POOCH’S PARADISE
LESS than an hour away from the Gold Coast awaits one of northern NSW’s best natural beaches.
And you can take your dog too – just keep it on a leash.
Wooyung Beach is a relatively untouched slice of paradise, with few people around and few buildings.
Nestled between Pottsville and South Golden Beach, the golden sands and unkempt bush mean you can meander through the waves or the sand dunes at your leisure.
Speaking of which, it’s well worth taking out a few hours to explore this untouched area.
There is an abundance of animal and bird life and more than 10km of beachfront to explore.
Watch the fairy wrens flit in and out of the trees, or the whales breaching on the horizon during the whale season.
“Wooyung” means “slow” in the local Bundjalung language, reflecting both the significance of the area to Aboriginal people and the tranquility it brings to visitors.
The dunes are also a great spot for your pup to sniff out all the wondrous fishy smells.
And when they’re done sniffing, just pop them in the waves for a splash around in the water.
The area is not patrolled, so it’s not recommended to swim there, but it’s a great place to kick back and sunbake.
If you get too relaxed, there’s the Wooyung Beach Holiday Park just up the road, which is one of the few remaining bush camping sites on the Australian east coast. They also offer a limited number of powered sites.
And yep, it’s pet friendly. But don’t forget to book.