Sydney Coast and National Park Walks

Five classic walking stages: the Harbour Bridge, Spit to Manly, Palm Beach, the Royal National Park and the Bondi coast.

For keen walkers: one classic trail a day. Start with the Harbour foreshore and a walk across the Harbour Bridge. Next, the 10 km bush-and-bay walk from Spit to Manly. At the northern end, Palm Beach: climb to Barrenjoey Lighthouse and look out over Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. At the southern end, the Royal National Park coastal track. Finally, walk from Watsons Bay through Bondi to Coogee. Stay in the city centre, where trains, buses and ferries make each starting point easy to reach.

Summers are hot and bushfire closures are a risk, so check national park notices before you set out.

Day by day

Day 1 · Harbour Foreshore and Bridge Walk

Sydney（Mrs Macquarie's Chair、Royal Botanic Garden Sydney、Sydney Opera House、The Rocks、Sydney Harbour Bridge）

Take the train from the airport to the city centre to drop your bags, then walk along the Botanic Garden shoreline to the Opera House and The Rocks, and climb onto the bridge to walk to the North Shore.

Stay: CBD (around Town Hall)

Day 2 · Spit to Manly Walk

Sydney（Manly Beach）

Take a bus about 30 minutes to Spit Bridge, then hike about 10 km for 3–4 hours to Manly, and take the ferry back to Circular Quay.

Along the way you'll find Aboriginal rock engravings and several small bays for swimming.

Stay: CBD (around Town Hall)

Day 3 · Palm Beach and Ku-ring-gai

Sydney（Palm Beach & Barrenjoey Lighthouse、Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park）

Drive about 1 hour to Palm Beach and climb to Barrenjoey Lighthouse. On the way back, stop at the West Head lookout to see Broken Bay.

Without a car, take bus 199 to Palm Beach; the one-way trip takes about 1.5 hours.

Stay: CBD (around Town Hall)

Day 4 · Royal National Park Coastal Track

Sydney（Royal National Park）

Take the train about 1 hour to Cronulla, the ferry to Bundeena, then walk south along the coastal track and exit at Wattamolla or Otford.

The full track is 26 km and takes two days. In one day, walk the northern section and bring plenty of water.

Stay: CBD (around Town Hall)

Day 5 · Watsons Bay to Coogee

Sydney（Watsons Bay & The Gap、Bondi Beach、Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk）

Take the ferry to Watsons Bay to see the headland cliffs, then a bus to Bondi to pick up the track to Coogee. A taxi to the airport takes about 20 minutes.

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