Seaforth is a peaceful seaside town just 45 minutes to the north of Mackay making it a perfect place for a quick and easy weekend getaway.  The camping reserve is centrally located within the town and is walking distance to the beautiful beach, 2 shops, service station, post office, bottle shop and bowls club.

 

The stunning Seaforth Bay is an expanse of beach lined with coconut palms that give it a charming tropical feel.  Seaforth town is a small quaint village filled mainly with holiday homes, but with enough people to support a primary school and bowls club.

 

Driving into Seaforth, the council run caravan park occupies pride of place in the town itself, on the absolute beachfront and within walking distance to all Seaforth has to offer.

 

Bookings are not necessary outside of school holiday times as there are non-designated sites and plenty of space to choose from underneath the shady trees.  The spots on the beachfront have direct access onto the beautiful sand and clear views all the way out to Brampton Island!  There is also a great playground at the rear corner of the park with 2 well-positioned amenities blocks.

 

There are no powered sites at Seaforth Caravan Park however generators are permitted during daylight hours.  There are no washing machines either, and no laundromat service is available in Seaforth.  The camp kitchen is very basic.

 

Rustic amenities are clean and functional, but they could really do with an update and it costs 20¢ for a hot shower.  There is a dump point on site.

 

Things to do

There is a large enclosure which is great for swimming during high tide (check tide times here: https://tides.willyweather.com.au/qld/mackay/seaforth.html) and the top of the beach has showers,  shelters and BBQs, and a small wading pool that opens during school holidays.

 

There are heaps of things to do in and around Seaforth which makes it a great place to visit for a weekend or longer, however, you may be limited by the lack of power and washing machines.

 

There is a wonderfully maintained boat ramp and jetty facility at Victor Creek which will give you access to the Newry Island Group and beyond.  These islands are managed by National Parks QLD and have walking tracks and lovely beaches to explore.  A second, more basic boat ramp can be found at Seaforth Creek.

 

Fishing, prawning, and crabbing are popular activities – just check the latest Whitsunday GBRMPA zoning map here (http://elibrary.gbrmpa.gov.au/jspui/bitstream/11017/600/4/Map10-EditionV-Whitsunday.pdf) and don’t risk a fine.

 

The Seaforth Bowls club offers a courtesy coach on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, meals Thursday night to Sunday lunch, and live music Friday nights.  Free pool is available all day Sunday too!  For bistro and courtesy bus bookings phone the club on 4959 0201. They also have a playground to keep the kids occupied and frequently host barefoot bowls and social bowls competitions.  See their Facebook page for the details (https://www.facebook.com/Seaforth-Bowls-Club-174695459232354/)

 

Adjacent to the bowls club you will find tennis courts, and a fantastic BMX track with an undercover area including BBQs.

 

The beach is a gorgeous place to walk on and relax and the large tidal movements make it an interesting place to explore at low tide with mudflats to the south and rocks to the northern end.

 

At low tide, a popular activity is to walk across the causeway to Redcliffe Island at the northern end of Seaforth Bay.  Just please check your tides before attempting this.  There are heaps of opportunities for fresh oyster picking on the rocks around the island.

 

There are small markets every Sunday morning in the area around the big mango trees.  Here you will find some local handicrafts, farm-fresh produce, and second-hand books.  Enjoy the MEGA Market held the 1st Sunday of every month with a great variety of stalls including food and coffee vans too.

 

The nearby Old Station Tea House is a lovely place to partake in some scones in a beautiful garden retreat on the way to Cape Hillsborough National Park.  Visit the National Park at sunrise for the opportunity to see kangaroos on the beach, and for some fabulous walking tracks for all abilities.

 

If relaxing at your campsite is more your thing, you will not find a more relaxing place than Seaforth.  Kick back and watch the movements of the tides before strolling along the beach at sunset.  Enjoy the myriad of wildlife that frequently visits the campsite including Eastern Grey Kangaroos, wallabies, kookaburras, black cockatoos, possums, curlews and more.

 

Annoyances

The Seaforth Camping Reserve does not lend itself for longer stays thanks to the lack of power and washing machines.  Mosquitoes and sandflies can be a problem, make sure you cover up and use a good repellant.  There are warning of crocodiles in the creeks around Seaforth, please heed warning signs.  Venomous jellyfish are present in warm tropical waters between the months of October to April.

 

The Verdict

Seaforth Camping Reserve is a fantastic place to spend a few days, especially in the cooler months.  It is perfectly located close to Mackay and with its limited amenities, is great for if you want to get away from it all, without actually getting away from it all.

 

Author:  Kris Gadsby is a Mackay local and founder of Gadsventure – Family Travel a blog which documents the Gadsby family’s travels worldwide offering advice and tips on budget family travel.  Now on a trip around the world with their 4 young children, they have enjoyed many years camping in their Jayco Eagle.  After a 12 month trip around Australia in 2015 and exploring the many campsites close to Mackay ever since, they share their expertise with you.  You can find them on Facebook and Instagram.

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