Walking Melaleuca to Point Eric

Approximate Walking Time: 4-5 hours

As you fly into the gravel airstrip you can spot the south coast and the track from the air.

After you get any gas you purchased from your pilot (they have it locked up in the Registration Hut) and sign the Registration Book, simply head across the airstrip and go south.

Airstrip with track leading from it in middle of photo to right hand side – click to see bigger

Walker Registration Hut at Melaleuca

There’s a “South Coast Track” sign and you simply can’t miss the track.

If you miss this sign, it’s not a great start!

Follow the track over the bridge at Moth Creek and keep following the very well defined track – it includes boardwalk over particularly slushy bits.

Even the boardwalks get submerged at times.

The track winds along the side of New Harbour Range, the western side of Freney Lagoon until you hit the sandy beach of Cox Bight.

Heading beside the New Harbour Range

Freney Lagoon ahead, then the beach, then Cox Bight

There are 2 campsites in Cox Bight – beside the outlet of the lagoon at the back of the beach and on the east side of Point Eric.

We chose Point Eric simply because the walking had been so easy and we wanted to get further than the first campsite.

Point Eric – Sheltered Campsite On The Beach

Through the scrub of Point Eric and we soon came out on it’s east side to a beautiful and well sheltered campsite.

It was a glorious day and a picture perfect spot to set up camp.

And don’t just grab the 1st spot in amongst the trees – wander down the the beach and you’ll find some beautiful flat grassy spots right by the beach.

Fresh water can be had at Goring Creek, a couple of hundred metres up the beach.