Royal Coast Track

Upgrades to the Royal Coast Track will deliver new visitor facilities and improved safety measures to this spectacular coastal walk south of Sydney. These works are being delivered as part of the largest visitor infrastructure program in national park history.

What the project involves

The Royal Coast Track is a 26-kilometre walk along the coast of Royal National Park. The walk allows visitors to experience a natural landscape with dramatic scenery on the edge of metropolitan Sydney. The National Parks and Wildlife Service is upgrading the track to deliver a quality walking experience along Sydney's southern coastline.

Impacts on visitation

As track works progress, closures may be in place for the safety of visitors and work crews. Please check current alerts before you visit.

Current alerts

Closures

Due to a landslide, Transport for NSW has closed Garie Road at the intersection with Sir Bertram Stevens Drive. Vehicles and pedestrians cannot use any part of Garie Road to access any part of Royal National Park. Further information about the road closure and repair works is available from the Transport for NSW project page.

The Royal Coast Track is closed between Garie and Little Garie until further notice due to rock falls and erosion. It is not possible to pass through this section, and walkers must retrace their steps or exit the track at an earlier point. The best locations to exit the coast track before you get to Garie are at Wattamolla or via the Curra Moors loop track.

North Era campground is closed until further notice.

Visitor access

Visitors can walk the Royal Coast Track south from Bundeena, but there is no access past Garie. Visitors must retrace their steps or exit the track before Garie via the Curra Moors loop track or at Wattamolla.

Visitors can access the Royal Coast Track from Otford but there is no access past Little Garie. Visitors will need to retrace their steps or exit the track before Little Garie. The best location to exit the coast track from this direction before you get to Little Garie is via Garawarra Farm and the Burgh Ridge Track.

Figure 8 Pools can be reached from Otford by following the coast track to Burning Palms.

The Palm Jungle Loop Track is also open and can be accessed from the southern entrance to the coast track at Otford Lookout, or from Garawarra Farm.

There are no restrictions to the Royal Coast Track between Bundeena and Wattamolla.

Timeframe for completion

This project commenced in 2016–17. Track upgrades have been staged and are expected to be completed in 2025.

Why we are doing this and who benefits

The Royal National Park is Australia’s oldest national park and the second oldest national park in the world. The project includes a major upgrade of the track surface and the provision of high-quality visitor facilities at key destinations along the route of the Royal Coast Track, including improvement of safety fencing and signage at Wedding Cake Rock and improvement to the visitor facilities at much loved Wattamolla. The project responds to both the current pattern of visitor growth, as well as the attraction of new visitors through the offer of enhanced coastal experiences.

Protecting park values

Our national parks are managed to protect their unique values and provide for sustainable visitor use and enjoyment. This includes providing visitor experiences and, where appropriate, new visitor facilities including tracks and trails.

Environmental assessments have been undertaken as part of this project to examine the significance of any likely environmental impacts and consider measures required to mitigate any impacts to the environment. This highlights the need to ensure public visitation and enjoyment is compatible with the protection of conservation and cultural heritage values.

Reflecting a sense of place

The Royal Coast Track provides visitors with an opportunity to enjoy a varied walking experience along the spectacular coastline of the Royal National Park. The track offers amazing views of the landscape and coastline and respects the park’s natural and cultural values. Places such as Wattamolla, Garie, Burning Palms and Era Beach can be accessed via the coast track, and provide stunning views. Visitors can experience the beauty of local landscapes and wildlife including whale watching.

Engaging stakeholders

The National Parks and Wildlife Service will continue to engage with stakeholders and interested community members with updates available from this webpage.