A Look At Red Rock
Wayne Kampe

LOCATED on an absolute gem of a small coastal stream (Corindi Creek) Red Rock is one of those rare places that the mainstream of life seems to have passed by, leaving a quiet little oasis for anglers and bushwalkers to enjoy.

Red Rock is situated on the coast around half way between Grafton and Coffs Harbour, and is accessed via the turn-off to Corindi on the Pacific Highway 46km south of Grafton. A couple of kilometres of travel on a bitumen road will see the angler surveying the headland at Red Rock and wondering, maybe, just where to make a start on such likely-looking water.

RED ROCK CARAVAN PARK

There are numerous sites available at Red Rock Caravan Park (best to book in advance for Christmas and Easter) set up on well-kept lawns, and the camping ground is part shaded, part open. The fishing is within easy walking distance. You can walk to the river to the west for some easy fishing, or go straight across to the ocean beach to cast a line into the surf. The options are certainly there, as is an exploratory trip up the river in a boat to see what's biting on the flats or along the mangrove banks.

The caravan park has three amenity blocks with laundries, covered BBQ and picnic shelters, a kiosk and general store, and a post office and boat ramp are nearby.

THE TOWN

Like many of the destinations I select for the magazine, Red Rock is a tiny locality. There's a bowl's club, a tennis court, and just a sprinkling of houses. But with Coffs Harbour and Grafton so close by, a quick trip will take care of any major purchases or other requirements.

THE SCENERY

Fishing might be the major attraction at Red Rock, but it would be selling the area short if I didn’t mention the wonderful scenery there. A small headland near the caravan park offers remarkable ocean views, and whales and dolphins are frequently seen just offshore. When I visited the area in July I noted four pods of whales passing through in one afternoon.

And who could become tired of the vista of Corindi Creek in the late afternoon on a making tide? Water birds, a quiet boat drifting while anglers cast lures for flathead, a surface burst of small fish rapidly departing a hungry predator… these things are the spice of life. Especially if you’ve just departed a busy city.

Beach walks are another great thing about Red Rock, and it's a satisfying experience to put the first footprints onto the sands of an ebbing tide at daylight. I do a lot of this, especially with a carry-bag of bait and tackle over the shoulder and a surf rod in my left hand. Which brings us to the fishing…

THE FISHING

There is a vast amount of surf beach available at Red Rock, and the creek mouth and the creek proper are great to fish from the shore or from a boat. Yabbies are available from the sand bars, and worms and pipis from the surf beaches. You can also pick up some frozen bait from the store at the caravan park.

During winter the creek is a popular angling destination for luderick devotees with their long soft rods and small floats. The best times seem to be when the water is just starting to clear a little on the flood tide, or as it starts to colour on the first of the ebb tide. The luderick can be choosy (as is often the case), preferring weed one day and cabbage the next. Berley helps to reduce the waiting time between bites.

Good rock outcrops within the vicinity of the creek mouth are also targeted by anglers seeking bream, trevally, and tailor. At low tide some hardy souls even venture right out to where the creek makes its way into the shore break, in search of quality whiting and flathead. This is, of course, a pursuit of the warmer months.

In the creek proper the much sought-after mangrove jack is taken from time to time by both lure and bait anglers. I'd like to take one of these brutes on fly.

During winter, tailor and jew are big attractions for visitors who like to wet a line. Surf beaches, the rocks around the headland, and the renowned Jewfish Point are likely spots. Jewfish Point is accessed via a board walk commencing near the boat ramp west of the caravan park. A fair few other fishing locations can be accessed en route to the Point.

That's an overview of Red Rock. It’s a lovely quiet place, and let's hope it stays that way.

To book a place at the Red Rock Caravan Park contact Val or Graeme on (02) 6649 2730. Havarest Holiday accommodation at Red Rock can be contacted on (02) 6653 6418.