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Protected area in Australia
Photo: Maxim75, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Royal National Park is a New South Wales national park on the southern fringe of Sydney in New South Wales, around 35 km south from the CBD. It is the world's second national park after Yellowstone, and the first to hold the "national park" title.
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The historic boat shed at Audley dates from late 19th century. Audley was a popular spot for visitors from Sydney at that time.
The Bungoona Lookout is an easy to access, paved path walk, suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. The view over the Hacking River valley is impressive.
It's a rock that literally looks like a wedding cake as the sandstone stands out from the coastal cliffs.
It's a mix of two pools that look like a figure eight hence the name. Its formation is quite unusual. Unfortunately, the Figure 8 pools aren't always accessible because it's sometimes underwater. Check here whether it's open or not.
Deep figure-8-shaped pool on a shelf of rock in a spectacular setting, below the second headland south of Burning Palms. The pools are accessed by clambering over rocks for 20 minutes from Burning Palms Beach, and both the pool and the path are only safe if the tide is low (below 1 m) and the swell is relatively low. Signs along the way show photos of an enormous wave crashing over tourists who turned their back on the sea.
A relatively easy walk from Waterfall station, mostly along a fire road.
Wattamolla lagoon and surf beach is a popular safe swimming spot that you can drive to. It is a truly beautiful spot and the combination of lagoon and surf swimming between rugged cliffs is fantastic. However you will not be the first person to discover the location, and it is quite popular on summer weekends; on summer weekends or public holidays, you should aim to be parked in the carpark by 9:30AM or earlier as once the carpark fills, the rangers will close the access road entirely. At many times Wattamolla is simply a paradise lost, now with too many people, tourists, groups and crowds to truly relax. Try a weekday evening to have more space to yourself, arriving at 4PM during the summer still gives you 3 full hours to enjoy the beach. You will no doubt see people jumping from the cliffs into the lagoon below, and swinging from ropes and jumping. The lagoon is very variable depth, and people have had serious injuries jumping here, and the activity is not allowed. The surf beach and lagoon are patrolled by paid lifesavers in summer months only, from 9am–5pm. Wattamolla is also around the halfway point on the Coast Walk from Otford to Bundeena.
Garie is a surf beach also accessible by road. It is patrolled on weekends in summer from 10AM. Good for whale watching and birdwatching. There is a kiosk selling ice-cream, coffee, etc., on weekends in summer. Toilets available.
North Era is patrolled Sundays in summer. You can camp there, right on the beach, with a permit. The shortest walk to car access is to Garrawarra Farm, around 30-45 minutes down the hill. Most people camping there are doing the coast walk from Bundeena to Otford.
The quickest way to access Burning Palms by car is to park at Garrawarra Farm and walk down the hill to the beach. The walk will take around 30 minutes or so, but it's a steep hill on the way back up. Alternatively you can walk from Otford along the coast walk in around 90 minutes. Burning Palms is patrolled on Sundays in summer. The short walk ensures that Burning Palms is always nice and uncrowded.
Werrong is a beautiful nudist beach, accessible in about 45 minutes walk from the Otford trailhead. The steep hike down takes you through a variety of amazing forest habitats, including a "tropical" rain forest. The back of the beach includes some lovely soft grassy areas for sunbathing. The beach, whose visitors are mostly men, is not large but is big enough to have space and not feel crowded. Enjoy the sheer carefree pleasure of walking or swimming nude where nobody minds what you do as long as you don't bother others. But take care if swimming as there are strong rip currents. There are nice rock pools for bathing depending on the tide; in summer these are best in the afternoon. Be sure to bring everything you need as there is nothing available on the beach except what Mother Nature provides. That's Werrong's magic: this is the perfect place to connect with nature! And for that reason, please leave it as pristine as you find it. Enjoy!
Big Marley and Little Marley are unpatrolled beaches, and can be subject to rips, so take care. There is a lagoon behind Big Marley, but it's not as nice as Wattamolla and not really suitable for swimming. These beaches are only accessible by walking, and you can usually expect to have them to yourself.
The cafe at Audley is a delight. Well prepared food on the deck overlooking the clearing and the river. It is open from 8AM for breakfast, and if the sun is shining you may not feel like going anywhere for a while.
Pies, pastries, and gelato. The veggie pie is vegan (if you don't mind possible cross-contamination). Indoor and outdoor seating available, or take your food across the street to eat on the grass with lovely ocean views.
By train
To access Audley from Loftus, walk east from Loftus following the tramline and the 45-minute easy walk to Bungonia Lookout over the river and Audley.
By tram
Loftus Tramway Museum runs hourly trams from Loftus station to Royal National Park station at the top of the hill at Audley every hour on Sundays.
By car
You can drive into the park at Audley, at Waterfall and at Stanwell Tops. Follow the signs from the Princes Highway.
There are well developed roads to get around by car within the park, and these can be used to access the walking trails and the major picnic areas. There is plenty of parking at the main picnic areas.
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