Royal National Park

Introducing Royal National Park

The traditional lands of the Tharawal people, the 16, 500-hectare Royal National Park (cars $11, pedestrians & cyclists free; main roads 24hr, beach roads sunrise-8.30pm) was established in 1879, the oldest national park in the world. The park features vertiginous cliffs, secluded beaches, coastal scrub, lush rainforest, isolated seaside communities and raucous flocks of huge yellow-tailed black cockatoos.

The national park begins at Port Hacking, 30km south of Sydney, and stretches 20km further south. Its main road detours to Bundeena, a small town on Port Hacking, where you can swim at Horderns Beach and walk the Bundeena-Maianbar Heritage Walk (coastal views and Aboriginal sites).

The sandstone plateau at the northern end of the park is an ocean of low scrub, the fuel for three voracious bushfires in recent years. The most serious one (1994) destroyed 95% of the park. You’ll find taller forest trees in river valleys and at the park’s southern boundary on the edge of the Illawarra Escarpment. In late winter and early spring the park is carpeted with wild flowers.

Further into the park, there’s lovely swimming at Wattamolla Beach, and great surf at Garie Beach. You can also swim in the upper reaches of Kangaroo Creek but not the Hacking River.

A walking and cycling trail follows the Hacking River south from Audley; others pass tranquil freshwater swimming holes. The spectacular two-day, 28km coastal walking trail skirts the park’s eastern boundary and is highly recommended.

The visitor centre (02-9542 0648; www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au; Farnell Rd, Audley; 9am-4pm) can assist with camping permits, maps and bushwalking details. Audley Boat Shed (02-9528 9867; Farnell Rd, Audley; 9am-5pm) rents rowboats, canoes and kayaks ($16/30 per hour/day), aqua bikes ($12 per 30 minutes) and bicycles ($14/30 per hour/day).

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009