Hole in the Wall

Hole in the Wall is a coastal sandstone formation at the northeastern end of a crescent beach in Booderee National Park. The opening has collapsed into a U shape, so expect a broad notch rather than a complete hole through the wall. The rock and beach make one stop: come for the unusual formation and time on the shore.

The Hole in the Wall car park is about 400 m from the beach; the formation sits farther along the shoreline at its northeastern end. From Murrays Beach car park, the shoreline route is 1.1 km one way, about 30 minutes, and crosses a rock platform. It is listed as a low-tide walk, so check the tide before taking that longer approach and leave a safe margin for the return. A vehicle park pass is required for Booderee. None of the park's beaches are supervised by lifeguards.

The crescent beach is protected from southerly winds, and snorkelling is a draw around the area. That shelter is directional, not a promise of calm water; check conditions before getting in. The crescent sand is part of the appeal even if you only come to look at the rock.

The visible wall is part of Booderee's Permian marine geology. The peninsula's bedrock includes sandstone, siltstone and conglomerate at the southern end of the Sydney Basin rocks, with dunes and sandy soils covering much of the land above. That is the regional setting; a site-specific account of how this opening changed shape was not found.

The U-shaped rock is the detail to keep in your photo, with the curving beach and waterline around it for context. Early morning is a good time to photograph the formation. If you came from Murrays over the rock platform, make the tide and your return time the priority over waiting for a particular light.