Why Mullaway Beach should be on your getaway list?
Guess what readers! Mullaway Beach was not on my getaway list. But when you look at a map, decide how far you want to travel and hit the pages of stayz, you very quickly stumble on something. And stumble on something I did.
Mullaway Beach is tucked just north of Coffs Harbour on the New South Wales coast. It seems to have decided that it is one of those places that it doesn’t need the fanfare of its famous neighbours. It is not trying to be Byron, and it certainly isn’t Sydney. Instead, Mullaway Beach offers something a little rarer: a genuine slice of coastal serenity where the soundtrack is waves, wind, and the occasional laugh of a kookaburra rather than the hum of tourists and traffic.
The beach stretches generously, a ribbon of golden sand bordered by gentle dunes and pockets of coastal vegetation. Here, morning light feels softer, and the ocean has a way of slowing everything down. Surfers paddle out early, chasing those clean, rolling breaks that Mullaway is quietly known for, while walkers leave footprints along the shoreline, pausing to admire shells washed smooth by the sea. On calm days, the water turns that irresistible shade of Pacific blue, inviting swimmers to wade in, while the headlands offer vantage points for spotting dolphins cruising just beyond the breakers.
Families find space here too—no jostling for sand space, no frantic scramble for parking spots. Picnic blankets lay under shady trees, and children have the space to run freely. The surrounding reserve adds a whisper of wilderness, giving the area a slightly untamed edge, as though nature still has the final word.
Mullaway Beach is not a destination that asks much of you. It simply invites you to breathe, to pause, to remember what the coastline looked like before cafés and boutiques competed for attention. It is a place to stroll barefoot, collect thoughts with the seashells, and let time stretch out in that lazy, coastal way. In a world that celebrates speed, Mullaway Beach offers the gift of slow—beautifully, quietly, and completely.
Where to stay and how to find it
The hardest part of having a trip away from home can often be finding the right place to stay. I usually go on booking.com and start there but this time I went on to airBnB. I knew my limits for how far we would want to go and started looking.
‘Yurt by Sea’ is a unique cedar dwelling holding three bedrooms and two bathrooms. There is a full kitchen and laundry facilities as well as air conditioning, free wifi and a barbie. What else could you want?
Getting there: The road travelled
Driving to ‘yurt by sea’ sounds like something only a mildly deranged travel writer or an over-confident Google Maps user would attempt. It sounds as if the journey should be an amphibious one but let me reassure you. It is tarmac all the way.
The logical and quickest way to go is a 5 and a half journey straight down the M1. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, you can add 90 minutes to your journey and come in through the more scenic route via Ipswich, Kalbar, Boonah, Casino, and Grafton.
What to do while you’re there
The options of what to do what at Mullaway are plentiful. The most beautiful and obvious thing to do is walk the beach and the headland, taking in the sunsets, sunrises, and the views. Just a short drive from Mullaway, is Garby Nature Reserve. Who knows what you might see! Nana Glen, a mere 30 minutes drive into the hinterland offers wineries, breweries, and cafes; a perfect way to spend a day. Woolgoolga Lake is perfect for kayaking. About 30 minutes south of Mullaway, you will find the town of Coffs Harbour, home of the ‘Big Banana.’ There is plenty to see and do.
Eating and Drinking
Eating at Mullaway Beach is one of life’s simplest pleasures, and honestly, it feels like cheating because something that easy should not feel that good. You wander down with your sandwiches or fish and chips, find a spot where the breeze isn’t trying to steal your napkin, and suddenly everything tastes better. I swear the ocean adds seasoning. Even a plain ham sandwich somehow becomes gourmet when you are listening to the waves. Of course, you do have to watch the local birds — they’re seasoned professionals and will absolutely judge you while plotting a chip heist. But that is all part of the charm. I sit there with my feet in the sand, eating something simple, watching the surfers who make standing up look easy, and for a moment the rest of the world disappears. It is peaceful, grounding, and delicious — beach dining at its absolute finest.
