Bittangabee Bay Picnic Area to the Black Cliffs

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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	(-37.2167421,150.0148564)
Mode	Car (A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.)
Directions	From Princes Highway, A1 Turn on to Princes Highway, A1 then drive for 1.3 km At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Princes Highway, A1 and drive for another 27.3 km Turn right onto Princes Highway, A1 and drive for another 6.7 km At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Quondolo Street, A1 and drive for another 245 m Turn slight right onto Bullara Street, A1 and drive for another 18.7 km At roundabout, take exit 3 onto Mitchell Street, A1 and drive for another 18.3 km Turn left onto Edrom Road and drive for another 5.7 km Turn right onto Green Cape Road and drive for another 11.2 km Turn left onto Green Cape Road and drive for another 4.6 km Turn sharp left onto Bittangabee Road and drive for another 3 km Turn left onto Bittangabee Road and drive for another 150 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the picnic area, the walk follows the sign to 'Saltwater Creek 9.0km' down the hill, keeping the road above on the left. The track heads down the hillside and crosses a rocky creek bed, then leads up the hill to an information sign marking the intersection.....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start heading along Light to Light Walk. Bittangabee Bay Beach (about 105 m back from the start). Bittangabee Bay Beach Bittangabee Bay Beach, Ben Boyd National Park, is a small beach at the south-western corner of the bay. The beach can be accessed by a short walk from Bittangabee picnic area in Ben Boyd National Park. The yellow sand beach has a small creek and lagoon behind. The beach also has rock platforms at each end and is fairly well-protected from swells, being tucked away in the bay. The historic storehouse is visible on the shore to the right. There is a car park (about 60 m back from the start). After 75 m find the "Bittangabee Bay Picnic Area" (on your left). Bittangabee Bay Picnic Area Bittangabee Bay Picnic Area is near Bittangabee Bay and camp area in Ben Boyd National Park. The picnic area is a day-use only area with a few picnic tables, an electric BBQ and a pit toilet. There is a reasonable amount of natural shade, and is close to a car park. There is short walk to the beach and ruins at Bittangabee Bay. The picnic area is well signposted on the loop road near the Bittangabee camping area. After another 30 m pass the toilet (70 m on your left).
	The starting point of an alternate route. An alternative route linking Int. Coast and Ruins Trks Sth to Int. Coast and Ruins Trks Nth. To take the alternate route continue straight here. Details below. After another 95 m veer left. After another 215 m find the "Imlay House" (on your right). Imlay House Imlay House ruins still show the foundations of a house built by the Imlay brothers in 1844. The ruins are found in Bittangabee Bay in Ben Boyd National Park, along the Light to Light track. The house was to be a station for the Imlay family to further their grazing and whaling in the area. It appears the stone house was never completed, with the brothers dying in 1846 (George) and 1847 (Alexander). Soon after the Imlay brothers died, Benjamin Boyd began using the bay for his own whaling company in 1848.
	After another 155 m continue straight, to head along Light to Light Walk. After another 350 m cross the ford. Then find the "Bittangabee Creek" (8 m on your right). Bittangabee Creek Bittangabee Creek is a small creek feeding Bittangabee Bay in Ben Boyd National Park. The creek enters the bay and is crossed by the Light to Light track about 800m north-west of Bittangabee Campsite. The creek provides a quiet place for people to paddle and relax. After another 1.4 km find the "Black cliffs" (20 m on your right). Black cliffs The black cliffs of Ben Boyd National Park provide a great vantage point. The headland on the north side of Bittangabee has a fairly large clearing on a rock platform, high above the ocean. There are great views out to sea and into the mouth of Bittangabee Bay. There are no fences or facilities at this informal lookout. Being dark in colour, this rock platform can get very uncomfortable on hot days - trees on the south side provide some respite with shade. The rock slopes into the sea on the south side, but would be too dangerous for swimming.
	Continue another 235 m to find the end. Then turn around here and retrace the main route for 2.5 km to get back to the start.

