Camden Haven is the name given to the communities that surround the Camden Haven River. The river rises just south of Comboyne in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, runs through farmlands and state forests, past Kendall and Laurieton before reaching the sea between the small communities of North Haven and Dunbogan.

The area is located approximately four hours driving time north of Sydney along a constantly improving dual carriage Pacific highway. You will need to leave the highway at the small settlement of Kew if you don’t want to miss a never-to-be-forgotten experience.

Summer brings the regular holidaymakers who enjoy the beaches and water sports without having to endure extremes of temperature as we average 18 to 25°C during these warmer months. On the other hand, some people may prefer our winter weather, which gives us pleasant mild days, with temperatures ranging from 6 to 17°C on average, still suitable for many different leisure activities.

The seaside villages in this area provide a most welcome holiday atmosphere and give you the chance to go boating or crabbing, collect pippies or worms on the beach for surf or river fishing, go prawning each month during the new moon, try spear-fishing around Diamond Head or Perpendicular Point, take a strenuous bush walk or just a leisurely stroll, learn to surf, or take a drive into the mountains for walking, lunches or simply sightseeing.

There are plenty of opportunities to indulge your love of sports, such as sailing, golf, bowls, tennis, football, swimming, netball, squash or hang gliding. There is also an extensive bicycle and walking track between Laurieton and North Haven. You have a considerable choice of restaurants, pubs or clubs for an afternoon or evening meal. The larger communities, Port Macquarie, (35 minutes north) and Taree.(50 minutes south) of Laurieton.

There are ever-expanding medical facilities in Port Macquarie, with public and private hospitals, a brand new cancer unit, and up-to-date scanning equipment. Well-serviced retirement villages are scattered throughout the area and the arts are served by a new theatre and art gallery complex in Port Macquarie.

You can travel by Virgin or QantasLink between Port Macquarie and Sydney, by Brindabella Airlines between Port Macquarie and Brisbane, or by Virgin or JetStar between Newcastle and Melbourne. A Holiday Coast Connections bus to Newcastle airport can be caught outside the Coles supermarket in Laurieton seven days a week, returning the same day.

The Camden Haven Music Festival is in April each year and consists of many varied music experiences at different venues in the area over a period of approximately ten days.

DUNBOGAN

Dunbogan, just over the river from Laurieton, is a small piece of paradise – a quiet, serene river haven with bush surrounds. Dunbogan Boatshed is the centre of many activities and can help with all your boating needs seven days a week. You can buy your fishing licence, hire a boat to cruise the beautiful Camden Haven River, buy tackle, purchase or repair rods, even swap a gas bottle. You can also hire swing mooring or a marina berth with shower amenities.

Try the delicious hamburgers or fish and chips sold at the Dunbogan General Store and enjoy your meal at one of the picnic tables on the side of the river opposite or in the nearby reserve. If you wish, a bottle of local wine can also be purchased at the store.

There are two caravan parks in the area – one in Bell Street near the river, and one along Diamond Head Road with a boat ramp to the river.

Starting just south of Dunbogan, Crowdy Bay National Park has long sweeping beaches, a dramatic headland (Diamond Head), extensive wetlands, rainforest pockets and coastal heaths featuring beautiful wildflower displays. There are three camping areas around Diamond Head, the main one giving easy access to South Beach and the others providing access to Kylie’s Beach further south. You can also visit Kylie’s Hut, once used as a retreat by author Kylie Tennant. Several areas for day users are also situated along the road to Diamond Head.

South Beach is great for dolphin spotting, surf fishing and beach walking. At the northern end of the beach, Charles Hamey lookout at Camden Head has platforms at two different levels, which both provide panoramic views south along the beach to Diamond Head.

Adjacent to the river entrance at Camden Head, you can find Pilot Beach, an excellent safe family swimming beach without the large waves and currents. There are barbecue facilities, a playground area, disabled toilets and beach showers nearby. Pilot Beach is separated by a man-made rock breakwall from Washhouse Beach, which is an open surf beach.

Above these beaches is Kattang Nature Reserve where the Flower Bowl circuit walk is accessible either from the Bergalia car park in the north or the Charles Hamey car park in the south. This walk provides extensive views and in spring a variety of wildflowers can be seen. Kattang also has an easy walking track to Perpendicular Point which, with a drop of 40 metres to the sea below, provides scenic coastal views from Diamond Head to Port Macquarie. Perpendicular Point is an excellent spot from which to observe humpback whales as they migrate north in autumn and winter to breed and give birth in the warmer waters along the Queensland coast before returning with their calves to the rich southern feeding grounds of the Antarctic in spring and early summer.

