• Understand
• Get around
• See
• Eat
• Drink
• Get out

The Royal National Park [1] is located in on the southern fringe of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia around 35km south from the city centre.

[edit] Understand

The Royal National Park is the second oldest national park in the world. It is easily accessible from Sydney and is popular for picnics, walking and other recreation. The picnic areas within the park are largely at Audley, next to the Hacking River. The boatshed and Visitor's Centre are there too. However, there are many other picnic areas within the park, and many other areas to explore.

[edit] Get in

This is general guidance how to get in to the park. The park itself is large, so check your plan your itinerary carefully, especially if you are not driving, to ensure you can get to where you want to be. Information on accessing specific destinations within the park is contained within the destination information, below.

[edit] By Train

Cityrail has services from Sydney City to Loftus, Engadine, Heathcote and Waterfall stations which are on the western perimeter of the park. From each of these stations you can access several signposted bushwalks. You can even walk beween them. At each of these entry points there are shops to purchase food a drinks. However it is not straightforward to access Audley, the main picnic areas, or the coastal areas of the park from these access points. The services run to these suburbs at 30 minute frequency and take 45 minutes for the trip.

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. Consider it you want to walk down the hill to Audley (or more to the point, consider if you want to walk back).

To access Audley From Waterfall follow the Uloola track for 3 hours to Audley passing Uloola falls, follow the signs from the station carpark.

Cityrail runs hourly services to Otford on the southern boundary of the park. This is an access point to the southern end of the coast walk. It is a 10 minute steep uphill walk from the station to the park boundary at Bald Hill, it is signposted. It is about an hour walk to Werrong beach (nudist) or two hours to Burning Palms beach from this point.

Cityrail runs services to Cronulla to meet a ferry to Bundeena. This is an access point to the northern end of the coast walk. The trains run every 30 minutes and the ferries run every hour. Don't expect them to connect. Turn left out of the exit to the station, and then left through the railway underpass to get to the ferry. About 5 minutes walk. It is 15 minutes walk from the ferry wharf at Bundeena to the park. You will to know where you are going, and consult a map.

Topographic maps of the park can be viewed online at the New South Wales Lands Department. Bundeena has a nice beach by the side of the wharf, and nice cafes. It is not strictly speaking within the park, but it is surrounded by it.

[edit] By Tram

Loftus Tramway Museum runs hourly trams from Loftus station to the top of the hill at Audley every hour on Sunday. From the end of thr tramline there is a 1km sealed path to walk to the lookout at the top of the cliff. It is a steep 30 minute walk down to the main picnic areas at Audley. The tram line is only about 2km long, and it is possible to walk the length of the tram line from Loftus the days the tram isn't running.

[edit] By Car

You can drive into the park at Audley, at Waterfall and at Stanwell Tops. Follow the signs from the Princes Highway. A entry fee applies for all cars taken into the park. Sometimes there are attendants at the gated entryways selling entry tickets. Even when these are not on duty you are expected to pay. Rangers check cars for displayed tickets in the parking lots. You can buy tickets from the Visitor's center and the kiosks. You do not have to pay if you are just passing through the park and do not stop. There are parking and picnic facilities within the park.

[edit] Get around

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.

Cycling is permitted on the trails but not the tracks unless marked (trails designed for ranger or fire access by 4wd, tracks are narrow, with steps, designed for walkers). Bicycles can access many trails that are closed to cars. The main sealed through roads through the park are steep and hilly, with many bends, and with cars that invariably exceed the speed limits and advisory corner speeds.

There are still many areas of the park can only be accessed by walking.

Maps of the park are available for purchase from the visitors centre in Audley, or many map and bookshops around Sydney. Individual brochures for the walks and beaches are available at no charge. Detailed topographic maps are viewable online at the NSW Lands Department.

[edit] See

The historic boat shed, river, wier and picnic grounds at Audley.

[edit] Do

[edit] Walk

Stay safe. Carry enough water for your trip, water is not usually available in the park, and what water there is is often not safe to drink. Let someone know where you are going and when you will be back. Although the park is not of the scale of other Australian National Parks, it is still possible to become lost.

The park is one of the best places to do day walks from Sydney. You can walk along spectacular sandstone cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean with views to the north to Sydney or to the south to Wollongong. Alternatively you can walk in the river valleys behind the headlands. There you will find tall rainforest trees such as the Lilly Pilly Acmena smithii or the fragrant Celery wood Polysias elegans.

Some of the walks are described on the park web page

• Lady Carrington Drive from Audley or Forest Island. This is a well marked trail from Audley, and probably the most popular walk in the park. You can cycle this trail as well with a mountain bike. It is mostly flat, wide and follows the Hacking River.

• Coast walk. The Coast walk is a 30km walk starting at Bundeena and ending at Otford. See the section above on how to access these points. Along the way it passes most of the Park's significant beaches, including Wattamolla, Garie, Era and Burning Palms. It climbs headlands, goes along sandstone cliffs and around rocky foreshores. It passes depression-era huts set in a valley with deer at Era, and no shortage of kangaroos. This walk is recommended to take 2 days. You can stay at Garie Beach YHA or camp at North Era with a permit. If you are fit and keen the walk can be done in one day. If you plan your walk during the migration of the humpback whales you might get lucky and see a mother and her calf.

