| Crescent Head | |
Location: | 457km north of Sydney |
Shire: | Kempsey |
Population: | 1208 |
Postcode: | 2440 |
Crescent Head is a small north coast resort town 22km southeast of Kempsey. It claims one of the best surfing beaches in New South Wales and also popular swimming, fishing, picnic and barbecue areas. A headland lookout gives sweeping views north to Hat Head and south as far as Port Macquarie.
Hat Head National Park comprises a coastal strip of high dunes and coastal swamps with fishing, swimming, bushwalking, picnicking and camping to the north of Crescent Head. Smoky Cape, at the park's northern limit, is a solid granite outcrop which was first sighted and named by Captain James Cook on 13 May 1770. On the cape, Smoky Cape Lighthouse (1889) stands 137 metres above sea level, commanding spectacular views of the coastline.