Moonee Beach & Ghosties Beach

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Route: Moonee Beach Trail, Moonee Beach, Ghosties Beach, Flat Rocks Point, Moonee Beach, Moonee Beach Trail

Date: 10/07/2020

From: Snapper Point Road

Parking: Moonee Beach Trail parking

Start Point: Moonee Beach Trail trailhead

Finish Point: Moonee Beach Trail trailhead

Region: Munmorah State Conservation Area

Route length:  4.8 miles (7.7km)

Time taken: 02:52

Average speed: 2.4mph

Ascent: 134m

Descent: 197m

Points of Interest: Moonee Beach, Ghosties Beach, sea cave

We recently spent a long weekend camping in the Munmorah State Conservation Area, a modest-sized national park some 2 1/2 hours north of Sydney. The thought of camping in the winter brought looks of horror from my Aussie co-workers but, truth be told, it's no different to camping in the UK in the spring or early autumn with cold nights and pleasant, sunny days.

Within the national park is a string of beaches, the most popular being Moonee Beach and the adjacent Ghosties Beach. A one-way track links the headland to the beach and is an ideal way to spend a sunny winter morning.

There's a small parking area adjacent to the beginning of the track, accessed by an ungraded road (easy enough to 2WD cars though expect to get dusty!). It was warm and sunny as we set off along the Moonee Beach track. 

Flat Rocks Point

The small parking area at the trailhead

The Moonee Beach Trail

Moonee Beach Trail

Moonee Beach

Like most beaches along the NSW coastline, Moonee Beach is beautiful and largely unspoiled. A headland, Flat Rocks Point, juts out at the southern end and separates Moonee Beach from the neighbouring Ghosties Beach. A modest dune system is piled up below the cliffs and provides a link between the two. 

Moonee Beach

Moonee Beach

Monee Beach

Moonee Beach

Ghosties Beach is smaller but more dramatic than Moonee Beach as it is backed by some imposing cliffs. At the far end of the beach is an ominous-looking maw in the cliffs - the entrance to a sea cave. It's regarded as one of the best walkthrough caves in eastern Australia though is not always visible as the tide can bring in large drifts of sand that fill the cave. We had no such issue today though take care as waves will frequently wash into the cave depending on the tide.

Ghosties Beach

The entrance to the sea cave at the far end of the beach

Ghosties Beach

The entrance to the sea cave

Entering the sea cave

Ghosties Beach sea cave

Ghosties Beach sea cave

Ghosties Beach sea cave

Ghosties Beach sea cave

After exploring the cave, we backtracked along Ghosties Beach, round to the end of Flat Rocks Point, picking a spot where we could have a bite to eat and watch out for migrating Humpback Whales. The winter is the peak season for the northerly migration of the whales with several thousand making the trip each and every year.

Ghosties Beach

Heading out to Flat Rocks Point

Flat Rocks Point

Flat Rocks Point

Looking back to Ghosties Beach

Moonee Beach

We made our way back along Moonee Beach towards the track, passing an army of Soldier Crabs going about their business in the low tide. The hike back up to the car involves climbing a few steeper sections but, before long, we were back at the car.

Heading back to Moonee Beach

Moonee Beach

One of NSW's resident Soldier Crabs

Moonee Beach

Moonee Beach Trail