Red Rock: Rock Formations and Coastal Walks

The red rock formations that give Red Rock its name provide a distinctive starting point for planning a trip. The coast, river and several walking tracks offer different ways to experience the area: you can plan a walk with coastal views and birdwatching, break the signposted Yuraygir Coastal Walk into shorter sections, or take in the river from a stand-up paddleboard. The scenery is not the only consideration: the nature of each route, the tides and arranging a transfer also play a role. If you’re looking for accommodation, it helps to first consider which experiences you want to shape your stay.

Walking by the Coast and River

The Wooli to Red Rock walking track is a moderately challenging route featuring river crossings, scenic coastal views and excellent birdwatching opportunities. These features give the walk a distinct character: crossings and views are part of the planning, as well as the track itself. A private boat transfer must be arranged in advance in Red Rock for this track. Plan this transfer as a separate step and reconfirm the arrangements before setting out. Weather, tides and current advisories can affect conditions on the track.

The 65-kilometre, signposted Yuraygir Coastal Walk follows the coast from Angourie to Red Rock and can be broken into shorter sections. This gives you the choice of completing the entire coastal route or walking individual sections. The 65 kilometres refers to the full walk, not the length of any one section. This is a different planning consideration from the Wooli to Red Rock walking track, which is characterised by its moderate difficulty and river crossings.

Red Rock is also the starting point for the Solitary Islands Coastal Walk. At its northern end in Red Rock, the track crosses a creekside boardwalk. Parking for the Solitary Islands Coastal Walk is available in both Red Rock and at Sawtell Headland. The three routes therefore offer different specific points of reference: a moderately challenging walk with river crossings, a long signposted coastal route with shorter section options, and a coastal walk that starts in Red Rock and has a boardwalk at its northern end.

Red Rock Island and Views of the River

The water also offers a different way to experience Red Rock. Red Rock Island can be explored at low tide, so the tide level is a key part of planning this outing. Time your visit for low tide rather than planning to explore the island independently of the tides.

From a stand-up paddleboard, visitors to Red Rock can enjoy views upstream and downstream. This offers a different perspective from the walking tracks and exploring the island: instead of following a route, the focus is on the course of the river. Conditions and equipment availability may vary. When choosing your activities, you can therefore decide whether you’d like to explore coastal walks, plan an outing around the tides, or take in the river from a SUP.

Choose Accommodation to Suit Your Itinerary

When looking for hotels in Red Rock, it can help to first decide what you’d like to focus on during your stay. If you’d like to go walking, there are different route features to choose from: the moderate difficulty and river crossings of the Wooli to Red Rock walking track, the option of shorter sections on the Yuraygir Coastal Walk, or the Solitary Islands Coastal Walk, which starts in Red Rock. On other days, you could plan around low tide at Red Rock Island or take in views of the river from a SUP.

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