Scenic Drives around the Camden Haven

Car touring options abound as do opportunities for catered coach tours. Here are three of the many trips you can enjoy in the Camden Haven.

Trip 1: Local sights (30kms)

The Camden Haven's most popular attraction, North Brother, is part of Dooragan National Park. Take the Captain Cook Bicentenary Drive from Ocean Drive to the summit and enjoy one of the best views on the NSW coast. There's a short rainforest walk around the summit or, if more adventurous, there's a walk down the mountain to the back of Laurieton. North Brother Mountain is significant in both Australian and European history. A Dreamtime legend describes how three brothers met their fate at the hands of an evil witch and it is believed that they are buried beneath each of the mountains referred to as the "Three Brothers".

On leaving the mountain, turn right onto Ocean Drive and left onto gravel at St Josephs School. The road takes you to Henry Kendall Reserve where, with a picnic beside Stingray Creek (at right), you could be miles from anywhere.

Drive through Laurieton and across the bridge to Dunbogan, turn left onto The Boulevard and follow the road 3 kms to Camden Head. There you'll find Kattang Nature Reserve, 58 hectares of coastal bush bordered by the sharp vertical cliffs of Perpendicular Point.

Kattang takes its name from an Aboriginal tribal language group. The reserve is home to many plant and animal species. June and July are great for bird and whale watching and August/September for spectacular wildflowers. Dolphins can be seen all year round.

There are two walks through Kattang of easy to moderate difficulty and about two hours duration.

End your day with a stroll along Pilot Beach or a swim in waters open to the ocean but protected from the surf by the southern breakwall.

Panorama from North Brother featuring Watson Taylors Lake, Middle and South Brother Mountains

Trip 2: Comboyne & Ellenborough Falls (160kms)

Begin your trip at Kendall and take the Lorne Road west. Watch out for the sign to Swans Crossing, about 4kms out, and turn right. About 11kms along the gravel road you'll discover a magical place to enjoy a swim in the refreshing waters of Upsalls Creek and a relaxing stroll along one of the marked walking trails. Leaving Swans Crossing continue on the forest road following the signs to Comboyne. At Comboyne, look for the signs to Boorganna Nature Reserve off Innes View Road on the western edge of the Comboyne Plateau. This reserve is a remnant of a former extensive rainforest with steep gullies and a rich diversity of rocks, soil, landscape, plants and animal life. A 1km walking track ends at a lookout over Rawson Falls.

From Boorganna double back through Comboyne and take the road to Elands, heading for Ellenborough Falls (to left).

These falls are a spectacular sight as they plunge from the plateau into a vertical walled box gorge 160 metres below. The falls can be viewed from a platform close to the top, and a moderately easy walking track leads to another viewing platform looking back towards the falls. For the fitter enthusiasts, another track leads to the bottom of the falls.

After Ellenborough Falls return to Comboyne and take the road down to Lorne and back to Kendall. If the Lorne Valley Macadamia Farm is open stop for a coffee and a browse through Jo's home made delicacies.

Sunrise from Comboyne Plateau featuring the Middle and South Brother Mountains and the Sea

Trip 3: Middle Brother and Coopernook State Forests (about 120-150 km's)

Setting off from Kendall, take Batar Creek Road into Middle Brother State Forest past Norfolk Punch. Take the time to call in for a taste of herbal delight. Trip resumed, don't miss a look at some of NSW's biggest trees - the gigantic Bird Tree and Big Fella Gum. Follow the forest road to the highway north of Johns River, turn south and turn right at Johns River onto Stewarts River Road for a scenic tour through the Stewarts River Valley to Hannam Vale. The Coopernook Forest Drive through Coorabakh National Park offers spectacular views of the Lansdowne Valley.

The Waitui Falls, on a branch of the Camden Haven River, are an attractive swimming spot. Flat Rock Lookout (see pic at right) provides a magnificent view of the 500 metre drop to the valley floor and the countryside below, and a 20 minute climb to the top of Big Nellie, a volcanic plug that rises to a height of 560 metres above sea level, is well worth the effort

Continue the circuit to Coopernook via the Coopernook Forest Park - a great picnic spot - and take the highway north to Moorland. From here you can return via the Pacific Highway or take a coastal route through Crowdy Bay National Park (National Park entry fees of $5 may apply). If you have time, a walk over Diamond Head headland is well worth it.

View from Landsdowne Valley looking back up to the surrounding mountains