Sitting pretty
One of the Tweed’s hidden gems, Fingal Head is a ramshackle mix of quaint seaside cottages, natural beauty and rare geological marvels that hold ancient spiritual significance to the traditional Bundjalung people, writes narelle bouveng.
Nestled on the sand, and just a dash from the patrolled section of beach, Tweed Holiday Parks Fingal Head’s waterfront cabins step me fondly back to my own childhood, when carefree days were spent playing by the sea. My children relish the slower pace of this salt-infused escape, too, riding waves between sandcastle building sessions and frequently dipping into the esky for ice-cold watermelon to stay fuelled.
Lava and legends
Perched on an arc-like peninsula between the Tweed River and the Pacific Ocean on the North Coast of New South Wales, Fingal Head sits against the backdrop of majestic Wollumbin (Mount Warning). It’s from here, more than 23 million years ago, that lava erupted and, in rising to meet the sea, created Fingal Head. Considered to be Australia’s own (and only) version of the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, Fingal’s distinctive basalt columns can easily be seen from the beach. The causeway also continues under the sea to meet Cook Island, 600 metres offshore.
It’s a rich aquatic reserve, known for its friendly colony of green sea turtles, and a visit by boat or kayak on a tour from Fingal Head can be arranged.
We opt to see Fingal’s causeway up close, walking 20 minutes through one of the last remaining tracts of littoral rainforest in the region. At the end, we not only spy the lava formations but also the Tweed Coast’s first, smallest and cutest lighthouse, erected in 1872. We learn the column-like rocks are ‘Booniny’ according to Bundjalung lore: that is, they are the spines of a giant echidna whose spirit protects the headland.
A pod of dolphins breaks the sea’s surface nearby, thrilling us with their wave-surfing prowess. And while the kids race back to the beach for a final swim, carrying a magical hope the cetaceans will surface again beside them, I settle in to watch a spectacular Tweed Coast sunset sprinkling gold onto the water where my children play.
Park life
With luxury cabins, caravan sites and 'surfari' tents, the holiday park has something to suit all travellers. But the ease of having a twobedroom beachfront cabin with a full-size kitchen and fridge, spacious air-conditioned lounge and deck area overlooking the beach, was a simple yet perfect choice for our relaxing sojourn by the sea.
The spacious deck of our cabin would have been the perfect spot to settle in with a glass of wine. But the kids have made plans in the camp kitchen with new friends they met in the surf, who also happen to be staying in the park.
While they play on the swings, we’re thrilled to spot some of the endangered bush stone-curlews that call this pretty spot in Fingal Head home.
With sausages sizzling on the barbecue and the sound of kids playing happily, I feel even more nostalgic memories being etched here. The kids feel it too, and have already started planning our next escape.
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