Wildlife Watching in Arakwal National Park, Byron Bay

Sep 9

Byron Bay, the easternmost point of Australia, isn't exactly off the beaten track – it's one of the most-visited towns in the country. Though it's famed for its beaches, I think it's under-appreciated as a wildlife destination. The scuba diving and snorkeling is fantastic, of course, but there's plenty to see on land too.

*Looking south over Arakwal National Park*

Arakwal National Park, in particular, is a little gem. I's a tiny park, stretching just a few kilometres, and forms a coastal forest margin to Tallows Beach.

Despite its small size, Arakwal is filled with a diverse array of wildlife. It makes for a great ‘golden hour’ excursion in the early morning or evening.

*The main path through the coastal shrub*

We generally stay near the Ocean St entrance and walk south along the main path from there, then loop back up the beach from Tallow Creek (or vice-versa) if it’s possible – on our last visit (September 2022) the creek had washed away the beach access.

There’s a good chance of seeing a few (often well-camouflaged) swamp wallabies and lots of birds during an easy, flip-floppable stroll. We’ve even seen echidnas.

I’m new to Australian birds, so I got some expert advice recently on useful apps for identification purposes. The Merlin app (with the in-app download for Australian birds) is a fantastic, easy-to-use free option for either iOS or Android, and the ‘Australian Birds’ app is a great paid option for enthusiasts.

The Merlin app is very good though, you can probably save some money and just use that if you’re a casual birdwatcher.

If you see anything interesting, or you're struggling with ID, submit any photos you've got to iNaturalist - the community there is super helpful for helping confirm what you’ve seen. I use that tactic often!

Wildlife Photography Notes

I’ve been using my Sony 200–600 mm G lens at Arakwal, partly because Mads always steals the 100–400 mm GM as her preferred walkaround lens, but mostly for the extra reach. We both use Sony A7R III cameras.

Settings-wise, we typically use aperture priority using the ‘Fast’ mode with the Auto ISO min. SS function. If that’s meaningless garble for you, no fear: I’ll write up our full Sony wildlife settings in an upcoming post.

The wallabies are fluffy and wonderful, but they do love them some low light. The A7R III has an exceptional high ISO sensor, but even it can use some help in these circumstances. I use DxO Pure Raw 2 prior to edits in Lightroom.

*Mads photographing a heron near the Tallow Creek mouth*

Arakwal is a lovely, easy-to-visit little wildlife hotspot. Highly recommended.

Simon.

Byron BayBird Photography

Simon J Pierce

Dr. Simon Pierce is a co-founder and Principal Scientist at the Marine Megafauna Foundation, where he leads the Global Whale Shark Program.

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