Royal National Park, Sydney Australia
Apr 16th, 2006, 04:41 PM
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Royal National Park, Sydney Australia
I've been debating whether to post or not. I don't really have a lot of questions yet as I begin planning our 2007 trip to Australia. But, I'm just so darned excited about it I guess I just want to reach out and say hello!
This will be our second trip. We went in November/December 2003 and are now planning the same time slot for a trip in 2007. We will be there the last two weeks in November, first week in December.
We already have a rough itinerary and now work on the details. I love planning and researching and reading about the places we'll go, so I certainly should have enough time for that!
When we planned our last trip I lurked on these boards a lot (I don't think I ever posted!) and was able to find out about such gems as the Manly walk (I think that was Alan--a belated thank you!).
So, one of the places that we spent far too brief an amount of time was the Royal National Park. My husband is a very avid birdwatcher, and the last morning we were in Sydney, we got up at 4 am, took a cab over to a friend's and got their car out of the garage and headed to this park so my husband could look for Lyre birds. We did find them and they were gorgeous by the way.
After sightings dropped, we then drove around a bit and managed to find Wattamola (sp?) beach. We spent a little time there, but not as much as we would have liked. We had to head back to our friends' place for Thanksgiving dinner(hey what can I say, she had been in the US for a few years and loved the holiday and brought it back with her).
So, at last the point of my post, we want to spend a little more time there this coming trip. I'll leave the birding issues up to my husband, but we would like to explore this park some more. The Coastal Walk looks amazing. I don't imagine that we will do the overnight and hike the whole thing. I'm thinking maybe go to Wattamola (really have to look up the spelling) and hike a good portion from there in one direction then back, and maybe the next day come back and hike a good portion in the other direction and come back.
Would there be much diversity to go the two different directions on different days? Or are there other good points in the park which would be good trailheads?
I seem to remember people swimming last time, is the water warm for swimming that time of year?
Any other suggestions for Royal National Park? I have gone on their web site and gotten their info, but it is great to hear about people's personal experiences.
Thank you!
This will be our second trip. We went in November/December 2003 and are now planning the same time slot for a trip in 2007. We will be there the last two weeks in November, first week in December.
We already have a rough itinerary and now work on the details. I love planning and researching and reading about the places we'll go, so I certainly should have enough time for that!
When we planned our last trip I lurked on these boards a lot (I don't think I ever posted!) and was able to find out about such gems as the Manly walk (I think that was Alan--a belated thank you!).
So, one of the places that we spent far too brief an amount of time was the Royal National Park. My husband is a very avid birdwatcher, and the last morning we were in Sydney, we got up at 4 am, took a cab over to a friend's and got their car out of the garage and headed to this park so my husband could look for Lyre birds. We did find them and they were gorgeous by the way.
After sightings dropped, we then drove around a bit and managed to find Wattamola (sp?) beach. We spent a little time there, but not as much as we would have liked. We had to head back to our friends' place for Thanksgiving dinner(hey what can I say, she had been in the US for a few years and loved the holiday and brought it back with her).
So, at last the point of my post, we want to spend a little more time there this coming trip. I'll leave the birding issues up to my husband, but we would like to explore this park some more. The Coastal Walk looks amazing. I don't imagine that we will do the overnight and hike the whole thing. I'm thinking maybe go to Wattamola (really have to look up the spelling) and hike a good portion from there in one direction then back, and maybe the next day come back and hike a good portion in the other direction and come back.
Would there be much diversity to go the two different directions on different days? Or are there other good points in the park which would be good trailheads?
I seem to remember people swimming last time, is the water warm for swimming that time of year?
Any other suggestions for Royal National Park? I have gone on their web site and gotten their info, but it is great to hear about people's personal experiences.
Thank you!
Apr 16th, 2006, 07:33 PM
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Toucan2 - the swimming season in Sydney region will have definitely started by the time you get there in Nov/December. The water temperature should be okay, depending on where you come from.
The Royal National Park is an excellent Park. I think it was the first gazetted National Park in NSW. If you don't like crowds, stick the weekdays.
The Royal National Park is an excellent Park. I think it was the first gazetted National Park in NSW. If you don't like crowds, stick the weekdays.
Apr 17th, 2006, 01:13 AM
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Toucan,
If you take the train to Cronulla and catch the Bundeeena ferry you can reach the northern end of the costal track. En route you can see some expensive homes and lots of boats on the quaint old fashioned ferryboat. This part of the park is most brilliant in spring with awesome displays of Australian wildflowers, including the flannel flower. In summer though it will not dissappoint except maybe on the bird front! Fantastic views. It can be a bit tricky to get to the track, be prepared. Walk through the town on the diagonal from the wharf and you should find the start but then there is two tracks. Doesn't matter too much, hard to get lost. The first one is a loop and the second one is the true coastal trail that will take you to Watamolla if you walk for 6 hours! Also nearby is another track where aboriginal carving can be seen.
You can also drive to the southern end at Stanwell Tops. Here you get an outstanding view of the southern coastline as it wraps itself around the city of Wollongong. The coastal track ends here and if you backtrack you get some good ocean views in mainly eucalypt forest, small scrub. Also in this area is a wildlife park, Simbio and the Hindu temple built in the middle of nowhere. At the wildlife park many wild birds are evident as well as friendly captive ones. Down the steep descent they have no reopened the coastal drive if you feel like a spin along the coast.
Wattamolla is a great destination in itself however I would recommend either northern or southern end for your next hike. If you can do both even better. Very different one end from the other. I love it, but then I have lived on the fringe of the park for most my life so am biased of course.
