Between Racecourse Head and Big Hill Point, 3 km to the south, are two east-facing beaches (NSW 153 & 154), linked by a sandy foreland in lee of the low elongate 1 km long Delicate Nobby reef. Racecourse Beach (NSW 153) extends for 1 km between the 30 m high head and the low reef. A vegetated dune, then gravel road backs the beach, with a council camping area behind the southern end. The beach receives some protection from Delicate Nobby and usually has an attached inner bar cut by four beach rips, as well as permanent rips against both ends. Delicate Nobby beach (NSW 154) curves to the south of the reef for 2 km to the base of Big Hill. This is a more exposed beach with a well-developed double bar system containing up to eight rips on the inner bar and permanent rips against Delicate Nobby and Big Hill. A foredune then the gravel road runs the length of the beach, with the Big Hill picnic area located at the southern end beside the usually blocked and trained mouth of Melaleuca Creek (Fig. 4.82). On calmer days fishermen use the slight protection afforded by Big Hill and the southern rip to launch their small boats and head out to sea. Walking tracks lead from the picnic area up the hill to a rain forest, while the Melaleuca camping area is located across the road along the southern shores of the creek. read more

Beach Length: 2km