Royal National Park Archives

Upper Kangaroo Creek Circuit, Royal National Park NSW

Having done an excellent circuit along the lower sections of Kangaroo Creek last year in the Royal National Park, I looked forward to visiting Upper Kangaroo Creek above Karloo Pool. The creek is very scenic, especially Kangaroo Pool, but also other pools and quiet stretches of creek lined by ferns and bush. You get a similar experience of relative remoteness despite being in one of Sydney’s busiest national parks. I didn’t meet a single person until Karloo Pool.

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Kangaroo Creek Circuit, Royal National Park, Sydney

A very picturesque and sometimes secluded circuit walk along Kangaroo Creek in Sydney’s Royal National Park. There are many swimming pools if you like a dip.

I didn’t expect to find a secluded walk in the Royal National Park, one of Australia’s busiest. But Kangaroo Creek, at least for part of its length, offers just that. A couple of rope swings were evidence that people do visit sometimes, but the navigation on this very picturesque walk is a bit tricky, which will keep away all but the knowledgeable or committed.

Further along the creek you get to larger swimming pools visited by people coming from the other direction, so your seclusion is over by then. But it is still very attractive for the whole length, and the return route I took, though less picturesque, was full of interesting plant and bird life.

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Peach Trees Trig Station from Audley, Royal National Park NSW

This pleasant Royal National Park walk from Audley to Peach Trees Trig takes in a variety of interesting vegetation with views here & there.

A very pleasant Royal National Park walk from the NPWS visitor centre at Audley to Peach Trees Trig Station along a ridge. The highlight for me was the vegetation, including many colourful and gnarled trees, wildflowers, and a variety of unusual seed pods. There were also birds, lizards and insect life. Just one spot with decent views, but you won’t mind given the many interesting distractions along the way. We finished the walk on a different track that takes you down to the Hacking River, and added to the variety of vegetation.

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Best Day-walks in Sydney’s Royal National Park

Cliffs, sandy beaches, rock formations, lagoons, heathland, wildflowers and more, on six of the best day-walks in Sydney’s Royal National Park.

The Royal National Park is the world’s second oldest, established in 1879. It sits on the south-eastern border of Sydney, encompassing about 30km of picturesque and often dramatic coastline. The coastal sections are dominated by unique heathland, cliffs, rock formations, headlands, lagoons and sandy beaches. Further inland there are creeks, swimming pools, eucalypt forests and patches of rainforest.

Bundeena to Marley Head Circuit, Royal National Park, Sydney

A great section of the classic Royal National Park Coast Track, and you can make a circuit of it by heading inland on the way back (and avoid the crowds in doing so).

Bundeena to Marley Head is one of my favourite sections of the classic Royal National Park Coast Track, although choosing a favourite section is a bit like choosing a favourite child. It’s got what you want from a coast track: cliffs, beaches, heath, and interesting rock formations. You can keep going as far as you like, but the views from Marley Head are very satisfying, so we usually turn around there and head back. Continue reading “Bundeena to Marley Head Circuit, Royal National Park, Sydney”

Jibbon Head Circuit, Royal National Park, Sydney

A short circuit walk in the Royal National Park near Bundeena, taking in beautiful coastline, and you can extend it by continuing along the classic Coast Track to Marley Head or beyond.

The Jibbon Head Circuit is the shorter section of a longer walk we’ve done from Bundeena to Marley Head in the Royal National Park. It’s a mostly flat walk at the northern most end of the park, and offers very attractive coastal scenery for relatively little effort, including secluded looking beaches and rocky sections. When combined with the section of the classic Coast Track between Bundeena and Marley Head it makes for an excellent coastal walk of moderate difficulty, and all within easy reach of Sydney. Continue reading “Jibbon Head Circuit, Royal National Park, Sydney”

Wattamolla to Garie North Head, Royal National Park, NSW

This section of the Royal National Park Coast Track passes by the famous Eagle Rock, and you can continue to Garie North Head for elevated views down the coast.

Most sections of the classic Royal National Park Coast Track can be visited as day walk circuits, however the section between Wattamolla and Eagle Rock cannot. We did this and continued on to Garie North Head for great views down the coast, then returned back along the Coast Track to Wattamolla. On this occasion the highlight for me was the novelty of seeing this area after substantial fire damage. The colours were intense blacks, blues, oranges, whites, browns, greys, pinks and greens, and we could see rocks and topography usually hidden by vegetation cover. Continue reading “Wattamolla to Garie North Head, Royal National Park, NSW”

Wattamolla to Marley Beach Circuit, Royal National Park, Sydney

Wattamolla to Marley Beach is an excellent section of the Royal National Park Coast Track south of Sydney, taking in lots of cliffs and interesting rocks, plus tonnes of wildflowers in spring.

The Royal National Park Coast Track is pretty special from start to end, and this section from Wattamolla to Marley Beach is no exception. There are many cliffs and interesting rocks, windswept beaches and bays, plus a large variety of wildflowers in spring. And you can make a partial circuit by taking fire trails inland for a while. The vegetation is predominantly heath. Continue reading “Wattamolla to Marley Beach Circuit, Royal National Park, Sydney”

Burning Palms Circuit, Royal National Park, Sydney

The Burning Palms Circuit from Otford takes in excellent coastal scenery in the Royal National Park, including an atmospheric ‘palm jungle’. One of my favourite walks in the area.

I’ve done the Burning Palms Circuit multiple times, and it remains one of my favourite walks around Sydney. It starts at Otford on the edge of the Royal National Park, and you soon pass by steep coastal cliffs, descend into a palm jungle, pass through grassy plains, then arrive at the very picturesque Burning Palms Beach, backed by the beginnings of the Illawarra Escarpment. There were very choppy seas on the day I took these pictures (…and I’ve now put a few extra pics at the end from a different day just a month later). Continue reading “Burning Palms Circuit, Royal National Park, Sydney”

Wallumarra Track and Forest Path, Royal National Park, Sydney

A variety of vegetation on this walk as it passes at first through heath, then woodland, and finally into subtropical rainforest.

This walk in the Royal National Park combines two tracks, the Wallumarra Track and Forest Path, and takes in a variety of vegetation including heath, woodland, and finally subtropical rainforest. There are no sweeping vistas on offer but a satisfying enough walk nevertheless; the tall palms and rainforest scenery of the Forest Path are particularly attractive. This section can be done as a shortish circuit walk from the stone gates where Lady Carrington Drive meets Sir Bertram Stevens Drive. Continue reading “Wallumarra Track and Forest Path, Royal National Park, Sydney”