Crescent Head: Beach, Waves and Coastal Walks
Accommodation in Crescent Head
Crescent Head combines a long beach with surf culture, coastal scenery and a national park that reaches the edge of town. Killick Beach is 14 kilometres long; its long, slow-breaking right-hand wave is especially suited to longboards. Visitors more interested in walks, wildlife watching or art will also find a range of things to explore in and around town. When choosing holiday accommodation, you can start by considering which of these interests you want to shape your trip.
Beach and water in town
Crescent Head Surfing Reserve is in the town centre, within Crescent Head Reserve. Little Nobby is at the eastern end of the Surfing Reserve. Killick Beach offers easy access to the centre of Crescent Head, so the beach and town can both be central considerations when planning your trip. The right-hand wave described here makes the beach particularly appealing to longboard fans; it is a specific feature of the surf on offer and should not simply be equated with every swimming spot.
Killick Creek offers another way to spend time by the water: it has sheltered swimming spots for children. If you are travelling with children, you can take this into account when choosing your planned activities.
Coastal scenery and nature in Goolawah National Park
Goolawah National Park stretches south from the edge of Crescent Head village to Racecourse Headland, where it connects with Goolawah Regional Park. Its landscape includes rocky shores, reefs and a lagoon where you can snorkel or swim. Birdwatching and whale watching are also possible activities in the national park. This makes it a different option for nature lovers than a trip focused on the beach and surfing.
Big Hill is 11 kilometres south of Crescent Head, at the entrance to Limeburners National Park. This place may interest visitors who also want to explore destinations south of town.
Walks, art and local highlights
The Over the Top Walking Track runs across the steep slopes of Big Nobby in Crescent Head and offers views along the coast. It starts at the car park near Crescent Head Surf Club. If you want to include a coastal walk during your stay, the steep slopes are a useful indication of the character of this track. Another walking route, the Crescent Head Pool to Back Beach Walk, starts at the swimming pool car park on Baker Drive.
Big Wednesday Art Studio is in the centre of Crescent Head, in a historic village building. This art gallery showcases work by local artists and craftspeople in a range of artistic media. It offers a cultural counterpoint to beach and nature experiences. Another distinctive local feature is the Killick Creek pedestrian bridge. The Mural Water Towers are also part of the town’s visible history: Milton Budge painted the murals on Crescent Head’s water towers in 1989.
More activities and choosing the right holiday accommodation
Golf is another possible interest: Crescent Head Golf Course offers sweeping views of the Pacific coast. Crescent Head Country Club has a six-hole golf course and a mini-golf area with a barbecue pavilion; the mini-golf course has 18 holes. These options differ in both the type and scale of play. When looking for holiday accommodation in Crescent Head, you can consider whether golf, mini-golf, the beach, nature or culture is especially important to your trip. The experiences described here can help you decide what you want from your stay, without implying anything about a particular property or its amenities.
More destinations for inspiration: South West Rocks, Gladstone, Bellbrook.
For the broader travel overview: Kempsey Shire Council.
