Before You Head Out on Any of These Sydney Walks
- Don’t leave without sunscreen. The Australian sun is powerful and not to be messed with. Apply and reapply as you go. Bring sunglasses and a hat with you too.
- All the walks listed below are accessible by public transportation. Be sure to check the schedules before you go so that you can plan your time. TripView is a great app for Sydney’s public transportation and has a free version.
- Bring your swimsuit. The beaches you’ll pass by in each of these walks are some of the best in Sydney, so plan on taking a dip as you go. Plus, on a hot day, a quick dip in the harbor is perfection.
The Sydney walks I’ve listed below are all near restaurants, cafes, and shops so you can get a bite to eat or pick up supplies like water and more sunscreen.
Sydney's Famous Eastern Coastal Walk
Sydney's Eastern Coastal Walk is actually several walks that can be broken down into separate sections or, if you’re up for it, all done at once, but that would be a very long day.
The eastern suburbs coastal walk spans two city councils: Woollahra and Waverly.
Starting at Rushcutters Bay, you can walk along the harbor and eastern coastline all the way to Cronulla and probably farther if you wanted to, but I’ve never heard of anyone going that far.
Each of these walks is one way, not looped circuits, so you can either follow your footsteps back to where you started or catch the bus back into the city or wherever else you need to go.
The 4km Bondi to Bronte Coastal Sydney Walk is a must!
This is a screenshot of the PDF available from the Waverly Council website.
It will take your breath away.
You can easily continue to Coogee from Bronte and jump on a bus back. I personally like to walk in the opposite direction starting at Coogee or Bronte then head to Bondi. It’s just easier to catch a bus at Bondi back to the city or Bondi Junction train station. Starting January 14, 2014, there will be a city beach bus route 362 that connects the eastern suburbs beaches starting at Coogee and going up to Bondi with a stop at Tamarama and Bronte.
My second favorite eastern suburbs Sydney walk is the Rose Bay to Watsons Bay Walk.
This is an all day walk, estimated time is 4 1/2 hours, but if you include time to sit eat, go swimming at some of Sydney’s best hidden small beaches it could easily take all day.
One of the reasons I like this walk is the accessibility to food, beaches, ice cream, and public toilets. Yes, I said ice cream. I recommend getting some when you arrive at Shark Beach from the beach kiosk. Don’t worry. There are no sharks at Shark Beach if you swim inside the netted swimming area.
Beaches to be on the lookout for are: Milk Beach, considered one of the best-secluded beaches in Sydney, Camp Cove, a fantastic little beach and one of my favorites, and Parsley Beach with its hanging footbridge and shallow waters. If you brought a picnic, then Parsley Beach is where you should stop.
Bonus tip for Parsley Beach: bring your snorkel gear if you want to see seahorses. Seahorses hang out by the net. If you do see any seahorses, do not touch them. That’s a big no, no.
If possible, try to catch the ferry back to the city from Watsons Bay around sunset. The city silhouette with the changing sky is a perfect photo op.
Other options for exploring the eastern suburbs coastline are: take the ferry to Watsons Bay and walk along the cliffs to Bondi and on to Bronte if you’re up for it or, start at Rushcutters Bay, an easy walk from Kings Cross train station, and walk to Rose Bay then ferry back to the city.
North Coastal Sydney Walks
Spit Junction to Manly Walk (or Manly to Spit Junction, up to you)
If you ask almost any Sydney-sider the top walk they recommend doing, Spit Junction to Manly Walk will probably win out over the Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk, but it would be very, very close.
This is the route of the walk from the PDF available on the Northern Beaches Council website.
This is an all-day walk. Most likely, it will take between 3 – 4 hours to complete this 10km walk but once again, plan for stops along the way to picnic, enjoy the view and go for a swim. There are signposts all along the way, so don’t worry, you won’t get lost. There are also several spots where you can finish your walk before reaching Manly and hop on the bus if you don’t think you can make it the whole way but really try and give it your best shot.
A word of warning. This walk does go through some bushland reserves, which means you might luck out and come across some Australian wildlife. Sorry, no kangaroos or koalas but snakes, lizards, birds (maybe even penguins), and spiders. Not to scare you away from this walk but to make sure you watch where you step. Chances are, you’ll see a couple of kookaburras and maybe a tawny frogmouth (that’s a type of Australian bird that looks like a muppet), but that’s probably it. Still watch your step as I’ve had friends that have done this walk and had to step over an eastern brown snake, a very poisonous Australian snake.
