A selection of beautiful coastal walking tracks in Sydney and New South Wales, including maps, pictures, highlights, and characteristics.
Featured content:
The Watsons Bay Walk is a scenic trail exploring South Head, offering panoramic views of Sydney Harbour, the city skyline, the Tasman Sea, North Head and the historic Hornby Lighthouse.
This family-friendly walk, which includes the South Head Heritage Trail, is situated in one of Sydney’s busiest tourist spots and is easy to get to by ferry.
This guide explores 15 of the best coastal walks in Sydney, from short, family-friendly trails to challenging half-day walking tracks.
What makes Sydney such a unique city is its amazing coastline and unique Harbour. Beaches, cliffs, rock pools, parks, Sydney’s coastline has it all.
Additionally, the magnificent Sydney Harbour is home to secluded beaches, beautiful bays, historic sites and the iconic headlands.
The Spit Bridge to Manly Walk is an iconic 10 km coastal walking trail, featuring beautiful Sydney Harbour beaches, scenic bushland, picturesque bays, and panoramic lookout points.
The walk forms part of the 20 km Manly Scenic Walkway that runs from the Spit Bridge to Manly North Head, and is widely considered one of the best coastal walks in Sydney.
In this article, we’re going to guide you through the many highlights of the Spit to Manly walk, including pictures, insider tips, and a map.
The La Perouse circuit walk to Cape Banks is a moderately challenging trail through various landscapes, such as beaches, coastal cliffs, and bushland.
The beautiful natural scenery is complemented by a few historical sites that make this walk all the more enjoyable. The La Perouse walk is also far less busy than some of the better-known trails along Sydney’s coastline.
The Fairfax Walk on Manly’s North Head is a family-friendly walking trail with two panoramic lookouts offering incredible views of Sydney Harbour, the city skyline, South Head, and the ocean.
The highlight of the walk is the Burragula Lookout, one of the most impressive lookout points in Sydney. It’s also a popular whale-watching spot during the two whale migration seasons.
Long Reef in Collaroy on Sydney’s northern beaches is a picturesque headland that functions as a popular recreational destination. It is home to a golf course, a walking trail, several beaches, a paragliding spot, and lookout points.
The best way to explore the natural beauty of this headland is by doing a 3.5 km circuit walk that passes Fishermans Beach, Long Reef Point Lookout, Long Reef Beach, and Griffith Park.
The 7 km return walking trail to Little Marley Beach from Wattamolla is one of the prettiest walking trails in the Royal National Park.
The first section of this easy walk meanders through a patch of scenic bushland, and the second part is on top of the cliffs following the coastline.
The Coogee to Maroubra walk is one of Sydney’s best coastal trails, and is an extension to the popular and much busier Bondi to Coogee walk.
While one section goes through suburban streets, the walking trail between Coogee and Maroubra offers sensational coastal scenery from start to finish.
The 2.6 km return walk from Putty Beach to Gerrin Point Lookout in Bouddi National Park is a beautiful coastal trail with so much to see.
This easy, family-friendly trail forms part of the popular 8 km Bouddi Coastal Track, so there is the opportunity to extend the walk and make a day of it.
The coastal walk from Garie Beach to Era Beach in Royal National Park is a beautiful walking trail that forms part of the iconic Coast Track.
The trail takes in four beaches with a couple of steep climbs leading to vantage points with incredible views of the national park’s coastline.
The Jibbon Beach Loop Track is an easy walking trail starting from the Bundeena ferry wharf to Jibbon Head, Port Hacking Point and Shelley Beach.
Enjoy panoramic ocean views and discover well-preserved Aboriginal engravings as you explore this beautiful area in the Royal National Park.
Wedding Cake Rock is one of the most iconic landmarks in the Royal National Park. It may be fenced off now, but it is still a unique sight to visit.
A relatively easy coastal walk starting in Bundeena leads to this rock formation, with beautiful views of the ocean and the cliffs to enjoy along the track.
The Rose Bay to Watsons Bay walk is one of the most scenic coastal walking tracks in Sydney Harbour National Park.
The walk takes in secluded beaches, beautiful parks, and picturesque bays, with panoramic views of the city and the Harbour to enjoy along the way.
Part of this walking trail is the Hermitage Foreshore Track, which runs between Bayview Hill Rd (just north of Rose Bay) to Nielsen Park in Vaucluse.
The Bondi to Bronte walk, past Tamarama Beach and Mackenzies Bay, is one of the most iconic coastal walking trails in Sydney. The panoramic views of the ocean and the sandstone cliffs are breathtaking.
As you follow the trail on top of the cliffs, between two of Sydney’s most popular beaches, you will get to enjoy lots of vantage points from where you can soak in the views. If you’re lucky, you may even spot some whales and dolphins!
The Cape Baily Track in Kamay Botany Bay National Park is a scenic coastal walk between Cape Solander and the Cape Baily Lighthouse.
The ocean and cliff views are stunning from start to finish, so much so that we have included this walk in our list of the best coastal walks in Sydney.
The Bondi to Coogee walk is one of Sydney’s finest coastal trails, featuring beautiful beaches, high sandstone cliffs, and incredible views.
Tourists from all over the world and local Sydney-siders alike come to Sydney’s east every day to undertake the hike between Bondi Beach and Coogee Beach, combined with a nice meal at one of the many cafes.
The North Head Walk in Manly is one of Sydney’s most fascinating walking tracks, with lots of history, panoramic views, and scenic beaches to take in.
What’s great about this outdoor adventure is that it is both a coastal and bush walk. And while it may be quite a long walking track, it is suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
The Byron Bay Lighthouse Walk, otherwise known as the Cape Byron Walking Track, is a scenic 4 km walking trail to one of the most iconic landmarks in the Byron Shire, the Cape Byron Lighthouse.
The track also passes the most easterly point of the Australian mainland, which is the perfect location to spot dolphins and whales.
While most people visit Cronulla Beach because of its beaches, beautiful parks, and lively town centre, this beachside suburb is also home to one of Sydney’s prettiest coastal walking tracks.
Starting at Wanda Beach, the Cronulla Beach walking track is a picturesque 6 km coastal trail that follows the peninsula’s shoreline, taking in several ocean rock pools, playgrounds, beaches, and impressive real estate.
One of the most enjoyable walking tracks in Sydney Harbour is the Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Beach walk.
This relatively easy 6.5 km walking trail takes in beautiful secluded beaches, picturesque bays, impressive lookouts, historical sights, and much more.
