Visit Sydney Australia
Walks: Inland | Harbourside | Coastal | Inner City
Sydney Coastal Walks
This walk, centred around Watsons Bay and South Head, takes in the windswept cliffs, secluded coves, historic lighthouses, coastal fortifications and Aboriginal rock art around South Head. Highlights: Hornby and Macquarie Lighthouses; Camp Cove; Lady Bay; The Gap; Watsons Bay. Duration: 3 hours. Distance: 5km. Grade: easy/moderate
Beginning at Watsons Bay, this walk travels south along the top of 80 metre high cliffs, with some of the most mesmerising coastal scenery you are ever likely to see so close to an international city. Highlights include the Macquarie Lighthouses; Old signal station, colonial era fortifications, a hanging swamp at Diamond Bay, Dudley Page Reserve with views up the harbour to the city, milti million dollar clifftop homes, the site of Australia s first radio telescope, Murriverie Pass, Fullertons Gap and the aboriginal rock carvings of North Bondi. Duration: 3 hours 15 minutes. Distance: 8km. Grade: moderate, some steps
Part of the Bondi to Coogee Walk (or Bondi Coastal Walk), the scenery is a combination of beaches, parks and spectacular views. Locals have been enjoying this walk since the 1930s and it is still one of the gems of Sydney s Eastern Suburbs. There are plenty of beaches and cafes on the way. Highlights: Bondi, Tamarama, Bronte and Coogee beaches; Mackenzies Point Aboriginal rock art site; historic Waverley Cemetery. Duration: 2 hours. Distance: 4.5km. Grade: easy-moderate, some steps
A major walk that takes in most of the beaches on the south side of the Harbour. Can be walked in sections, with the option of eight loop walks. Highlights: Clovelly Beach; Bronte Park; Waverley Cemetery; Randwick; La Perouse; Botany Bay; Lt. James Cook's Landing Place (1770), Kurnell. Duration: 11 hours. Distance: 30km. Grade: moderate
A series of short and medium length walks through the Pittwater area. The walking trails they follow take in the gullys, creeks, bays and beaches of Pittwater and the Pacific coast of Barrenjoey Peninsula. Highlights: Barrenjoey Headland; Bilgola Plateau; McCarrs Creek; Bungan Headland; Warriewood Wetlands; Irrawong Reserve; Billarong Sanctuary Duration: various. Distance: various. Grade: easy
The 1 km climb to the top of Barrenjoey Headland from the car park at Gov. Phillip Park, Palm Beach, is quite steep, but well worth the effort. The views north across Broken Bay to the central coast, west along the Hawkesbury River and south to Pittwater and Sydney Northern Beaches (below right) are spectacular. Barrenjoey Lighthouse was the third light on the Headland and was completed in 1881. A customs station was established in 1843 at what was considered to be the back door of Sydney for smugglers.
Incorporating the northern section of the Bicentennial Coastal Walkway, this walk is dominated by a series of rugged natural headlands with extensive views of the coast and Pittwater, sweeping and secluded beaches and further south, wetlands feeding into Narrabeen Lagoon. There are a number of loop walks, including those to Barrenjoey Headland, McKay Reserve, Bangalley Head, Stapleton Park, Angophora Reserve, Crown of Newport Reserve, Warriewood Wetlands and Narrabeen Lagoon, plus a link to Church Point. Highlights: Barrenjoey Headland; Bungan Headland; Narrabeen Lakes. Duration: 11 hours. Distance: 19km. Grade: easy/moderate
A series of headland pathways and lookouts connecting the ends of each beach form a continuous coastline route which stretches along Sydney's northern coastline between Manly and Palm Beach. Can be walked as a whole or in individual sections. Highlights: Barrenjoey Headland; Bangelley Headland; Avalon Headland; Bilgola Plateau; Bungan Headland; Mona Vale Headland; Turimetta Headland; Narrabeen Headland and Lakes; Dee Why Lagoon Duration: 17 hours. Distance: 27km. Grade: moderate
Incorporating the southern section of the Bicentennial Coastal Walkway, this is a splendid coastal walk featuring significant headlands, sweeping beaches and four lagoons, with links to the extensive waterways of Narrabeen Lakes (also known as Narrabeen Lagoon) and Manly Dam Reserve. There are a number of loop walks, including Long Reef and Dee Why Lagoon, Curl Curl and Manly Lagoons and the bushland circular track through Manly Dam Reserve. Highlights: Narrabeen Lakes; Dee Why Lagoon; Manly Lagoon; Long Reef Point Duration: 6 hours. Distance: 8km. Grade: easy/moderate