A comprehensive list of the walks available, and details of the routes can be obtained from the Visitor Centre.

[edit] Swim

• 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. Try a weekday or and evening to have more space to yourself, arriving at 4pm during the summer still gives you 3 full hours to enjoy the beach as everyone else is leaving. 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 needless to say the activity is not allowed. The surf beach is not patrolled, and is not really suitable for surfing, due to the cliffs to either side of the beach. Access Wattamolla by car. Follow the signs to the National Park from the Princes Hwy at Loftus. Continue straight ahead through Audley on Sir Bertram Stevens Drive until you get to the Wattamolla turn. Around 15 minutes drive from the Highway. 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. There is a kiosk selling ice-creams, coffee etc, weekends in summer.

View over Burning Palms

• North Era. 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.

• Burning Palms. 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 its 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 Sunday's in summer. The short walk ensures that Burning Palms is always nice and uncrowded.

• Werrong is a nudist beach, accessible in about 60 minutes walk from Otford.

• Little and Big Marley are unpatrolled beaches, and can be subject to rips, so take care. There is a lagoon behind Big Marley, but its 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.

There is no swimming in the river at Audley.

[edit] Canoe

The historic boatshed adjacent to the Audley picnic area has row boats and canoes for hire. From here you can paddle around, or head out on a half day trip up to the headwaters of the Hacking River. Private craft are not allowed in the river.

[edit] Cycle

You can use a mountain bike in the park on trails (wide roads with a barrier to prevent access by cars) except where signposted. Pick up the brochure on cycling in the park from the Visitor's Centre.

• Lady Carrington Drive is a popular family off-road easy cycling location, and bikes can be hired from the boatshed which is an easy cycle from the start of the track. They can give directions at the boatshed.

• If you have your own mountain bike you can catch the train to Waterfall and cycle along the Uloola Trail to the falls. Follow the cycleway south from the station past the primary school, and down the service trail. It is around 12km return cycle along wide and mostly well graded trail. You can cool off by paddling in the water by the falls if they are flowing.

[edit] Eat

There is a kiosk at Audley within the Park open most days. They have gourmet pies and cappuccino. There is a kiosk at Wattamolla beach and at Garie beach usually open on weekends during peak times. Nice for an ice cream on a hot day, but don't rely on them being open for camping supplies as they seem to close up if the business isn't there.

There are free electric barbecues provided at Audley, Wattamolla, and other places within the park.

There is a selection of coffee shops and take away places at Bundeena. There is a coffee shop and take away at Otford outside the park's southern boundary. On a sunny weekend you will likely find an ice-cream van or two at Bald Hill, near the southern exit of the Coast/Cliff Walk.

[edit] Drink

Whatever you want to drink, bring it with you. Water for the walk or beer for the barbecue.

[edit] Sleep

• Garie Beach YHA[2], Garie Beach, ph 02 9261 1111 (email bookings@yhansw.org.au, fax 02 9261 1969). This hostel is accessible by walking 10 kilometres along the coast track from Otford pr by walking 1 kilometre along the beach from the Garie Beach car park. The facilities are very basic: there is no refrigeration or power points. There is solar powered lighting and gas stove-tops, as well as composting toilets. Dorm beds are $13 per night adults and $8 children. You can rent the entire facility for $120 per night.

[edit] Camping

National Parks and Wildlife Service, Farnell Avenue, Audley Heights, ph 02 9542 0648 (fax 02 9542 1420). Contact the NPWS for camping permits if you intend to camp in any of the campgrounds. Camping elsewhere in the park is forbidden.

• Bonnie Vale camping ground. This campground has 40 sites. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the park near Bundeena. You access it by road off Bundeena drive. The campground has excellent facilities including drinking water, toilets and hot showers, but there is no power. You can camp in caravans. The fee is $14 per night for adults and $7 per night for children. Bonnie Vale is a 15 minute walk from the Bundeena ferry wharf.
• North Era camping ground. This campground is accessible by walking along the coast track from Bundeena or Otford, or by walking the much shorted walk from the parking lot adjacent to Garawarra Farm. The campground has composting toilets, but no other facilities, and wood fires are banned. The fee is $5 per night for adults and $3 per night for children.
• Uloola Falls camping ground. This campground is accessible by walking along the Uloola Track from Waterfall, Heathcote or Engadine. The campground has composting toilets, but no other facilities, and wood fires are banned. The fee is $5 per night for adults and $3 per night for children.

[edit] Get out

Visit the Sydney Tramway Museum just adjacent and North of the park turnoff from the Princes Hwy at Loftus.

Travel south along the coast road via the new Sea Cliff Bridge. A bridge built over the sea by the cliff edge, just south of the park and Stanwell Park.

Travel further south along the highway, and in around half an hour you will be in Wollongong.

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