Fingal Head - Dreamtime Beach Walk

The beautiful walk from Dreamtime Beach up to Fingal Head is one of the best in northern NSW, with the stunning rock formation of the headland with its historic lighthouse, presiding over the pristine white sands of Dreamtime Beach, which extend all of the way to Kingscliff.

The walk commences from the Dreamtime Beach entrance, via a pathway through ancient littoral rainforest, which is some of the last remaining on the Tweed Coast. This is also the entrance to the offleash dog beach, so pooches can join their owners on this one though then need to be back on leash for the last few hundred metres.

As you near the headland, which is also an ancient basalt rock formation, formed many millions of years ago with lava from ex-volcano Mt Warning, there's a swimming beach which is also accessed by pathways through paths of littoral rainforest, and from here, to the right there's the path/stairway that leads up to the top of Fingal Head. 

Upon reaching the top, walk past the remnant foundations of the original lighthouse keeper's cottage and turn left where the circuit takes you to the viewing spots overlooking the beautiful expanse of Fingal Beach all the way up to the Tweed River and Tweed Heads. 

Looking out to sea over the Giant's Causeway is another smaller but striking rocky island known as 'Cook Island', a marine reserve that is a breeding ground for seabirds including terns and shearwaters, while the surrounding sea is home to groupers, trevally and parrotfish as well as migratory sharks like Wobbegongs and Leopard sharks.

The circuitous path leads from here up the hill, where it splits. Go straight ahead to a small fenced outcrop with a bench and views south to Kingscliff and beyond and then return to the base of the lighthouse.

The cute lighthouse, which is only 7 metres in height, was completed in 1879 and since then has been guiding ships along the coastline, with its 1,000 candela powered white light, which has a range of 31 km. From the lighthouse, take the path back down to the beach.

*The lighthouse keeper's cottage was also bulilt in 1879 and demolished in 1923 when the light was automated.

Need to know - There are several entrances to Dreamtime Beach and Fingal Head, all accessed from Fingal Rd.