Heaven on Earth?

23 November 2010

Camden Haven locals certainly think so!

The Camden Haven boasts a myriad of beautiful waterways set on the NSW mid north coast, only 40km south of Port Macquarie. With sweeping unspoiled beaches, smooth rivers, lush national parks, laid-back locals and holiday parks nestled in the prettiest of places – you can’t go wrong.

 

Kew is the first Camden Haven village from the Pacific Hwy. Flip a coin to determine the road ahead: west to the hinterland or east to the coast? Either direction offers a valuable touring experience.

 

Dotted around the Camden Haven River mouth are the towns of Laurieton, Dunbogan, Camden Head and North Haven. Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie lie to the north on the coast, while Kendall, Lorne, and Comboyne are nestled in the west of the region. North, South and Middle Brother Mountains form the Three Brothers and are defining features of the Camden Haven.

 

Aboriginal legend tells of three siblings who perished at the hands of a witch and three mountains rose from each brother’s buried remains. Coincidently, Captain Cook in 1770 coined the mountains the Three Brothers when he sited them from the sea.

 

The star attraction of the Camden Haven is no doubt North Brother Mountain, within Dooragan National Park. The giant looms a magnificent 495m above Laurieton, the commercial hub of the region. The summit’s lookouts will blow you away. Enjoy a bird’seye view of the coastline, the lakes and the Camden Haven River mouth. It’s a serene spot for a picnic or BBQ.

 

You may even enjoy a free aerial show as hang gliders launch themselves off the mountain. Dooragan National Park is a haven for native animals and birds. Enjoy the park’s ambience on a short 500m rainforest loop or the more challenging 800m Top Track down North Brother Mountain. For the very keen, there’s the gruelling two-hour Laurieton Track descending to the mountain’s base.

 

LAURIETON

 

“It’s heaven here,” exclaimed a local, out walking her dog at sunset on one of the Camden Haven’s stunning beaches.

 

“I live in Laurieton – the best place on earth!” she stated as her boxer bounded happily about in the surf. The ex-Sydneyite moved to the Camden Haven a year ago with her Winnebago motorhome, “There are no sirens, it’s quiet, and there’s water everywhere,” she boasts.

 

From my base at lakeside Christmas Cove Caravan Park, I followed the Queenslake Walking Trail as it wound itself around the water, past bushland, and into Laurieton’s main shopping drag. This is where you’ll find the Plaza Theatre, built in 1959 and wonderfully restored.

 

Baz Luhrmann’s father was the projectionist in the ’70s and the Plaza proudly boasts it is, “The theatre that inspired Baz Luhrmann to become a film maker”.

 

Every third Sunday of the month, Laurieton holds their Riverwalk Markets, one of the biggest on the mid north coast. Some 200 stall holders attract over 3000 people to Camden Haven’s foreshore. Goods sold include many homemade crafts and local produce. Use the jumping castle and pony rides as bargaining tools to ensure the kids help carry all your goodies!

 

Take your fresh produce and picnic rug to one of the many parks in the region. Watch as pelicans glide over the water from riverside Apex Park, next to Dunbogan Bridge. Facilities include electric barbecues, picnic tables and amenities.

 

Got a tinny? There’s also a boat ramp and fish cleaning table after you catch some big ones. Not lucky? Buy fresh fish from the shop at Laurieton Fisherman’s Co-op. For something fancy, purchase Camden Haven harvested rock oysters direct from the growers at Armstrong Oysters.

 

Dolphins Family Restaurant within the United Services Club dishes up a hearty meal at a good price. Grab the lunchtime special everyday for $8 or Sunday night’s roast for only $9.

 

Toss the coin again. From Laurieton, the land forks north-east and south-east as the Camden Haven River inlet snakes a watery path separating Dunbogan and Camden Head with North Haven, Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie. Choose heads or tails and make your way over one of the bridges to the other side.

 

NORTH HAVEN, BONNY HILLS & LAKE CATHIE

 

For alfresco cafés overlooking the river, picnic spots, sweeping surf beaches, and prime fishing, you’ll want to make your way over the bridge to North Haven. A walking track hugs the water from the Fish Co-Op at Laurieton, travelling past the restaurants and extending to the breakwall at North Haven Beach.

 

Grants Beach, the continuation of North Haven Beach, is a surfer’s delight. Four kilometres along sits Bonny Hills, home to Rainbow Beach, popular for its expanse of white sand. The surf beach hosts surfing competitions and an annual Mal Muster (a gathering of long surfboard riders). The beach reserve includes electric BBQs and playground equipment.

 

The heart of Lake Cathie (pronounced ‘cat eye’) is its large saltwater lake, sporadically opened to the sea. The shallow water is ideal for families and only 18km south of Port Macquarie. Pack a picnic and bask in the sunshine. Lake Cathie Beach is patrolled during the Christmas school holiday period and is a popular swimming spot.

 

DUNBOGAN & CAMDEN HEAD

 

Want to hire a boat? Dunbogan Boatshed & Marina is the only boat hire fleet on the Camden Haven River.

 

Weave your way back into Laurieton CBD and continue over the Dunbogan Bridge, spanning the Camden Haven River. The first left turn will lead you to the charming fishing towns of Dunbogan and Camden Head. A popular, sheltered swimming beach is Pilot Beach, situated within the river’s break wall.

 

Overlooking Pilot beach is the Heritage-listed Camden Head Pilot Station. It provided navigation assistance from 1890 until 1990. It was refurbished in 2002 and now holds artist workshops and accommodation.

 

During spring, the small coastal Kattang Nature Reserve is ablaze with beautiful wildflowers. Take Flower Bowl circuit (two hours) to fully appreciate the blooming buds.

