Bridle Trail

Attraction
Bridle trail
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Park alerts

Arakoon National Park

1 current alert · Checked 14 Oct 2026, 7:05 pm

  • Elsewhere in the parkClosed areasUntil 30 Oct 2026

    Area permanently closed - Mermaid Pools

    Access to Mermaid Pools is permanently closed including for swimming. Sudden large swells and tides create major waves that wash over the rocks and pools.

    Do not access this area. The severe conditions at this site have caused a number of significant injuries and deaths in the past.

    Mermaid Pools have never been a designated visitor site due to the extreme nature of the surf and tides at this location. There is no approved public access walking track to Mermaid Pools.

    For further information call the NPWS Verges Creek area office on 02 6561 6700.

About

Retrace history along an easy walking 1.2-kilometre return track, Bridle trail, near Trial Bay Gaol in Arakoon National Park, five kilometres east of South West Rocks.  In days gone by, horses would haul the massive steam crane used in the granite quarry during the construction of the ill-fated breakwater.

You won’t see any exhausted horses along this trail today. Accessed from Little Bay picnic area, this historic short track is now a beautiful walk through regenerated coastal heathlands and majestic gums. Passing cool patches of rainforest, look for remnants of the old iron water pipe that was used to supply water to the gaol.

If you feel like exploring a little more, an easy track links to both Powder Magazine walking track and Little Bay Beach, where you can also enjoy a refreshing swim.

The walk at a glance

Arakoon National Park · North Coast

Bridle Trail walking track is an easy short walk offering a glimpse of the historic heritage of Trial Bay Gaol in Arakoon National Park near Kempsey.

Difficulty
Grade 2 · Easy
Distance
0.6km one-way
Time
15 - 45min
Accessibility
Medium

What to bring

  • Drinking water
  • Hat
  • Sunscreen

Plan your walk

Access, facilities and practical details.

Frequently asked questions

7 questions

Get in touch

Trial Bay Gaol Visitor Centre

02 6566 6168npws.hastingsmacleay@environment.nsw.gov.au

73 Trial Bay Gaol Road, Arakoon NSW 2431

Where you'll be

Bridle Street south

South West Rocks NSW 2431