On Sunday we took a drive down from Gold Coast to NSW to explore. I didn’t have anything pre-planned for the day but I was keen to see if we could spot some whales before meeting up with friends for a late lunch.
We ended up spending the day at Norries Cove in Cabarita Beach, NSW. It took just under an hour to get there from the Gold Coast and it was a good drive.
Here’s a link to Norries on Google Maps, if you’d like to visit the beach cove and see whales:
There is a parking lot by the beach but it was very busy. I was lucky enough to see a car leaving and take their spot, so you might need to be patient – especially if you’re visiting between May and October when it’s whale watching season.
Whales can be seen at many beaches across NSW and the Gold Coast, but Norries in Cabarita has become a VERY popular spot for people to come together and enjoy looking for whales together.
There’s a nice playground and toilet facilities close to the parking lot, before you get to the beach.
To the right is an open field with some picnic and barbeque facilities, if you want to pack food and make a day trip.
Across from the parking lot is an entrance to the main beach. To the back of the field, to the right, you’ll find the entrance to the pathway that takes you up to the whale lookout point.
This pathway is the Norries Headland Boardwalk, which takes you up to the Norries Headland whale-watching platform.
There are many signs saying no dogs allowed past this point. People did have dogs with them by the playground and in the open area. There are also several taps in the open area where you can drink water or give your dogs something cool to drink.
But it seems no dogs are allowed on the pathway, and I didn’t see any there either.
Within a few hundred metres of the entrance there’s a sign on the right letting you know that the area is a historical Aboriginal midden site. So the area has a wonderful history too.
Here’s what the sign tells us:
Within this area are the remains of many meals of shellfish eaten by aboriginal people. These remains are known as middens.
They contain shells of edible size, animal bones, artifacts, and charcoal from the campfires.
Occasionally, they have been known to contain burials.
Middens have been dated up to five thousand years.
That’s on your right side. To the left is the entrance to the small beach called Norries Cove, which makes a great stop on your way back from whale watching.
I wouldn’t stop at the beach first because it’s very windy at the top and I can only imagine how uncomfortable it will be if you’re wet and full of sand trying to climb the stairs and walkway in strong gusts of wind.
You can surf at Norries Cove, if that’s what you enjoy. There were many surfers enjoying the day in the water.
Apparently there are numerous surfing carnivals in the area each year and the annual Greenback Tailor Fishing Competition is hosted on the King’s birthday weekend in June at Cabarita Beach.
Keep following the path and you’ll soon be going up the boardwalk.
There are quite a few steps and no other way to get to the top besides walking, so don’t bring prams, wheelchairs, bicycles, scooters, or anything else you can’t carry.
It takes a few minutes to get to the top but there are some beautiful views and chairs to sit on along the way.
Once you get to the whale-watching platform, there’s a lovely wooden seated area for people to sit on and look for whales.
As I said – it’s very windy so be sure to bring something warm to wear.
We did see whales from the top but they’re very far away. Everyone helps each other spot the whales and lets you know if they see one.
But next time I’ll take a pair of binoculars or a camera with a zoom lens so I can get a better view of those beautiful creatures.
The view is still wonderful and it’s good for the soul to spend time sitting up there just to enjoy it.
After that, we took a short walk around the top of the mountain. To the south is Byron Bay, to the west is Mt Warning / Wollumbin, and to the north is Kingscliff.
We stopped at Norries Cove Beach for a quick swim after. It’s hard to believe it’s the middle of July and still warm enough to swim!
My little guy chased a seagull and a turkey, cause that’s just how he rolls these days.
Then off we went for a late lunch with friends at the Ivory Waterside in Tweed Heads on the way back to Gold Coast. That was a great place with a good menu, good service, and good food. Pity I didn’t take any photos but I’ll do that next time.
| Quick Guide: Norries Cove in Cabarita Beach, NSW | |
|---|---|
| When to visit | May to October, if you want to see whales |
| What to bring with | – Something warm to wear – Binoculars or a camera with a strong lens – Swimmers and towels |
| Toilet facilities | YES |
| Playground | YES |
| Food sold there | NO |
| Barbeque / picnic facilities | YES |
| Dogs | – YES in the open area before the pathway – NO on the pathway up to the lookout |
| Pram / wheelchair / scooter access | NO |
