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Garanhan (Macassan Beach)
Overview
Garanhan (Macassan Beach) is a 38 kilometre drive from Nhulunbuy with the first part taking you along the Dhupuma Road before turning off to follow a well maintained dirt and sand track to the recreational areas. There is a long wide beach of white sand which contrasts with the rough-textured shelves of bright red laterite that run parallel to the coastline. Garanhan lies in between the beaches of Binydjarrŋa and Ŋumuy on the coastal walking trail.
A narrow, dense strip of retja (monsoon coastal vine forest) overlies the red rockshelf and a short walk behind the sandhills leads to a paperbark swamp. There are excellent picnic and camping spots behind the rockshelf where you will get a lovely coastal breeze and shade provided by the casuarina trees. There is a composting toilet facility located closer to the beach and picnic tables and fire pits located at most of the recreational areas.
Walking tracks to Bariŋura (Little Bondi) and Ŋumuy (Turtle Beach) form an onward coastal walking trail where you will get to take in some breathtaking scenery.
South of the sandy beach behind the rock shelf is Wurrwurrwuy, where a Yolŋu record of the annual visits of the Macassan traders is recorded with stone pictures. Here, visitors can walk among the stone pictures and learn about the history of Yolŋu contact with Macassans over hundreds of years from interpretive signage.
You can read more about Wurrwurrwuy and the story of the Yolŋu and Macassan trading here.
Before you go
- A Visitor Access Permit from Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation is required to visit this area
- A Camping Permit from Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation is required if camping overnight
- 4WD vehicle is required
- Potable water is not available at this location
- There is no phone reception at this location
- Wildlife is known to frequent this location