Glenrock State Conservation Area

Five kilometres from central Newcastle, a coastal conservation area of deep gullies, beaches and rocky cliffs that holds the region's last surviving pocket of coastal rainforest. Glenrock Lagoon sits at its centre, fed by Flaggy and Little Flaggy creeks, with Dudley Beach inside the boundary. The Yuelarbah walking track, a leg of the Great North Walk between Sydney and Newcastle, drops through the gullies to the lagoon, and a popular mountain-bike trail network threads the forest. More than 140 bird species have been recorded, and pets stay at home.

Sections occasionally close for track works — check NSW National Parks local alerts.