Here is my short list of recommendations for places to eat in Manly at the end of your walk: 4 Pines Brew Pub and Out of Africa, located right next to each other (4 Pines is actually directly above Out of Africa), across the street from the Manly Wharf. For other recommendations, check out Time Out Sydney’s Manly Guide.
Taronga to Balmoral Beach Walk
This table is from the Taronga to Balmoral Walk PDF.
….or maybe it’s better to go from Balmoral Beach to Taronga. That way you can catch the ferry back to Circular Quay instead of having to take a long bus ride back to the city from Balmoral Beach after a long walk. Up to you.
When walking along this trail, it’s hard to believe you’re still in a city. There so much to see and so many different vantage points along the harbor. Be sure to take your time, especially when walking along the cliffs of Middle Head. Pick a spot to sit and look out towards the Sydney Harbour Heads, the entryway to the harbor. You can see whales, seals, and penguins from this spot if you take the time to look. Most people keep moving along and often miss the wildlife along the base of the cliffs.
This walk includes two of the absolute best beaches in Sydney. Balmoral is so close to perfect that you’ll never want to leave. It’s not you Aussie surf beach like Manly and Bondi because of its location in the harbor, but that makes it the perfect beach for swimming, and you don’t have to worry about a rip current. Even so, still swim within the netted area.
The other beach is one of my personal favorites, Chowder Bay. Again since it’s the inner harbor, the water is calm. But there are extra bonuses to Chowder Bay, one being seahorses that hang out on the nets of the swimming area. There is also a kiosk and a bar located up from the beach, walking towards Balmoral. The beach isn’t huge, but it’s more of a local beach than a touristy beach like Bondi and Manly and doesn’t ever get too packed.
This walk will take you about 2 hours but give some extra time for stops along the way and, of course, beach time. There are public toilets along the walk, cafes, and kiosks. If you need caffeine, pick me up.
Barrenjoey Headland Walk
This is worth renting a car to do. You can take the bus up to Palm Beach, but with a car, you can drive around to West Head Lookout in Ku-ring-gai Chase Park and have more freedom to explore the area. The drive up to Palm Beach can take up to 1 hour, depending on traffic.
On the way up to Palm Beach, there are other beaches that you’ll want to stop at and check out. Depending on how much time you have, either stop along the way up to Palm Beach or on the way back to the city. Parking on weekends can be difficult, but most beaches have a car park close by. If not, street parking is usually easy to find in the suburbs along the beaches.
Though I suggest heading straight up to Palm Beach, hiking up to the lighthouse, and walking along the beaches on both sides of the park. Then drive to the Newport Hotel for something to eat and a break.
After lunch at Newport Arms Hotel, jump back in the car and drive over to West Head Lookout.
Then head back to the city, stopping at different beaches on the way.
To finish off your northern beaches driving tour, end at Balmoral Beach Bathers' Pavilion for a cocktail and snack in the bar. Since you can get to Manly easily enough on the ferry, I would skip it on the way back and give Balmoral Beach more time. You won’t regret it.
When driving around to Ku-ring-gai from Barrenjoey, be careful of the wildlife on the side of the road. We’ve seen wild turkeys and small wallabies along the road, not just in the park but right in the middle of people’s driveways.
The lighthouse at Barrenjoey.
The hike up to the lighthouse is very steep. You will need a pair of good lace-up shoes for this one. Thongs or sandals will not due but be sure to bring a pair for all your beach time.
Give yourself about 1 1/2 hour to explore the beaches and hike up to the lighthouse. There are guided tours of the lighthouse every Sunday. If you’re interested, be sure to call in advance to confirm the schedule.
The drive to West Head Lookout from Barrenjoey is about 45 minutes. If you’re not hungry for lunch yet the catch Newport Arms on the way back, you almost drive by it anyway, so it’s no biggie.
At Newport Arms, try and get a seat outside along the water if there’s room. Newport Arms is very kid-friendly even has a playground. If you skip going to Newport Arms, you’ll regret it. It’s considered one of the best outdoor pubs in all of Sydney.
