Forresters Beach to Crackneck Beach

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Warning
This journey requires significant bushwalking experience, specialised equipment and navigation skills.
Please ensure you and your group well prepared and equiped for this journey.

Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	(-33.4109777,151.4654535)
Mode	Bus Car (There is free parking available.)
Directions	From Central Coast Highway, A49 Turn on to Dane Drive, A49 then drive for 6.5 km At roundabout, take exit 2 onto The Entrance Road, A49 and drive for another 3.6 km At roundabout, take exit 2 onto The Entrance Road, A49 and drive for another 710 m At roundabout, take exit 1 onto The Entrance Road, A49 and drive for another 1.6 km At roundabout, take exit 2 onto The Enterence Road, A49 and drive for another 100 m Continue onto The Entrance Road, A49 and drive for another 870 m At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Crystal Street and drive for another 540 m Turn left onto South Scenic Road and drive for another 275 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the top of the beach access track, this walk goes over the low gate and follows the management trail steeply down the hill. The walk passes a shower area, to the right, and continues a short distance down the boarded trail to Forresters Beach.....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start. After 130 m find the "Forresters Beach" (20 m on your right). Forresters Beach Forresters Beach is the name of a township and beach on the Central Coast of NSW. There are public toilets and a beach access path near the intersection of Crystal St and Kalakau Ave, and a beach access path near the bottom of Henrys Rd. After another 2.7 km come to a park. About 185 m past the end is a car park.
	Turn around here and retrace the main route for 2.9 km to get back to the start. "Crackneck Beach". Crackneck Beach This unnamed beach is below Crackneck Lookout and can be reached with some difficulty by walking along the very rocky shoreline from Forresters Beach, to the south, or from Bateau Bay beach, to the north. The beach is covered in rounded rocks about the size of a fist.

Turn map

Directions & comments

Start.

After 130 m find the "Forresters Beach" (20 m on your right).

Forresters Beach

Forresters Beach is the name of a township and beach on the Central Coast of NSW. There are public toilets and a beach access path near the intersection of Crystal St and Kalakau Ave, and a beach access path near the bottom of Henrys Rd.

After another 2.7 km come to a park.

About 185 m past the end is a car park.

Turn around here and retrace the main route for 2.9 km to get back to the start.

"Crackneck Beach".

Crackneck Beach

This unnamed beach is below Crackneck Lookout and can be reached with some difficulty by walking along the very rocky shoreline from Forresters Beach, to the south, or from Bateau Bay beach, to the north. The beach is covered in rounded rocks about the size of a fist.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Forresters Beach to Crackneck Beach

Grading

	Class 5/6 Very challenging
Length	5.7 km
Time	2 h 15 min to 2 h 30 min

Quality of track	Rough unclear track (5/6)
Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
Signage	Minimal directional signs (4/6)
Infrastructure	No facilities provided (5/6)
Experience Required	Moderate level of bushwalking experience recommended (4/6)
Weather	Foretasted & unexpected storms and severe weather may impact on navigation and safety (4/6)

Articles Discover more details to thrive on track

Forresters Beach
Forresters Beach is the name of a township and beach on the Central Coast of NSW. There are public toilets and a beach access path near the intersection of Crystal St and Kalakau Ave, and a beach access path near the bottom of Henrys Rd.

Crackneck Beach
This unnamed beach is below Crackneck Lookout and can be reached with some difficulty by walking along the very rocky shoreline from Forresters Beach, to the south, or from Bateau Bay beach, to the north. The beach is covered in rounded rocks about the size of a fist.

Get more information
Wildwalks

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- The Entrance Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
  
  Monday 28 April
  
  23°C
  Showers easing. Windy.
  90% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. High chance of showers along the coastal fringe, medium chance elsewhere. Winds southerly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light in the evening. Daytime maximum temperatures between 19 and 24.
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 9:30am to 2:20pm, UV Index predicted to reach 5 [Moderate]
  
  Tuesday 29 April
  
  16°C → 23°C
  Showers increasing.
  90% chance of rain
  1 → 15mm
  
  Partly cloudy. The chance of morning fog inland. High chance of showers about the Lower Hunter, medium chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm about the Lower Hunter in the afternoon and evening. Light winds. Overnight temperatures falling to between 9 and 14 with daytime temperatures reaching the low to mid 20s.
  
  Wednesday 30 April
  
  15°C → 20°C
  Showers. Becoming windy.
  90% chance of rain
  6 → 35mm
  
  Cloudy. High chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm near the coast. Light winds becoming southeast to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning. Overnight temperatures falling to between 11 and 14 with daytime temperatures reaching between 15 and 19.
  
  Thursday 1 May
  
  13°C → 20°C
  Showers.
  90% chance of rain
  7 → 45mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers along the coastal fringe, medium chance elsewhere. Winds southeast to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 7 and 11 with daytime temperatures reaching between 15 and 19.
  
  Friday 2 May
  
  13°C → 21°C
  Showers.
  80% chance of rain
  1 → 20mm
  
  Showers.
  
  Saturday 3 May
  
  14°C → 21°C
  Showers.
  80% chance of rain
  0 → 15mm
  
  Showers.
  
  Sunday 4 May
  
  15°C → 23°C
  Shower or two.
  60% chance of rain
  0 → 8mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- Wyrrabalong National Park alerts
  Closed areas: Track Repairs and Temporary Closures
  The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will be undertaking repairs to The Coast Track between Crackneck Point Lookout and Wyrrabalong Lookout between the 28th April 2025 to 2nd July 2025.
  The track will need to be closed to the public for a period between these dates while works are undertaken to ensure the safety of visitors.
  The track repairs will focus on eroded sections of the track by repairing the track surface, demolishing and replacing retaining walls, and improving drainage to enhance visitor safety, reduce maintenance, and minimise erosional impacts on the surrounding environment.
  For further information please contact the NPWS Central Coast Area Office on 4972 9000.
  
  Closed areas: Periodic closures of Wyrrabalong National Park (North) for fox control shooting operation
  Parts of Wyrrabalong National Park (North) may be closed within a date range of Wednesday 1st January 2025 to Friday 2nd May 2025 for fox control night shoot operations preventing localised economic impacts and protecting biodiversity assets within the park.
  When active, the shoot operation area will be delignated by signage advising visitors “do not enter” at any time during the night-time operation.
  Penalties apply for non-compliance.
  For more information, call the local park office on 024972 9000 or email [email protected].
  
  Alert kindly provided by © NSW Nataional Parks and Wildlife Service

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