The headland at Lennox Head

Lennox Head
Famous surfing destination and quiet holiday retreat
Located 765 km north of Sydney, Lennox Head is one of those small townships which is characterised by a large and beautiful headland (hence the name) to the south and a long, 'seven mile' beach which, in the words of the surfing community, is a place where 'the magical right-hand break' occurs. To some it is the 'Surf Capital of the Far North Coast'.

The village of Lennox Head is now only ten minutes from the much larger centre of Ballina. Consequently it has tended to be by-passed by people rushing towards Queensland and has remained a pleasant and sleepy little hollow with adequate facilities but without the pressures of the larger centres.

Prior to European settlement it is estimated that there were around 400-500 Aborigines living in the area. They lived an uncomplicated life hunting the pademelons, wallabies, bandicoots and flying foxes which abounded inland from the coast and, particularly in September, arriving on the coast to reap the rich harvest of salmon. The shoals of fish were often caught inside the surf and the Aborigines could wade in and spear them. It is also known that the hard flat sands of Seven Mile Beach were a popular location for tribal warfare between the Aborigines from around Brunswick Heads and the local groups.

People on the beach at Lennox Head

The area around Lennox Head, being low-lying coastal scrubland, held little interest for the cedar cutters who scoured the area for the precious timber from the 1820s onwards. In fact it wasn't until the 1860s that James Ainsworth (after whom Lake Ainsworth is named) took up land behind Seven Mile Beach. While he was a builder and contractor Ainsworth also grew sugar cane on this land and moved across the hinterland looking for stands of cedar. By 1865 John Skenner (after whom Skenners Head is named) had taken up land to the south of the present township.

In 1922 Lennox Head was created as a private subdivision. The idea was to sell the blocks of land for weekender and holiday accommodation with Lake Ainsworth being the main attraction.

Since then the village has grown slowly but, with Ballina so close, it has never become over-commercialised.

Things to see:  

Lennox Head from Lennox Head Beach

Pat Morton Lookout
Worth the effort (lazy people can drive up) this lookout offers excellent views north from Lennox Head across Seven Mile Beach and south to Rocky Point and Skenners Head. It is easy to walk from town, along the oceanfront reserve and climb the headland to enjoy this view. Below it is 'The Point' where surfers from all over the world come to enjoy the near-perfect waves. It is also common to see dolphins, and sometimes whales, from the headland.

Lake Ainsworth
To the north of the town is Lake Ainsworth which offers a calm freshwater retreat for families. It is ideal for sailing, swimming and foreshore picnics. It is possible to hire catamarans and windsurfers on the lake. In recent times the lake's southern shores have been reinforced by 8000 tea tree logs which were laid by a group of active local volunteers. The lakes brown colour is not a result of dirtiness but of the staining which occurs as a result of the tea trees which are common along the shoreline.

General Accommodation Enquiries
Like many of the New South Wales coastal towns, part of Lennox Head's accommodation is 'holiday lettings' which are handled through the local real estate agent. If you are looking for this kind of accommodation (houses, flats, beach apartments and so on) contact Pidcocks Real Estate, Suite 4, 76 Ballina Street, Lennox Head. Tel: (02) 6687 7888 and fax (02) 6687 6040.

	Tourist Information
	L. J. Hooker Lennox Head Holiday Lettings 4/76 Ballina St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 7888 Facsimile: (02) 6687 6040
	Motels
	Lennox Head Motel 49 Ballina St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 7257 Facsimile: (02) 6687 6344 Rating: **1/2
	Lennox Head Motor Lodge & Holiday Units 20 Byron St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 7210 Facsimile: (02) 6687 7210 Rating: **1/2
	Santa Fe Motel & Holiday Units 8 Byron St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 7788 Facsimile: (02) 6687 7788 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Lennox Point Hotel Pacific Pde Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 7312
	Apartments
	Lennox Head Beachfront Holiday Apartments 77 Ballina St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 6155
	Santa Fe Holiday Apartments 8 Byron St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 7788 Rating: ***
	Caravan Parks
	Lake Ainsworth Caravan Park Pacific Pde Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 7249 Facsimile: (02) 6687 7249 Rating: **1/2
	Backpackers
	Lennox Head Backpackers 2-3 Ross St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 7636
	Camping & Other
	Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre Ballina St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 7168
	Restaurants
	Lennox Head Bowling Club Stewart St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 7236
	Lennox Head Chinese Restaurant 63 Ballina St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 7478
	Lennox Point Hotel Pacific Pde Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 7312
	Mi-Thai Restaurant 76 Ballina St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 5820
	Pancho Villa Mexican Restaurant 62 Ballina St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 6171
	Cafés
	Jays Grill and Restaurant 63 Ballina St Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 6707
	Seven Mile Cafe Restaurant 41 Pacific Pde Lennox Head NSW 2478 Telephone: (02) 6687 6210
	The Hook Up Internet Cafe 90 Ballina St Lennox Head NSW 2478