Nature and wildlife
Nature at Mullaway Beach has this wonderful way of reminding you that you are just a visitor in someone else’s busy neighbourhood. You walk down the path, and the bush seems to whisper, “behave yourself,” while the kookaburras laugh like they know you won’t. The kangaroos often show up looking far more relaxed than any of us humans ever manage to be, lounging around as if they own the place — which, let’s be honest, they probably do. The ocean itself is a whole other world, full of darting fish and the occasional dolphin showing off like it is in its own documentary. Even the tiniest crabs scuttling across the sand seem to have somewhere important to be. I sit there sometimes, just watching it all unfold, and it’s impossible not to feel lucky. Mullaway’s wildlife does not just surround you — it gently insists you slow down and pay attention.
Weather when I visited
The weather for the week fluctuated between 24 and 30 degrees. We had seen some atrocious storms the week before we left so hadn’t known what to expect. Overall, it turned out quite well.
What I did when I was there
Monday 17th
We left home at 9am, which of course for NSW is 10am due to the time difference. The Bruce Highway was to be our home until 3pm that afternoon when we finally made it to Mullaway. There was a fair amount of traffic, more than expected for a Monday but as they say, “you gotta do what you gotta do” so we sat with the traffic and a variety of music keeping us occupied.
We arrived at Yurt by Sea and unpacked the esky and our clothes. After a breather we decided to have a look around the local area to see what was around. We stumbled on the local Woolworths so stocked up with supplies. Then we headed to Mogul Beer
We finished off the evening with dinner at Seaview Tavern & then headed back to the yurt for a couple of episodes of ‘Reacher’ to end the night.
Tuesday 18th
Coffee and toast and an enjoyable book were the start to my day. I have been reading Adam Reynolds book “On my own terms” and it certainly has not disappointed. While there is a row of houses between us and the ocean, we can listen to the sound of the sea, there is a relaxing feel about it.
We took a brief ride to the clifftop walk at Mullaway Headland and stretched our legs. Then it was off to Bluebottles Brasserie for what started as coffee and cake but ended up as lunch. A drive around the local area ended with a couple of beers at Mogul Beer
A quiet, relaxing evening back with my book was the perfect way to end the day.
Wednesday 19th
The coffee was made and the day begun. The door to the yurt open for the sunlight and warmth to come in. We then took a drive out for breakfast to Bluebottles Brasserie
Then it was out to Upper Corindi, Glenreagh, Nana Glen via Sherwood Creek Road, and then down to Coffs Harbour on Orana Way. We had a quiet afternoon reading and finished off the night with dinner at Seaview Tavern
Thursday 20th
Thursday was breakfast in the yurt and lunch out. We started the day with a drive to local beaches and ended up by lunchtime at Ulmarra Hotel. It is somewhere my parents have been several times, so the sentimentality is there for me, I wanted to visit it. Then after snapping a few pics for the photo album, it was off to Grafton Brewing to check out their brews. They were not as good as others tasted, sadly.
Friday 21st
Friday was the drive home. Time to hit the highway and just head north. Traffic was one of those things we knew we would have to face and just had to get on with it. We left the yurt at 830am (which was 730am qld time) and headed for a last breakfast at Bluebottles Brasserie Then we hit the highway home. For a fair amount of the way, it was cruising along at the speed limit. Then we were back in Queensland and the traffic ground to a halt. We had a pit stop to make in Capalaba and from Nudgee all the way through to Narangba, it was nose to tail. Bumper to bumper with my top speed reaching a grand high of 27kph. After that, traffic began to move.
Home sweet home. Mail collected. Esky unpacked and washing on. Finished off the evening with a couple of beers at Brouhaha Baringa
My biggest question now is, ‘Is it worth putting the bag away when you know you’re heading off again very shortly?’
Mullaway lingers…
Mullaway certainly left its mark. I had never been there before, and I know I will be back.
