Booti Hill - Lakeside Walk

DISTANCE: 6.5km (loop)

TIME SUGGESTED: 3 hrs

DIFFICULTY: medium

The Booti Hill/Lakeside walking track touches both the ocean and the shores of Lake Wallis, with beautiful views from the headland and plenty of wildlife to keep the camera active. Bring your swimmers and make a day walk of it.

Start at Ruins campground and travel clockwise, so the hardest part is knocked off early. Walk out to the stunning Seven Mile Beach and look for the signposted track – this climbs up the northern side of Booti Hill through twisted eucalypts.

There are rest spots along the way, and a small opening with a scenic view of Seagull Point right before you enter some refreshing rainforest.

Eventually the track emerges onto the ridge-crest above Lindemans Cove and joins a fire trail that leads to a small clearing. Go straight ahead for Elizabeth Beach and a terrific opportunity for an ocean dip. If it’s winter, you might even spot a migrating whale.

There are also tables and a bbq just 100m along the trail, so don’t forget the picnic.

Back on the main walking track, branching west, cross The Lakes Way for a change of pace.

The final 3.5km of the loop follows the shore of Wallis Lake, with striking lichens and graceful waterbirds aplenty.

Soon you’ll reach a grassy clearing with some marked graves. The Gogerly family are buried here; pioneer fishers once owned the land of the Ruins campground.