An alternative route linking Int. Coast and Ruins Trks Sth to Int. Coast and Ruins Trks Nth.

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start heading along Light to Light Walk.
	After another 460 m come to the end. At the end of this alternate route, rejoin the main route.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Bittangabee Bay Picnic Area to the Black Cliffs

Grading

	Class 4/6 Hard track
Length	5.1 km
Time	1 h 45 min to 2 h

Quality of track	Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
Signage	Minimal directional signs (4/6)
Infrastructure	Limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) (4/6)
Experience Required	No experience required (1/6)
Weather	Storms may impact on navigation and safety (3/6)

Some facilities on route

Toilet: There is one 60 m from the start.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Toilet	60 m	[toilet]

Articles Discover more details to thrive on track

Bittangabee Bay Picnic Area
Bittangabee Bay Picnic Area is near Bittangabee Bay and camp area in Ben Boyd National Park. The picnic area is a day-use only area with a few picnic tables, an electric BBQ and a pit toilet. There is a reasonable amount of natural shade, and is close to a car park. There is short walk to the beach and ruins at Bittangabee Bay. The picnic area is well signposted on the loop road near the Bittangabee camping area.

Imlay House
Imlay House ruins still show the foundations of a house built by the Imlay brothers in 1844. The ruins are found in Bittangabee Bay in Ben Boyd National Park, along the Light to Light track. The house was to be a station for the Imlay family to further their grazing and whaling in the area. It appears the stone house was never completed, with the brothers dying in 1846 (George) and 1847 (Alexander). Soon after the Imlay brothers died, Benjamin Boyd began using the bay for his own whaling company in 1848.

Bittangabee Creek
Bittangabee Creek is a small creek feeding Bittangabee Bay in Ben Boyd National Park. The creek enters the bay and is crossed by the Light to Light track about 800m north-west of Bittangabee Campsite. The creek provides a quiet place for people to paddle and relax.

Black cliffs
The black cliffs of Ben Boyd National Park provide a great vantage point. The headland on the north side of Bittangabee has a fairly large clearing on a rock platform, high above the ocean. There are great views out to sea and into the mouth of Bittangabee Bay. There are no fences or facilities at this informal lookout. Being dark in colour, this rock platform can get very uncomfortable on hot days - trees on the south side provide some respite with shade. The rock slopes into the sea on the south side, but would be too dangerous for swimming.

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Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Eden Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
  
  Monday 14 October
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Cloudy. High chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the north. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light in the late evening.
  
  Tuesday 15 October
  
  11°C → 18°C
  Partly cloudy.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Cloudy. High chance of showers in the north, medium chance elsewhere. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h tending east to southeasterly in the middle of the day then becoming light in the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 7 and 12 with daytime temperatures reaching between 14 and 18.
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 9:20am to 4:10pm, UV Index predicted to reach 7 [High]
  
  Wednesday 16 October
  
  9°C → 19°C
  Partly cloudy.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h in the middle of the day then becoming light in the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 5 and 10 with daytime temperatures reaching between 17 and 21.
  
  Thursday 17 October
  
  10°C → 22°C
  Mostly sunny.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny day. Slight chance of a shower in the evening. Light winds becoming east to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the day then tending north to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 6 and 11 with daytime temperatures reaching the low to mid 20s.
  
  Friday 18 October
  
  15°C → 25°C
  Showers.
  90% chance of rain
  2 → 10mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds northerly 20 to 30 km/h turning west to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon. Overnight temperatures falling to between 12 and 15 with daytime temperatures reaching the mid to high 20s.
  
  Saturday 19 October
  
  15°C → 23°C
  Possible shower.
  40% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Possible shower.
  
  Sunday 20 October
  
  12°C → 22°C
  Sunny.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Sunny.
  
  Monday 21 October
  
  10°C → 21°C
  Mostly sunny.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
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