Beach number: nsw170
Includes beaches: Tacking Point North
State/Region: NSW - Port Macquarie
Beach name: TACKING POINT NORTH
General Beach Hazard Rating: 6
Least hazardous: 1-3
Moderately hazardous: 4-6
Highly hazardous: 7-8
Extremely hazardous: 9-10
Hazard rating refers to physical beach and surf conditions ONLY and does not include potentially dangerous marine life.
Beach

Between the southern Shelly Beach headland and Tacking Point is 2 km of east-facing, rock-dominated shoreline containing four beaches (NSW 167-170). There are two small pocket beaches on each headland, with the longer Miners Beach in the centre. All are backed by densely vegetated 40 m high bluffs. They all have rocky surf zones and are only accessible on foot, with a walking track leading from the Shelly Beach car park via the beaches to the Tacking Point car park.

The first headland beach (NSW 167) is a 50 m pocket of sand-covered rocks and reef drained by a permanent rip. Miners Beach is located immediately to the south and consists of two exposed sections, which receive waves averaging 1.5 m. The northern section (NSW 168) commences at a small reef-tied tombolo and extends south for 350 m to a low protruding rock outcrop. It is a sandy beach fronted by a rip-sand-rock dominated surf zone, with usually three permanent rips. The southern section (NSW 169) continues south of the rocks for another 400 m, as a sandy beach fronted by a increasingly rock-dominated surf zone. A strong rip drains out between rocks at the northern end, with more rock than sand towards the south. During high waves the outer bar causes waves to break 200 m offshore.

The southern beach (NSW 170) is tucked inside the north side of Tacking Point, with the point car park above the southern end of the beach. It is a curving 100 m long, steep, narrow east-facing sandy high tide beach, fronted by more continuous intertidal and subtidal rock, apart from a small northern opening. The rocks and reefs lower waves to less than 1 m at the shore.

None of these beaches are suitable for safe swimming. The northern three are isolated and dominated by rocks and or rips.

Only the Miners Beach can hold a wave, in a rock-dominated surf.

There are numerous spots along this section of rock and sand, with the more popular being South Miners, Two Jew, Balancing Rock, The Shark Hole, High Rock and Dennings Rock, the latter being on the north side of Tacking Point.

Type: Formal parking area
Spaces: 10