About Wooli

There are few towns in the world that carry the title “the best kept secret” and Wooli is one among the few …. a coastal fishing village hidden away just off the Pacific Highway, 600 km north of Sydney and 47 km west of Grafton. Wooli has escaped the developers bull dozer due to strict planning rules, hence the ideal place for getting away from all the hustle and bustle of modern life.

With the new highway upgrades, most people are surprised at how close Wooli really is now, approximately only 3.5 hours from either Port Macquarie or Brisbane Airport.

Wooli which means “two water”, was declared a camping reserve in December 1861 and then a village in 1923 after its popularity as a camping area grew.

Early History

The indigenous communities that occupied the area before the settlement of Europeans were the Yaegal people.  The most common commercial activities in early times were fishing, lobster trapping, oyster farming, and boat building.

The village was connected to electricity in 1962 and water connection took place in 1966.

During the early times, the village was connected to the other towns and communities via rough and sulky tracks.  Now the village is served by an ever improving sealed road and can also be accessed via the Grafton Regional airport 20 minutes away.

Wooli public school was started in the local hall before moving to the new school building in 1946.  Being right on the beach would have to be the envy of any city kid.

A rock wall was constructed along the river terrace to the river entrance. The wall gives safety for the fishing boats going in and out of the river mouth.

Wooli as a Holiday Destination

......  the perfect holiday destination for nature lovers interested in exploring the beauty of water and the marine park.

Wooli offers the rare opportunity to spend time with sand between the toes, swim in the rivers, walk on empty beaches or just fall asleep to the sound of the ocean.

Wooli is a seaside village that is located in NSW. It has a beautiful peninsula where the holiday cottages are located between a river and ocean. The pristine Wooli Wooli River is on the western side of the village and the Pacific Ocean is on the east.

The village is surrounded by the northern sector of the Solitary Islands Marine Park which protects the beaches, estuaries and islands from the Sandon River to Coffs Harbour in the South. It is also encompassed by the Yuraygir National Parks, making Wooli a perfect destination for Eco Tourism.

Solitary Island Marine Park

One should not miss an opportunity to visit the third largest marine protected area in New South Wales.  The Solitary Island Marine Park covers 75 km and is home to a huge diversity of marine life. It also comprises sanctuary zones and refuge zones.

There are more than 550 reef fish, 600 molluscs and 90 hard coral distributed throughout the park.

Wooli is the gateway to the Solitary Island Marine Park and offers the unique opportunity of exploring the underwater beauty by deep sea diving. There is a dive shop at Wooli where diving gears or tank refills can be purchased. The dive shop at Wooli is the only one in the Clarence Valley. 

Wooli Wooli River

 This river is so unique that it had to be named twice! …..   The river originates from Barcoongere State Forest and is 34 kms in length. It wends its way through the NewFoundland State Forest before meandering through the Yuraygir national park on its way to the Pacific Ocean.

Wooli Wooli river is counted as one of the purest waterways in Australia and has the best nurseries for the Sydney Rock Oyster.

There is a 20 km stretch around the river that can be negotiated by either boat or canoe, with a vast range of Flora and Fauna along the banks ….. Perfect for fishing, bird watching and picnics right along the river bank.

Yuraygir national park

Yuraygir National Park was originally known as Wooli Wooli Forest Reserve and was dedicated in 1908 occupying the area from Sandon River to Dirty Creek.  The park is located between Yamba and Coffs Harbour. 

A visit during Autumn is amazing for beach fishing all along the park’s coastline.

Many visitors come in the winter for whale watching. The experience of watching whales migrate as they swim north to warmer waters is comparable to none. There are some magnificent viewing points at Red Cliffs lookout and Brooms Head.

Wooli’s very own Sporting Event:

Australian National Goanna Pulling Championships

Sport lovers cannot afford to miss this annual sporting event at Wooli! The Australian National Goanna Pulling Championships is an event that is held annually since 1985.  The unique sporting festival targets families and is held around October. It is a fun event for all age groups and attracts more than 3000 visitors. Besides Gonna pulling, there are other events that include Tug-a-war, Sprint Age Races, Carnival Rides, North Coast Axemen event and Brick Carrying Races.