Pottsville is a small beach town on the Tweed Coast in Northern NSW, with a surf beach, a creek-side park with a playground, bush walks and Sunday markets. It is about 1 hour 40 minutes by car from Brisbane, so it works as a long day trip or a weekend away from the Gold Coast.
The town centre has takeaway food, restaurants, a beachside hotel and supermarkets. Dogs are a big part of the story here, because Pottsville has an off-leash stretch of beach.
Pottsville Beach
Pottsville Beach is an open surf beach on the Tweed Coast, so expect waves and currents rather than a calm swimming pool. Tweed Shire Council advises swimming at a patrolled beach and points swimmers to the Beachsafe website for patrol times and conditions. Check Beachsafe before you go.
No surf life saving club is based in Pottsville. The nearest clubs are Salt, Fingal Rovers, Cabarita and Cudgen Headland.
Ambrose Brown Park and Mooball Creek
Ambrose Brown Park sits between Tweed Coast Road and Mooball Creek. The park has a playground, BBQs, picnic settings, shelters, a drinking fountain, a public toilet, showers and decking to the beach, which makes it the easy stop for families.
The park and the creek foreshore beside it are a dog prohibited area, so take the dog to the off-leash beach instead.
Is Pottsville dog friendly?
Partly. South Pottsville Beach is an off-leash area, running from 200 m south of the main bathing area to 200 m north of Black Rocks. Carry a leash, keep your dog under effective control and pick up after it. Dogs declared dangerous, menacing or restricted cannot use the off-leash area.
Everywhere else in public areas in Pottsville, dogs must be on a leash at all times, and Ambrose Brown Park and its Mooball Creek foreshore are dog prohibited. Penalties apply. For the exact boundaries, use Tweed Shire Council’s dog page.
Pottsville Beach Markets
The Pottsville Beach Markets run on the first and third Sunday of each month, from 7 am to 1 pm, at Philip Street Reserve. They are run by the Pottsville Beach Neighbourhood Centre, and the market’s own page is at pbnc.org.au. Check the dates before you drive down.
If you like a market day out, there are more in 5 of the Best Markets in South East Queensland.
Walks at Pottsville Environment Park
Pottsville Environment Park, on Centennial Drive, has four walking tracks: Eucalyptus (2.5 km), Melaleuca (750 m), Billabong (350 m) and Rainforest (700 m). It is within walking distance of the town centre, the beach and the Mooball Creek estuary.
Part of the Melaleuca Track is closed because its bridge has been dismantled, so treat it as a walk in and out. Council publishes a closures map, so check it before you set off. The public toilet at the park is closed until further notice.
Cafes, shops and the boat ramp
Pottsville’s small shopping centre has takeaway food, restaurants, a beachside hotel, supermarkets and surf and fishing supply shops. Pottsville Bakery and The Palm are two local spots named by Visit NSW. There are boat launch ramps at Pottsville as well.
Planning your visit
- How long: a half day for the beach and the park; a full day if you add the markets and a bush walk.
- Best time: the first or third Sunday of the month for the markets; check Beachsafe for patrol times if you want to swim.
- Cost: no entry fee for the park or walks. Council’s parking page mentions no beach parking fees.
- What to bring: sunscreen, a hat, water, and a leash and bags if you have a dog.
- Fires: not permitted on council land, including beaches.
Getting there and parking
By car, Pottsville is about 132 km by road from the Brisbane CBD, about 1 hour 40 minutes. It is on the Tweed Coast, a little south of the Queensland border.
Parking in the Pottsville town centre is free but timed. In the beach car parks there is no parking between 11 pm and 5 am. Council’s parking page has the rules, and you can ring Council on 02 6670 2400.
For buses, plan your trip with Transport for NSW.
Nearby
- Cabarita Beach, Northern NSW – another Tweed Coast beach with a surf life saving club.
- Burleigh Heads Beach – a Gold Coast beach if you want somewhere else on the way home.
- Essential Tips for Hiking Trails in South East Queensland – what to carry before a bush walk.
Browse more beaches and Gold Coast days out.
Quick answers
Where is Pottsville?
Pottsville is a beach town in Tweed Shire, Northern NSW, about 132 km by road from the Brisbane CBD.
Can I take my dog to Pottsville Beach?
Yes, on part of South Pottsville Beach, which is off leash. Dogs are banned from Ambrose Brown Park and the Mooball Creek foreshore, and must be on a leash elsewhere.
When are the Pottsville markets?
The Pottsville Beach Markets run on the first and third Sunday of each month from 7 am to 1 pm at Philip Street Reserve.
Is parking free in Pottsville?
Parking in the town centre is free but timed, and no beach parking fees are listed. There is no parking between 11 pm and 5 am in the beach car parks.
Are there toilets and a playground?
Yes, Ambrose Brown Park has a playground, a public toilet and showers.
Is Pottsville Beach patrolled?
Check Beachsafe for current patrol times. Tweed Shire Council advises swimming at a patrolled beach, and no surf life saving club is based in Pottsville.
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