Walk Summary
A short walk through the trees to Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse, with wonderful wildlife encounters and spectacular ocean views.
Distance 1.4 km return
Time 1 hour
Difficulty Easy/Moderate
Walk Overview
Parking is available at a car park 700 metres from Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse. From there, an easy walk through the trees is followed by a climb up to the lighthouse on the headland.
It’s not a long walk, but it’s a great way to stretch your legs mid-trip, with plenty of wildlife and incredible views along the way.
Walking the Trail
The walk begins beneath a shady canopy of trees, passing a waterfall and an intermittent chorus of birds.
As the track nears Sugarloaf Point it begins to climb, taking a set of stairs up the lighthouse.
And yes, it is a climb, but the views from the lighthouse out to the ocean and over the white sands of Lighthouse Beach are absolutely spectacular, so it’s well worth the effort.
Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse sits high on the headland jutting out into the Pacific, making it a great vantage point for viewing passing whales.
From the base of the lighthouse we saw so many, some quite close to shore, and a large pod that spent quite a bit of time stopped in one area, diving and thrashing their tails. Presumably they were feeding, though maybe they were just throwing off a few barnacles.
Wildlife at Seal Rocks
Seal Rocks and the surrounding Myall Lakes National Park protects a wide range of coastal, forest and wetland habitats and is particularly known for birdlife.
On our way up to the lighthouse I saw Eastern yellow robins, honeyeaters, Welcome swallows, Kookaburras, lizards and butterflies, and up on the point, were several raptors including a White-bellied sea-eagle, Osprey and a Brahminy Kite.
Out to sea, look for the Humpback whales during their annual migration (May-September), and dolphins can also sometimes be seen from the headland and around Lighthouse Beach.
And the seals? Seal Rocks was named for the colony of Australian fur seals that once frequented the offshore rocks and Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse area. Sadly they are seen only very occasionally these days.
See eBird for recent bird sightings along the Seal Rocks Lighthouse walking path.
Trail Tips
Parking is available about 700 metres from the lighthouse.
There is a climb towards the lighthouse, despite the short distance.
Take binoculars during whale migration season.
The headland is exposed, so take sun protection and water.
Sugarloaf Point is within Myall Lakes National Park and park entry fees apply.
Dogs and other pets are not permitted in the national park.
The lighthouse grounds are open to visitors, but the tower is closed to the public.
The lighthouse keepers’ cottages have been converted to accommodate small and large group rentals. See National Parks NSW for details.