Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay National Park, Sydney

This partial circuit walk to Cape Bailey passes along coastal cliffs and through heathland. It starts near Kurnell in Sydney’s south, at the south-eastern tip of historic Botany Bay.

Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP

This Cape Bailey Circuit walk in Kamay Botany Bay National Park is an alternative to the coastal walks in the nearby Royal National Park. Like some sections of the RNP Coast Track, it passes mostly through heathland and along impressive cliff edges. You won’t feel quite as remote on this walk as there is an old oil refinery (now fuel import facility) that is still (barely) visible from some spots, but it’s a pretty good option for a walk well inside the city boundary. And this area is a good spot for whale watching when in season.

Track Notes

We used track notes in A Day in the Bush. Their notes finish at Cape Bailey Lighthouse, but it’s really not much further to the attractive cliffs and rocks at Cape Bailey. There are a few different options, but we usually start at the visitor centre car park, taking the left hand Yena Track option to the road, and continuing along the Cape Bailey Track from the road end to wherever you want to turn around. (If you are energetic, and perhaps if you have transport arrangements, you can walk all the way to Cronulla). On the way back take the left hand option at Tabbigai Gap to join with the Yena Track nearby the start/end. Google Maps shows these tracks.

The Scenery

Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
At the start of the walk. The distinctive curly form of smooth barked apple, or Sydney red gum (Angophora Costata).
Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
People had climbed down to fish off the rocks below. Looked a bit precarious.
Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
The rocks had interesting textures.
Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
More rocks.
Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
And even more rocks.
Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
Nice day for sailing.
Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
A very narrow channel that opened to the sea.
Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
A bendy panorama of that channel from the other side.
Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
Our turnaround point. There were people fishing off the rocks. Cronulla in the background.
Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
We had a rest here.
Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
A big ant. I like ants.
Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
Heath vegetation.

Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP

Cape Bailey Circuit, Kamay Botany Bay NP
After the walk we had lunch at this outdoor cafe, Cook at Kurnell. And I just realised that’s a play on words, after Captain James Cook “discoverer of Australia”, which is a lie/error they taught in English schools back when I was young. He led the first English expedition to Australia, if you are are not familiar with him, and landed at Botany Bay, influencing the decision to make Sydney the location of the first penal settlement in Australia 18 years later.

Author: Edward Hathway

I'm a clinical psychologist and keen hiker.

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