If you take the train to Cronulla and catch the Bundeeena ferry you can reach the northern end of the costal track. En route you can see some expensive homes and lots of boats on the quaint old fashioned ferryboat. This part of the park is most brilliant in spring with awesome displays of Australian wildflowers, including the flannel flower. In summer though it will not dissappoint except maybe on the bird front! Fantastic views. It can be a bit tricky to get to the track, be prepared. Walk through the town on the diagonal from the wharf and you should find the start but then there is two tracks. Doesn't matter too much, hard to get lost. The first one is a loop and the second one is the true coastal trail that will take you to Watamolla if you walk for 6 hours! Also nearby is another track where aboriginal carving can be seen.
You can also drive to the southern end at Stanwell Tops. Here you get an outstanding view of the southern coastline as it wraps itself around the city of Wollongong. The coastal track ends here and if you backtrack you get some good ocean views in mainly eucalypt forest, small scrub. Also in this area is a wildlife park, Simbio and the Hindu temple built in the middle of nowhere. At the wildlife park many wild birds are evident as well as friendly captive ones. Down the steep descent they have no reopened the coastal drive if you feel like a spin along the coast.
Wattamolla is a great destination in itself however I would recommend either northern or southern end for your next hike. If you can do both even better. Very different one end from the other. I love it, but then I have lived on the fringe of the park for most my life so am biased of course.
Apr 17th, 2006, 04:17 AM
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Hi Toucan2
You probably already have the website of the National Parks, but here it is anyway:
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/
The Royal National Park is a lovely park, and yes I used to live nearby to it as well. I definately agree that you would enjoy the ferry ride across from Cronulla to Bundeena. There is a great walk to Jibbon Beach from here, that takes in some aboriginal carvings and views of the headland.
You probably already have the website of the National Parks, but here it is anyway:
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/
The Royal National Park is a lovely park, and yes I used to live nearby to it as well. I definately agree that you would enjoy the ferry ride across from Cronulla to Bundeena. There is a great walk to Jibbon Beach from here, that takes in some aboriginal carvings and views of the headland.
Apr 17th, 2006, 04:48 PM
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Thank you very much for the input. I hadn't thought of taking the ferry, we were just going to drive, but that might indeed be a good idea. Perhaps we could get Fiona or Mark to pick us up at Watamolla.
I did have the park site, thanks very much for listing for me. From either that site or another, they suggested topographical maps. Is that really necessary or is it well marked (besides the starting point through town that was mentioned)?
Thank you all again
I did have the park site, thanks very much for listing for me. From either that site or another, they suggested topographical maps. Is that really necessary or is it well marked (besides the starting point through town that was mentioned)?
Thank you all again
Apr 17th, 2006, 08:28 PM
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Hi Toucan2
While reading your post I remembered an article which appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald travel section a while ago, about a beautiful place to stay in the Royal NP. I've spent a little bit of time on-line trying to track it down for you but have had no great success.
From memory it was perched near the edge of the escarpment and had sweeping views of the ocean and all the way up and down the coast.
Best I can do though is to point you to
http://www.smh.com.au
which is the website of a Sydney broadsheet newspaper.
Open the page and, on the menu bar, place your mouse over the word Travel. Click on Australia and another page will open up to reveal an alphabet. Click on the letter R for Royal and then scroll down the page to NSW and click on Royal National Park.
You'll find an article with lots of info about the Royal.
Nevets
While reading your post I remembered an article which appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald travel section a while ago, about a beautiful place to stay in the Royal NP. I've spent a little bit of time on-line trying to track it down for you but have had no great success.
From memory it was perched near the edge of the escarpment and had sweeping views of the ocean and all the way up and down the coast.
Best I can do though is to point you to
http://www.smh.com.au
which is the website of a Sydney broadsheet newspaper.
Open the page and, on the menu bar, place your mouse over the word Travel. Click on Australia and another page will open up to reveal an alphabet. Click on the letter R for Royal and then scroll down the page to NSW and click on Royal National Park.
You'll find an article with lots of info about the Royal.
Nevets
Apr 18th, 2006, 04:24 AM
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Nevets maybe referring to Tumbling Waters Retreat. Gorgeous.
Toucan, Great idea to walk to Wattamolla and get a ride. In fact many people do exactly that. Maybe one way 3-4 hours but double and triple check, my memory is never accurate.
If you walk from Bundeena intially the trail is through coastal heath and you can see it snake it's way ahead of you for miles. So you will not get lost, though maybe sunburned so make sure you have big hats. There are some really nice swimmimg holes along the way so bring bathers.
You could also take the train to the southern end, Otford, but trains are few and far between. I have spent way too many hours waiting on the that train station! Still awesome area.
For your next trip can I recommend Washpool and Gibralter world heritage listed parks in northern NSW. It is amazing. Total jungle in some parts like you are in Borneo yet on the other side of the hill dry eucalypt forest with all this strange boulders perched in gravity defying positions. Jaw dropping beautiful rainforest. So book ahead lol.
Apr 20th, 2006, 04:23 AM
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Hi Toucan2,
From memory, I think the walk from Bundeena to Wattamolla is over 10 kms, but you would need to check with the rangers - they are always happy to help! The National Parks do provide free maps.
Hope you enjoy!
From memory, I think the walk from Bundeena to Wattamolla is over 10 kms, but you would need to check with the rangers - they are always happy to help! The National Parks do provide free maps.
Hope you enjoy!
