Bay of Fires and Binalong Bay
Rated as one of Lonely Planet’s top 10 regions in the world, St Helens is known as the gateway to the Bay of Fires. The white sandy beaches, lichen-covered granite boulders and crystal-clear waters provide the perfect conditions for swimming, snorkelling, surfing or relaxing on the sandy shoreline. The bays are set within a conservation reserve extending along the coastline and are home to an abundance of bird and marine life.
The name Bay of Fires can be traced back to 1773, when ships sailing along the coastline spotted fires burning on the shore lit by the Indigenous people, but the name could also apply to the bright orange lichen that drapes the boulders lining the bay.