Broadwater National Park Park

Address: Broadwater National Park, Northern Rivers, New South Wales

Website: https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/broadwater-national-park

Hours: Open 24/7

Admission: Free entry (National Parks & Wildlife Service NSW)

Broadwater National Park is a coastal protected area in northern New South Wales that conserves beaches, dunes, wetlands and littoral rainforest close to the coast. The park protects estuarine habitats and coastal vegetation typical of the Northern Rivers region.

It is primarily visited for birdwatching, shoreline walks and quiet coastal scenery rather than developed beach recreation. The park includes mangrove and saltmarsh communities that support fish and wading birds.

The park was established to conserve coastal ecosystems and to provide public access to natural shoreline habitats under the management of New South Wales national parks authorities. Management emphasises protection of wetlands and endangered coastal vegetation.

The park sits on the north coast of New South Wales near coastal towns in the Northern Rivers area, adjacent to estuaries and beaches of the region. Road access is from nearby coastal communities.

• Birdwatching highlights: Look for shorebird and wetland birdlife at high tide and from the park’s saltmarsh and estuarine zones.
• When to go: Coastal conditions mean some tracks can be seasonally closed or muddy, so summer and early autumn give the driest access.

Broadwater National Park sits a short drive from Evans Head and the Pacific Highway. From Evans Head, follow local roads toward the coastal reserves and look for NPWS signage; some tracks are unsealed and may be affected by tides and weather. The nearest major centre is Ballina (about 40-60 minutes by car).

• Arrive early to catch calm estuarine light for birding along the riverbanks
• Bring a binoculars-mangrove-lined channels host species often missed from the road
• The park's low-lying saltmarsh is tidal-check tide times before a shoreline walk
• Use the Evans Head access points to combine a visit with the nearby Richmond River estuary walks