Other scenic Sydney walks in that might interest you.
The inner harbor suburb of Hunter’s Hill is known as the garden suburb of Sydney. There are several historic walks that are just a ferry ride away from Circular Quay. The village is full of shops and cafes well worth exploring. It’s rumored that Cate Blanchett and her family lived in this suburb. Once you see some of the houses, you won’t be surprised.
The Round Willoughby Walk incorporates 8 different routes that were designed by a local resident to all be incorporated into on continuous walk. My favorite is Northbridge Route #2. The views of the Cammeray Bridge and Tunks Park are splendid. You'll feel far, far away from the city in this peaceful suburb.
The Lane Cove National Park is easy to get to by from the Chatswood station. There are several different trails within the park plus lots of wildlife.
Before heading out, you can load the PDFs on your tablet or print them out to use as a reference. Still, it’s not totally necessary as the routes are all pretty obvious, and there are usually several other walkers out that you can always ask for directions if you need to.
Kicking It Up a Notch: Serious Hikes Around Sydney
I have a confession to make.
I’m more of a walker than a serious hiker, and I’m most certainly am not a hike and camp as you go kind of adventurer. I love camping and love hiking, but the days of carrying a large pack with a tent and all are far behind me. But, since I’ve taken the time to write about walks in Sydney and I’ve already done the research, I thought I should include some of the more serious hikes around NSW within easy driving distance of Sydney and at least list the resources for those of you that are more serious hikers.
The Great NSW Northern Walk
Australia has a lot of greats. To name a few, there’s the Great Barrier Reef, the Great Ocean Road, and the Great Northern Walk.
The Great Northern Walk is the creme de la creme of walks in New South Wales. To complete the whole walk from start to finish will take 2 weeks of hiking and camping out in the Australian bush. The walk connects Sydney and Newcastle. It is possible to split the walk up into shorter sections ranging from 1 day to 3 or more days.
The Coastal Track
The Coastal Track is located in The Royal National Park south of Sydney. This hike will only take you two days to complete. The 26km track follows the park's coastline, if you didn’t guess by the name. You’ll discover hidden beaches and see some amazing views of the country. If you want to see whales, the best time to do this walk is between May and August. Overnight camping in the park requires a permit.
Saving The Best For Last
The 8km Bouddi Coastal Walk is short compared to the other two and should take about 4 hours in one direction but that’ s not why it’s my favourite.
What a sunrise! Don't you want to wake up to that?
The reason it’s my favorite is the Little Beach campground. In fact, instead of doing the whole 8km walk, I would recommend instead just camp at Little Beach and do the walk in 2 separate sections. Though if you're lucky enough to have reserved a camping site at Little Beach, you might end up doing nothing but hanging out on the beach, or surfing, or fishing, or enjoying life too much to leave. Yes, it’s that awesome.
Look at how gorgeous that is. That’s what you’ll see at Little Beach.
The campground is tucked away in a small cove and has barbecues and toilets, so you’re not roughing it too much. You will have to hike in from the car park, but it’s less than 1km and so worth it.
There are only 6 campsites, so get a group together, and you’ll have the whole place to yourselves.
Many, many, many more hikes in and around Sydney.
The NSW National Parks Website is packed with info from hikes to camping.
What Are You Taking to Sydney When You Move? Do You Know Yet?
The truth is you don’t need to know right now, for sure, what’s going with you.
But you do have to get a shipping quote ASAP, especially now.
Why? Because international moving companies need to schedule your move to Australia far in advance, some ask for 6 months in advance. Yes, COVID has changed everything, including international shipping.
When filling out the form below…
- You don’t need a street address for where you’re moving to, only the city and country. What they really want to know is the main shipping port.
- Moving date is an estimate. You don’t need exact dates right now. Go with your best guess.
- Estimate volume is an estimate. Don’t bother with calculating your volume. Use one of the estimates below for your estimated volume.
- Studio or 1 Bedroom —> 20 m3
- 2 Bedroom —> 25 m3
- 3 Bedroom —> 30 m3
- 4 Bedroom or 3 Bedroom + Car —> 50 m3
- Use your “real” contact details for BOTH phone and email. Yes, the form is secure. If you don’t use your real contact details, then they can’t get in touch with you for your quote. Makes sense, right?
