Arrawarra is a small coastal community on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, located north of Coffs Harbour. Its landscape centres on Arrawarra Headland, where a sandy beach meets rocky shoreline, coastal vegetation, and waters protected within the Solitary Islands Marine Park. The area is known for surfing, fishing, swimming, beach walking, and exploring rock pools. Nearby Mullaway provides another quiet coastal setting, while the surrounding Coffs Coast connects Arrawarra with longer stretches of beach, rainforest, and walking tracks. Its relatively small scale gives the community a close connection with the surrounding coastline.

Arrawarra has deep cultural importance for the Gumbaynggirr people, the traditional custodians of the region. The name Arrawarra is associated with a meeting place, reflecting the headland’s role in traditional gatherings and cultural activities. Stone fish traps remain along the headland and provide evidence of longstanding Aboriginal knowledge of the coast and its marine resources. The Solitary Islands Marine Park also protects waters with continuing cultural significance to Aboriginal communities. These connections are an important part of Arrawarra’s identity and help explain the relationship between the local community, coastline, and sea.

Arrawarra Headland is a popular location for surfing, with a point break attracting surfers to the coastline. The surrounding beaches and rocky areas provide opportunities for swimming, fishing, rockpooling, and coastal walks. The Solitary Islands Coastal Walk passes through the area, linking beaches and headlands along the Coffs Coast. From elevated sections of the coastline, visitors can look across the marine park and, during the whale migration season, may see humpback whales travelling offshore. Mullaway Beach and Headland nearby has picnic facilities, fishing areas, and a walking route with views over the Pacific Ocean.

< p>Arrawarra’s food culture is closely connected to the wider Coffs Coast, where seafood, local produce, cafés, and small restaurants are part of the regional offering. Fishing remains an important recreational activity, while the coast has traditionally provided Aboriginal communities with marine foods and other resources. One of the area’s most distinctive features is its surviving stone fish traps, which connect the present-day landscape with Gumbaynggirr cultural practices and knowledge. The combination of a surfing beach, marine habitats, Aboriginal heritage, and relatively undeveloped coastal surroundings makes Arrawarra a distinctive stop along New South Wales’ Mid North Coast.