of Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk captured with Google Street View Trekker.
Also see:
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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.
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/sea-acres-rainforest-boardwalk/local-alerts
Park info
- in Sea Acres National Park in the North Coast region
Sea Acres 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 Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk.
Track grading
Grade 1
Learn more about the grading system Features of this track-
Time
27min - 1hr 15min
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Quality of markings
Clearly sign posted
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Gradient
Flat
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Distance
1.3km loop
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Steps
No steps
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Quality of path
Well-formed track
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Experience required
No experience required
Getting there and parking
Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk starts at Sea Acres Rainforest Centre 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
Parking
Parking is available at Sea Acres Rainforest Centre.
Maps and downloads
Fees and passes
Boardwalk entry:
$9 adult, $5 school age child, $20 per family (2 adults, 3 children), $7 pension/seniors card, companion card/carer free of charge.
Sea Acres Yearly Access Pass:
$30 single, $25 pension/seniors card, $60 family, $50 pension/seniors family card, $80 community service organisations (limit 15 clients and 2 carers per visit), additional clients and carers at child entry rate. Annual NSW Parks Passes are not valid for boardwalk entry.
School visit entry:
Please contact Sea Acres Rainforest Centre on (02) 6582 3355 for more details regarding school visits.
Accessibility
Disability access level - easy
- The boardwalk has gentle grades and no steps, and is fully accessible for wheelchairs, prams, and visitors with limited mobility.
- Seats along the boardwalk provide convenient places to rest and enjoy the coastal rainforest.
- Wheelchair-accessible toilet facilities are available at the Sea Acres Rainforest Centre.
Easy access is free of obstacles such as steps, rough terrain or significant slopes, and may have ramps or boardwalks.
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
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Sea Acres Rainforest Centre
159 Pacific Drive, Port Macquarie NSW 2444 - 9am to 4.30pm daily. Closed Christmas Day.
- 02 6582 3355
Nearby towns
Kempsey (40 km)
Kempsey is a historic river town close to national parks and majestic beaches. Kempsey is a convenient place for an overnight stop for anyone driving between Sydney and the North Coast.
Port Macquarie (3 km)
Vibrant Port Macquarie is surrounded by beautiful waterways - the Hastings River, canals, creeks, bays and the Pacific Ocean. The city also has a five-star collection of golden-sand beaches stretching from Port Macquarie Beach to Town Beach and north along the 16-km swathe of North Beach.
Wauchope (20 km)
Wauchope is great base for exploring nearby national parks that are part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. Follow the Hastings Forest Way to Werrikimbe National Park, a rugged wilderness of outstanding beauty spread with short and long walks. Willi Willi National Park is a rainforest mountain park with three beautiful walking tracks that follow the river and lead to a sparkling waterfall.
Learn more
Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk is in Sea Acres National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Ancient connections
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.
- Boardwalk bush tucker 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.
- 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.
Find out more about this special place
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
- 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.
Worlds away
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 best experienced on a guided tour. An easy 1.3km walk through the rainforest canopy, you’ll see forest birds and animals.
Plants and animals you may see
Animals
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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.
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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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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.