This magnificent walk features the famous Manly Beach, Shelly Beach, and North Head which dominates the entrance to Sydney Harbour. It also links to the popular Manly Scenic Walkway between Manly Cove and The Spit. The walk forms part of one of the world s great urban coastal walks, connecting Broken Bay in Sydney's north to Port Hacking in the south, traversing rugged headlands, sweeping beaches, lagoons, bushland, and the bays and harbours of coastal Sydney. Optional loops take in Manly Lagoon, The Spit and Narrambeen Lakes Highlights: Manly Beach, Shelly Beach, Frshwater Beach and North Head; harbour views Duration: 3 hours. Distance: 5km. Grade: easy
This magnificent walk features the famous Manly Beach, Shelly Beach, Sydney Harbour National Park, the former School of Artillery and North Head Sanctuary managed by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, and North Head which dominates the entrance to Sydney Harbour and offers extraordinary views down-harbour. It passes the former Quarantine station (now the Q station) and Manly Cove before returning to Manly wharf to set out on the popular Manly Scenic Walkway. This iconic walk circles North Harbour before climbing though the outstanding scenery of another section of Sydney Harbour National Park which overlooks the Heads, Crater Cove and Grotto Point Light. It then drops into popular Clontarf Beach and a final bush track to the Spit bridge.
A walking track from the main car parking area at La Perouse follows the coastline to Henry Head and Cape Banks. On the way you ll pass Bare Island, Congwong Bay, Endeavour lighthouse which guides ships into Botany Bay; the ruins of Henry Head fortifications and the remains of the coastal steamer, the Minmi, which ran aground one foggy morning in May 1937 and has been washed onto the rocks of Pussycat Bay. North of the wreck are the remains of the Cape Banks fortifications; an old cemetery attached to Prince Henry Hospital where people who died of infectious diseases were buried and freshwater pools noted in the log of the Endeavour by James Cook in 1770. These pools are located directly below the 128th tee of the N.S.W. Golf Club.
A paved walking path leading from Cronulla Beach south beyond the Surf Club leads to a popular and pleasant walk is around the Cronulla Peninsula. The walk takes in Shelly Beach, Oak Park Beach, Darook Park, Bass and Flinders Point, Salmon Haul Bay and Gunnamatta Park. It returns walkers to Cronulla Park or the railway station via Nicholson Parade. There are numerous cafes and takeaways on the journey or in Cronulla's main shopping area. Easy walk. 3 km round trip.
Take the Cape Baily Walking Track from Captain Cook's Landing Place Historic Site in the Botany Bay National Park at Kurnell for an easy walk along the coast from the southern heads of Botany Bay to Cape Solander, Cape Baily Lighthouse (right), Potter Point, Boat Harbour and Pimelwi Rocks. Rocky coastline through low scrub. Moderate walk. 12 km return trip. How to Get There: Illawarra line train to Cronulla. Bus No. 987 to Kurnell terminus; or by car to Kurnell.
Very popular walking track spanning the entire east coast of the Royal National Park from Bundeena (get there by ferry from Cronulla) at its northern tip, down to Otford at its southern tip. It is well marked and the track is accessible to pretty much anyone. Can be walked in sections, or as a 2 day hike (camping and backpacker accommodation available). Highlights: North Era, Wattamolla, Big Marley and Little Marley Beaches. Duration: 12 hours. Distance: 26km. Grade: easy/moderate
The Bondi to Coogee Walk (or coast walk) is a combination of beaches, parks and spectacular views. Locals have been enjoying this walk since the 1930 s and is still one of the gems of Sydney s Eastern Suburbs. There are plenty of beaches and cafes on the way. Highlights: Bondi, Tamarama, Bronte and Coogee beaches; Mackenzies Point Aboriginal rock art site. Duration: 2 hours. Distance: 6km. Grade: easy/moderate