LAURIETON

This small town lies at the base of North Brother mountain, one of three named by Captain Cook in 1770. From the viewing platforms at the top of North Brother, in the Dooragan National Park, you obtain spectacular coastal and mountain views and you can paraglide or hang glide out over Laurieton, Dunbogan and South Beach. The area at the top of the mountain is a perfect spot for a picnic. The mountain is 487m high and has a moderate walking track around the top. For keen walkers, a more difficult track descends to Laurieton.

Laurieton is the heart of the district with a comprehensive shopping centre, including supermarket, clothing, gift, hardware, electrical and lighting shops, doctors and most other health services, chemist, Shire Offices and library, etc. The Laurieton Plaza Theatre on the main street shows recently released movies at a reasonable price and you can even see two for the price of one on Sundays.

The Lakewood housing suburb, with a new shopping centre and more development planned, is one of the few areas where new homes can be developed between Laurieton and Kew.

Eating out is well catered for with several excellent restaurants as well as the recently refurbished Laurieton Hotel and the Laurieton United Servicemen’s Club.

St Peter the Fisherman Church has in its grounds a reflective sculpture garden where you can enjoy a peaceful stroll.

The market held along the banks of the river on the third Sunday of every month gives you the opportunity to buy fresh produce and plants at reasonable prices, as well as browse through all the locally made handicrafts. There are also many other markets held in the area throughout the year.

NORTH HAVEN

North Haven boasts the award winning Jacaranda Caravan Park as well as several others, all located within easy walking distance of the river, with a longer stroll to the popular Grants Beach adjacent to the river entrance breakwall.

Many locals fish along the breakwall or from the beach. Deep sea fishing charters can be arranged from North Haven and the sandbar entrance to the river is one of the safest on the north coast of New South Wales.

Grants Beach north of the surf club is great for surf fishing or you can complete the Grants Beach coast walk to the lookout and car park just south of Bonny Hills. The surf beach is patrolled over the summer months.

Two local restaurants, The Sandbar and Tao’s Relish By the River, have delicious cuisine and both overlook the river.
An alternative for a meal out and entertainment is the North Haven Bowling Club. There are also several shops in
North Haven.

BONNY HILLS

This small village has outstanding elevated coastal views and two caravan parks, one with views to Port Macquarie and the other located just behind Rainbow Beach.

Early morning ”surf’s up” is a must for many of the locals and the beach is patrolled over the summer months. This beach, together with Lighthouse Beach further north, provides 30 kilometres of white sand stretching to Tacking Point Lighthouse in Port Macquarie and great surfing for body board or surfboard riders. The beach can also be explored on foot horseback, or by 4WD.

The Bonny Hills general store provides convenience shopping while Bonny Hills Beach Hotel gives the locals a place to have a meal and a drink within walking distance of home. Long Point Vineyard for wine tasting and purchases is located between Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie. From the top of Jolly Nose Mountain there are 360° views over Queens Lake, the coast and the hinterland. Access is via a 4WD or, for the fit, a steep climb on foot.

LAKE CATHIE

The quiet coastal inlet at Lake Cathie is an excellent place for families with toddlers and small children to enjoy a fantastic holiday. Periodically Council opens the large saltwater lake to the sea, making it an even more picturesque spot. The brand new playground area with picnic barbecues is ideal for family outings. There is excellent fishing in the lake and from the beach as well as various walks through the nearby coastal flora.

Lake Cathie is also well suited to retirement living. The popular Lake Cathie Tavern is located in a shopping complex that also houses a supermarket and several smaller shops. The Lake Cathie Bowling Club is the home of the biggest bowl in the world weighing in at two tonnes.

KEW

Kew is the gateway to the Camden Haven and a brief stopping off point for many on the Pacific Highway.
At Kew you turn off to the hinterland to the west – areas such as Comboyne, Ellenborough Falls, Blue Poles Café, Wauchope and Timber Town.

The pub at Kew is a welcoming place for a delicious meal and a drink when returning from an eventful day exploring all that the area has to offer.

The Camden Haven Golf and Bowls Club is located at Kew. The club which has just been renovated features an eighteen-hole golf course as well as a bowling green and always welcomes new members or casual players.

COASTAL REAL ESTATE CAMDEN HAVEN.
6 Birramal drive, Dunbogan.2443.
Phone: (02) 6559 8880
Mobile: 0419 446 827
Fax: (02) 6559 8882
Email: stan@property121.com.au

Proprietor: Stan Blackshaw
Licence No: 1425815