After visiting the nearby Trial Bay Gaol, we stopped at Back Creek Bridge before driving further up the coast. Located in the town of South West Rocks, the footbridge crosses a creek (called South West Rocks Creek) to a track through the mangroves.
A large car park next to the creek has room for plenty of visitors. Opposite the bridge a café serves meals and drinks, so you can sit and relax while admiring the scenery. We bought a coffee, sat near the creek before walking over the footbridge.
The bridge has a raised section towards the far bank. This allows boats to pass underneath but is also popular for children to jump off into the deeper water. Younger children and their families were closer to the shore in the shallow protected lagoon area.
Lagoon and BridgeFootbridge Over South West Rocks Creek
Located in Urunga on the NSW mid-north coast, the Urunga Lagoon Footbridge is a 1km long walkway through mangroves to the Pacific Ocean. Commencing in 1988, construction continued in three stages, until final completion in 2010. This wheelchair friendly walk is a great way to experience the coast from a sheltered lagoon to mangrove swamps and the surf of the Pacific Ocean.
Getting There
Urunga is a 90 minutes drive north of Port Macquarie, or a 30 minute drive south from Coffs Harbour. The small carpark near the caravan park quickly becomes full, but we were luck and found a spot straight away.
Facilities
A toilet block and change rooms allow you to change before and after swimming. Showers also let you wash the sand and salt water off before you leave.
When we visited, a coffee van was selling refreshments and snacks, which was great as we bought some and relaxed before walking on the footbridge.
Urunga Lagoon Footbridge
At around 1,000m long and flat this is an easy walk, which also makes it popular. Families were having a great time, with kids jumping off into the water and swimming around. Remember to check the tides and water depth though, as the area is not patrolled by lifeguards.
Around 300m into the walk, a second path diverges to the right into the mangroves. Badly damaged, this section is closed while awaiting repairs.
Walking along the footbridge, we had a great view of the Urunga Lagoon and surrounding mangrove forest. Extending as far as the mouth of the Bellingen River, the footbridge finishes on a surf beach where you can see the Pacific Ocean.
What Did We Think?
This was a great place to sit and relax and then have a nice easy walk. We came here after visiting the Urunga Wetlands Boardwalk. This is a good order to do them, as there are no facilities at the wetlands and access to the water is not allowed. Doing them this way would let any kids have a swim, go to the toilet or buy some drinks and snacks.
Information BoardUrunga LagoonView toward the mangrove swampBellingen River entering the ocean
The first European to visit the area was Governor Arthur Phillip, who explored the lower river by small boat in March 1788 within weeks of the First Fleet’s arrival. He named it Mullet Island, for the abundance of fish in the local Hawkesbury River. The island was purchased in 1864 and renamed by Henry Cary Dangar, the son of Henry Dangar, a surveyor, pastoralist and parliamentarian.
Subdivided into residential plots in the 1920s while it still retains some areas for recreational use. Around 330 permanent residents call the island home.
Getting There
Dangar Island can only be accessed by water, either by ferry, private boat or water taxi. We used the ferry, which operates seven days per week. The ferry “Sun” is itself a historic boat, making the trip that little bit more interesting.
The ferry leaves from Brooklyn north of Sydney, where parking is available near the wharf. The Brooklyn train station is only a short walk from the wharf, making this a great option if you don’t want to drive. The ferry arrival and departure times coincide with the train’s timetable.
On the Island
The only vehicles on the island are the fire truck and council ute, with all other vehicles banned. Residents use wheel barrows to haul items from the wharf to their homes. As you leave the ferry, you will see a line up of wheel barrows on the side of the path. On the opposite side is a metal sculpture of a Stegosaurus.
Our first stop was the coffee shop next to the wharf. This also serves as the island’s only shop, because of the small population. Sitting outside was very relaxing, and a great way to start our visit before setting off to explore.
Walking Around
With only around 3km of roads, walking around the island does not take too long. You can download a map, to show various things to see on the island. However, we spent a lot of time at the beach, which had driftwood from recent storms washed up. Also near the beach the rocks are covered in oysters, although most have been removed by fishermen.
One small relic here dates from the Second World War when the Australian Army garrisoned the island and manned a cable boom across the river to protect the railway bridge. A small section of rusted steel embedded in the rocks is all that remains.
We visited at low tide and much of the beach was exposed. The exposed sand was covered in small mounds of sand from crabs that had burrowed down until the tide returned. From the amount of burrows, there must be a huge crab population here.
From the upper road, you get great views of the Hawkesbury and the railway bridge. A rock shelter previously used the local Guringai people before European settlement sits just off the upper road.
Returning to Brooklyn
After around three hours, we returned to the wharf where we had a cold drink while we waited for the ferry. Make sure you don’t miss the last ferry, or you will need to call the water taxi, which is much more expensive.
This was a fun relaxing morning out to somewhere that’s a little different. The locals and the atmosphere of the island is great and we had a great time, well worth a visit.
Historic Ferry the SunFishing boats tied up at BrooklynHouses and private jetties on Dangar IslandBikes left at the ferry wharfMetal stegosaurustypical Dangar Island roadThe Pavilion and Beware of the Rabbit signFence made of old surf boardsdriftwood on a beachOne of Dangar Island’s beachesPrivate jetties at low tideRusting remains of the barrage from World War TwoCrab metropolis. The piles of sand are from crab burrowsRocks and trees on a beachThe CaveHawkesbury River Railway BridgeCold Bundaberg Ginger Beer
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
