Discover South Durras: Lake, Coast and Trails

South Durras is a destination for anyone who wants to experience waterscapes in different ways: at Durras Lake, on a coastal paddling route or on foot along trails of varying lengths. There are also extensive coastal saltmarshes and historic Aboriginal sites along the Wasp Head walk. Whether you are planning a longer route or want to combine different landscapes and cultural themes, the options vary considerably in route, scale and focus.

Durras Lake and its landscape

Durras Lake is both a lake and an estuary. Its connection to the sea is sometimes open and sometimes closed—a distinctive feature of this body of water. The estuary contains extensive coastal saltmarshes, which form a threatened ecological community. Durras Lake is in Murramarang National Park; the park, lake and saltmarshes give the area a clear connection to nature, without limiting the experience to a single way of exploring it.

If you are planning your trip around landscape themes, it is worth distinguishing between the lake and the coast: Durras Lake offers, among other things, flat-water paddling, while another paddling route follows small beaches and rugged headlands. The historic Aboriginal sites along the Wasp Head walk add a cultural dimension to these natural attractions.

Walking trails of varying lengths

On foot, the options described range from a short loop to a longer one-way route. The Durras Lake Discovery Trail is a 1.5 km loop in Murramarang National Park. By contrast, the Maloneys Beach to South Durras walking track is 16 km long and runs one way. The distances make the difference in scale clear; the route formats also differ: one brings you back to your starting point, while the other leads to South Durras.

Another option is the Wasp Head walk, which passes historic Aboriginal sites in the area. As well as offering a chance to experience the landscape, a walk here can provide a glimpse into Aboriginal history. The three trails should not be treated as interchangeable options: their lengths, loop or one-way formats, and cultural focus each offer a different emphasis for planning your trip.

Paddling on the lake or along the coast

The routes on the water also differ in format. The 17 km lake paddling route from South Durras to Batemans Bay follows a quiet coastline with small beaches and rugged headlands in Murramarang National Park. It starts at the boat ramp at Cookies Beach on Banyandah Street in South Durras. At Durras Lake, flat-water paddling is possible, with a circuit of up to 15 km.

When comparing the routes, the distance is not the only thing that matters; it is also important to consider what each route involves: on the lake, the route is a circuit, while the coastal route runs from South Durras towards Batemans Bay. This lets you compare the trips by landscape and route format, rather than viewing them as simply two numbers side by side. The coastal paddling route’s specific starting point also helps with planning your outing: it is at the boat ramp at Cookies Beach.

Planning your stay

At Cookies Beach in South Durras, there is a BBQ and picnic area as well as toilets. This is useful to know if you want to include the beach in your day’s plans. When looking for a hotel in South Durras, you can start by considering what you want your stay to focus on: the lake landscape, a coastal paddling route or walking trails with different lengths and themes.

Discover more destinations: Wellington, Newcastle, Leeton, Lansvale, Boggabri, Lake Innes, Yallaroi, Millthorpe.

For the broader travel overview: New South Wales.