Sydney's Best Coast Walk

For SINGLE BUSHWALKERS 25 to 39 years
Saturday 27 February - Monday 1 March 2010 (3 days)

Itinerary

Click on the link to check out the YouTube clip of the walk

Note: it's promoting the 1 night standard package. Our trip is 2 night deluxe package.


Sydney's best bushwalk, the Coast Track, Royal National Park, part of the famous coastal walk, begins after a scenic 20 minute ferry ride across the Port Hacking River from Cronulla to Bundeena.  Walking for approximately 4 hours you will experience ancient Aboriginal carvings, the bizarre sandstone formations of Wave Rock, Prawn Rock, The  Devils Dice and White Cliffs of Marley and the beautiful and secluded Big and Little Marley Beaches. For overnight trips the walk continues along the eroded cliffs to Wattamolla where the group camps for the night by a secluded beach and lagoon; dining on sumptuous food, enjoy a beer or wine, and relax under the stars.

The Coast Track, continues to hug the coast on the second day through the rocky inlet of Curracurrang where some of Sydney's best whale watching vantage points are found during the migration season, (and where we enjoy one of Sydney's best kept secrets), before the trail winds up past the eroded cliff formation of Curracurrong, aptly named Eagle Rock. You also enjoy the spectacular view of Garie Beach and the southern end of the Royal National Park, down to the Sir Lawrence Hargreaves bridge, Wollongong and beyond from Garie North Head. While  Little Garie, Era and Burning Palms, as well as being gorgeous little surf beaches, give a glimpse back in time to the Great Depression of the 1930's with the heritage listed shack communities. Walking up through the Palm Jungle and one of New South Wales' only coastal rainforests the group emerges atop the escarpment and be treated to another divine ocean view from Werrong lookout.

Day 1:              Saturday 28 February 2010

8:15am Group meets at ferry departure point, Cronulla.

Ferry departs from: Public Wharf, Tonkin Street, Gunnamatta Bay, Cronulla (700 metres from Cronulla train station) Map of Meeting Point

8:30am Depart Cronulla on ferry for Bundeena (the price is included in your package price)  Info on ferry Cronulla to Bundeena.

Approximately 13km, 7hr walk (including 2 x 15 min, 1 x 30 min and photo/drink breaks)

Experience ancient Aboriginal carvings, bizarre sandstone formations of Wave Rock, Prawn Rock, The Devil's Dice and the White Cliffs of Marley and the secluded and beautiful Big and Little Marley beaches.

Lunch time is flexible, as are our morning and afternoon break times.

4:00pm            
Arrive at our idyllic campsite for an afternoon of leisure swimming in the protected bay or freshwater lagoon, playing beach sports or relaxing with a beer or wine.

Dinner              
Dinner time is flexible.

Day 2: Sunday 28 February 2010

8:00am             Breakfast

10:00am            Depart
Approx 6km, 3hr walk. Experience the secret waterhole at Curracurrang, Eagle Rock and stunning waterfall at Curracurrong, before arriving at the surf beach of Garie where  we'll spend the rest of the day and night.

1:00pm             Lunch 
Entire afternoon of leisure. Surf lessons, yoga and meditation options available (on request and booked in advance). Relax on the beach, take an exploratory bushwalk of  your own or play beach football or cricket.
        
Dinner time is flexible

Day 3: Monday 1 March 2010

8:00am            
Breakfast & morning of leisure

11:30 am         
Depart Garie
Approx 9km, 5hr (including 1 x 15 min, 1 x 30 min and photo/drink breaks)
    
Lunchtime is flexible.

5:17pm             Train departs Otford.

The train travels back to Central Station (1 hour), Sydney. On arriving to Central station you can change to city rail and make your way home.

It is graded as a medium difficulty hike as there are several hills on the second and third days.

Facilities:
There are flushing toilets at Bundeena, Wattamolla and Garie Beach. i.e. the start of day 1, our first and second overnight stops. There are no other flush toilets along the track. There are no showers at our first overnight camp. There is a protected beach and freshwater lagoon in which to swim. There are showers at Garie Beach, i.e. our overnight stop on Day 2.

Your Guide:
Your Guide, Ian was born and raised in the Sutherland Shire. He developed a love of the  outdoors at an early age and was walking and camping in the bush from the time he was a child, with the Royal National Park as his extended backyard. He has bushwalked extensively in most of New South Wales' and Tasmania's National Parks and has trekked independently through the Pyrenees, Alps, Himalaya and Andes mountain ranges as well as many lesser ranges throughout Europe and the UK. However, The Coast Track, Royal National Park, is where he feels most at home, and would take great delight sharing with you.

Ian is qualified in Senior and Remote Area First Aid and carries a fully stocked First Aid Kit at all times.

Royal National Park Sydney:
It is Australia's oldest National Park, and after Yellowstone in the USA, the second oldest in the World. Gazetted in 1879 as The National Park, it was renamed Royal National Park after Queen Elizabeth's visit to Australia in 1954. It has over 100km of walking tracks to enjoy, from the rugged, exposed coastal trek of 30km along The Coast Track to the more sedate and sheltered 10km walk along the bush track of Lady Carrington Drive. Spreading over 16,300 hectares the Royal National Park is as diverse as it is vast. In the sandstone sections of the park, vegetation is restricted by the shallow soil beds but in more sheltered creek systems where the soil can lie deeper and richer, it gives birth to an abundance of plant and tree life. Rivers have cut their way through the sandstone over millenia to create a maze of waterholes, creeks and lagoons as they wind towards the ocean, providing many a secluded place to cool off in after a tiring walk, and providing a valuable drinking source for the native rock and swamp wallabies, echidna, native rats and mice and the imported Rusa deer that abound in the park. Royal National Park is also home to over 700 species of flowering plants and countless species of birds, that you are sure to encounter and enjoy on any bushwalk you choose to do in the park.