Botany Bay Coastal Walk

Numerous walks to venture on are evident around the southern Botany Bay headland but before you start we suggest a visit to the Discover centre where you can obtain an overview of the walking trails and some insight on the history of the area. At the Centre you will find displays from the “Endeavour” as well as indigenous relics that highlight the rich and fascinating cultural heritage.

The Botany bay coastal walk iis also known as the Cape Bailey Lighthouse walk and is roughly 8km return and will take about 3hrs. This walking trail has scenery typical of the Great Southern Land with rugged extruded sandstone cliffs that plummet into the blue Pacific Ocean. Of course there are sand dunes, wildflowers and bird life galore. Keep your eyes open, you never know what you might see.

Drive to Cape Solander Lookout and start your walk here at the end of the road. This is an isolated location so don’t leave any valuables visible in your vehicle or you might be temping people to help themselves. Head south along the cliff top to Tabbigai Gap (this is where your visit to the Discovery Centre will pay off. Remember the leaflet you got with the walking trails on it?)

From Tabbigai Gap you should be able to easily negotiate the trail to Cape Bailey. Carry some binoculars on your walk if it’s not too much extra burden and don’t forget some water. What are the binoculars for? Whale watching of course! If it’s migrating season you’ll have one of the best vantage points in Sydney. In fact, that's what the new platform is for at Cape Solander and many people are taking advantage of it.

You can always do a bit of bird watching? Keep an eye out for sea eagles and kestrels that ride the breezes above the edge of the coastline. If you would like to know more about

A good place for fishing and many a lonely fisherman has sat silently here among the rocky ledges patiently waiting for the catch of the day. You might even be able to view some of the remains of what were once dwelling enclosures perched above the sea. They were built between crevices so these hearty men could stay dry amongst the rough southern elements. It also provided somewhere to cook and eat their catch and a place sleep overnight.

This particular Botany Bay coastal walk can also be done from Potter Point which is further south simply by driving to the end of Sir Joseph Banks Drive and following the tar sealed track to the car park. Simply head north along the shoreline from there.

Just south of Potter Point is one of Sydney’s best known big wave spots called Voodoo. When the winds are from the northeast and the swell from the south you can see them catching waves over the reef just off shore. When it’s small it’s fun but when it get bigger it becomes a serious break to negotiate with the wave peaking as it breaks and often growing in size as it shifts down the reef. This is a truly thundering, challenging heart pumping exercise only for the experienced!

The semi isolation of the Kurnell Peninsular from the rest of the modern world as it were make this Botany Bay coastal walk less frequented than the more popular hotspots like the Bondi to Coogee walk or the Manly to Spit walk but you'll be glad you visited and tried it out.

When venturing over these coastal walking trails it’s easy to imagine what life was like a couple of centuries earlier when the Gweagal people inhabited the area. Life must have been simple and easy fishing and hunting as they had done for many years prior. Yes, James Cook, Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander dared to venture where no westerner had trod before, thus paving the way for our enjoyment today.

Other walking tracks in this area include;

• Monument Track - 1.5km takes in Silver Beach, Sutherland Point, the Botany Bay foreshore and the Cook Obelisk (Monument) where the Captain stepped ashore in 1770.
• Muru and Yena Tracks - 2.5km, follow these tracks the short distance from the Discovery Centre to the coastal plateau at Yena Gap. Take in the fresh salt air and maybe look for whales when you’re there.
• Banks Solander Track - 1km, Highlights include native flora specimens that the botanist Joseph Banks indentified in his collection.

Sydney Getaways

Botany bay coastal walk