 

Charles Hamey Lookout is an easy 20 minutes return and offers a spectacular view out to Dunbogan beach and the mountains in the distance. The walk to Perpendicular Point is about 2.5 hours return, but you may be rewarded with an acrobatic show courtesy of a Humpback whale or two. The point juts out into the ocean, making it a good vantage point to spot whales as they migrate.

 

Veering right from Dunbogan Bridge (Reid St) will take you to Diamond Head and Crowdy Bay National Park. Within this national park is Kylie’s Hut, built in 1944 for Australian author, Kylie Tennant.

 

KENDALL, LORNE & COMBOYNE

 

Heading west over the Pacific Highway, the Camden Haven River flows on through Kendall, a few kilometres from Kew. Three large gum leaf sculptures mark the entrance to the town, affectionately known as ‘The Poets Village’.

 

Australian poet Henry Kendall lived here from 1874 to 1881. The town of Camden Haven was renamed to honour their famous past resident. A granite statue of Henry Kendall stands tall at the corner of Comboyne and Orana Streets. His poems are painted on power poles around the small village, while a mural in the main street represents his work.

 

Pick up a map from the Community Centre and stroll the Heritage Walk to 16 different sites around Kendall. The Kendall Railway Station houses arts and crafts from local artists or else pick up a trinket or local produce from the Kendall Showground Market, held on the first Sunday of the month.

 

For something a bit different, visit the Beetroot’d Café and Deli, selling beetroot chocolates, smoothies and a range of other meals.

 

Locals recommend Kendall Services Club, located high on the bank of the Camden Haven River. The small and friendly restaurant is strategically positioned to take full advantage of the picturesque river views.

 

About 13km west from Kendall, along fertile pastures, stumble upon Macadamia Farm Café in Lorne Valley. Here you can taste seven different flavours of the nut or enjoy macadamia ice-cream and macadamia tea.

 

Touring further inland along a winding, partially gravel road you will come across Comboyne Plateau. The volcanic plateau ranges from 600–800m above sea level and is fringed by state forest.

 

This hinterland region and the tiny village of Comboyne are sprinkled with a couple of quaint cafes, such as the highly recommended Blue Poles Cafe and Gallery, on Comboyne Rd, Byabarra and The Udder Cow Café in Comboyne.

 

While not a part of the Camden Haven, a 27km drive further west from Comboyne along a mainly unsealed road leads to Ellenborough Falls, one of the longest singledrop falls in Australia. Fully appreciate the sight of the plunging water on viewing platforms or via the steep stairway leading to the bottom of the falls. With picnic facilities, toilets and a kiosk (open weekends, public holidays and school holidays), Ellenborough Falls is well worth the drive.

 

I’ve only scratched the surface of this charming and diverse region. The Camden Haven offers a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of city living. Once you visit, you may never wish to leave.

 

GETTING THERE

 

Sydney to Laurieton is approximately 360km. Take the F3 Sydney-Newcastle freeway to the end, turn right at roundabout, then take the Pacific Hwy, turn off at Kew onto Ocean Drive and make your way into Laurieton.

 

THANKS TO

 

Glenn and Robyn Bamford and the rest of Camden Haven’s Chamber of Commerce for their warm hospitality.

 

CHRISTMAS COVE CARAVAN PARK
229 Ocean Drive, Laurieton NSW 2443
(02) 6559 9086
Pet friendly
www.christmascovecaravanpark.com.au

For a full list of accommodation listings, visit www.camdenhaveninfo.org.au

 

FREE ACTIVITIES

 

NORTH BROTHER MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT
Dooragan National Park
Captain Cook Bicentenary Road (unsuitable for caravans)
2km west of Laurieton
Lookouts are wheelchair friendly


MIDDLE BROTHER NATIONAL PARK
Home to two of the largest known coastal blackbutt trees in the state, Bird Tree and Benaroon.


HAVE A PICNIC AT APEX PARK OVERLOOKING THE RIVER
Laurieton (next to Dunbogan Bridge)


VISIT ELLENBOROUGH FALLS
25km west from Comboyne


KENDALL SHOWGROUND MARKET
1st Sunday of the month
8am-1pm, Kendall Showgrounds


LAURIETON RIVERWALK MARKETS
Third Sunday of the month
8am to 1pm, Tunis St, Laurieton


HASTINGS FARMERS’ MARKET
5th Sunday of the month
8:00am – 12pm
Lake Cathie Community Hall
Mullaway Road, Lake Cathie


KATTANG NATURE RESERVE
Off Bergalia Crescent
Camden Head


WALK THE REGION’S BEAUTIFUL BEACHES
There are many dog friendly beaches, check with the local council office in Laurieton.

 

CHEAP TREATS

 

Hire a boat such as the BBQ Fun Float at Dunbogan’s boatshed and marina
(02) 6559 9713


See a film at the Plaza Theatre
47 Bold St, Laurieton
Adults $12


Try some beetroot chocolates at Beetroot’d Café & Deli
33 River St, Kendall
(02) 6559 0255


Purchase macadamias at Lorne Valley Macadamia Farm & Café
1181 Lorne Rd, Lorne
(02) 6556 9653


Buy fresh oysters at Armstrong Oysters
Lot 1 Short St, Laurieton
(02) 6559 5527


Have a meal at Dolphins Family Restaurant, Laurieton United Services Club
Seymour Street, Laurieton NSW 2443
(02) 6559 9110


Special meal deals are also on offer at Camden Haven Golf Club, Kew and at North Haven & Lake Cathie Bowling Clubs

By Kylie Dapiran
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