Wattamolla beach rests peacefully in Sydney's Royal National Park, which was established in 1879…read moreand boasts the title of World's second oldest national park (after Yellowstone in the USA). Wattamolla takes its name from the local Aboriginal word meaning, "place near running water." A perfect description for this aquatic wonderland. Wattamolla is a beautiful combination of beach and fresh water lagoon, separated by a sandbar. The unpatrolled beach, though not suitable for surfing (Wattamolla is a cove, so protected from swells) is clear and sparkling most days, and if you're lucky you might even see a seal or two swim into the cove to say hi. But be careful of the curious bluebottles, whose corpses often line the shore in summertime. Sheer cliffs frame the lagoon, which is perfect for toddlers and children, and it is a popular spot for cliff jumping (but it is illegal, and the varying depths of the lagoon have caused serious injuries). Wattamolla offers easy access to over 100 kilometres of walking tracks spanning the National Park, including the popular coastal walk from Bundeena to Otford The grassed cliff-top above the beach provides picnic tables, barbeque facilities, and not-too-scary public toilets. The car park is huge, but come weekends and (especially) public holidays finding a spot can be near impossible. Your best bet is to avoid Wattamolla altogether on these occasions, and visit midweek. Vehicle entry fee into the National Park- $11

So I spend 6 months a while back in the Bundeena area and visited this beach from time to time…read more Tucked away in the Royal National Park it is secluded and not crowded on the times I visited. There is plenty of place near the parking area to picnic. You can literally walk right up to the edge of the cliffs that surround the beach and jump off...which many folks have, but is discouraged.........by a small little railing. That is was I love about country...they don't legally look at such things as we Yanks do. The small railing says....if you are stupid enough to jump off...then we won't be responsible for you if you do....and I like that approach. We Yanks in our country try everything to make sure someone doesn't jump off such places. It is a nice little place to visit south of Sydney.

First time visitor to this awesome place where we decided to catchup over a bbq with friends…read more Access is by boat, ferry or water taxi. Unsure if you can drive here as I didn't see any cars. What struck me immediately is the local swamp wallabies that coexist with the visitors and rangers. Sightings on the day included kookaburras, various birds and reptiles. It is the only place in the Ku-ring-gai Chase where you can camp. Being part of a national park, ongoing conservation and preservation is by way of entrance fees ($3 per head), which is separate to camping fees. Restrictions applies to this beautiful place i.e. fires. The campsite is well maintained and very clean. Plenty of hiking opportunities for those who are keen as it is surrounded by hills and mountains There is a body of water that is safe for some water sports. Bbq facilities is also available which we took advantage of. Beechwood Cottage is a historical property which is available to hire for functions and events. This place is great if you want to get away for the weekends with or without the kids. It overlooks Pittwater and is just a beautiful place to hang and chill.

This is a great beach and camping area, with mountains all around. Access is by boat or trails…read more No vehicles allowed. It's not a pristine sand beach, more like sand based mud, but has nice calm clear water on the back harbour side. The place has lots of space to picnic and relax. Everything is clean. And the kids get to run after the wallaby(ies) when they hop by. We went in by boat, which is a great way to arrive. There are lots of tent campers, most of which seemed to arrive and bring their gear in by boat. Several ferries service the area.

Little Bay Beach is a gorgeous little spot, still not very well known. It's the last sand beach…read morebefore Botany Bay. Because it's a sheltered cove, there isn't any surf, but the place is great for paddling and snorkeling. Don't be put off by its proximity to Long Bay Gaol, or by its proximity to Malabar sewage treatment -- they've got that stuff all sorted out now, right? Little Bay Beach has wonderful sandstone outcrops, perfect for having a picnic with friends, and a nice mix of sun and shade. The abundance of little outcrops and cave-like spaces means you often find canoodling couples in various states of undress, spread out on towels and picnic blankets, with grapes, hummus and watermelon strewn about ... it gives the whole place a relaxed, bacchanalian sort of feel. There was an old hospital in Little Bay (long since closed down), which used to make the entrance to the beach quite creepy. In recent times they've built a housing subdivision at the old Prince Henry Hospital site, so the place isn't quite so spooky or derelict, but the development isn't too close to the foreshore, so you can't see buildings when you're sitting at the beach. It was quite a creepy hospital: used during the Bubonic plague in 1900. There are still a few heritage hospital buildings around, otherwise the rest of the structures are very new. There is a golf course nearby, but the risks of getting hit on the head by a golf ball are probably lower than your average Sydney bluebottle sting risks, so I reckon it's worth it. Little Bay achieved art-world fame back in 1969, when Christo wrapped it up in fabric. The whole bay. There are some great photos of it here: http://kaldorartprojects.org.au/project-archive/christo-and-jeanne-claude-1969 Little Bay's remoteness means that you can still find a park, if you drive there. But it is also accessible by bus. Just go down Anzac Parade, almost forever... The best bit? Feels like a holiday retreat, but it's in Sydney. The worst bit? No waves. Flat as a tack.

Gorgeous little beach. Not many people around, especially on a weekday. The water is crystal clear…read more& depending on the weather, some waves. Perfect place to relax. Free, non metered street parking near by & access to toilets.

Beautiful beach with white soft sand. Rocky edges providing marine life sightings in the tide…read morepools. Glorious sunrises, waves caressing the beach. Teaming with wildlife, lorikeets squawking in near by trees. Parking on the street with various entrances. Nice place to eat is the cooked goose.

So if there are other life forms out there looking down on earth, Hyams would be where they would…read moreflour their humans before frying - the sand here is blindingly white and has the texture of very fine flour. And that's still the case when Mother Nature dazzles us with her aesthetic violence - I can only imagine what this beach is like on a perfect summer day. It's also squeaky... and who doesn't love squeaky sand right?? Yeah yeah, deny all you want, but I know you all twist your feet a little as you take a step... We are 12 at heart after all!! Contrast this sand to the many shades of blue and you have a pretty sweet spot to relax on - I challenge you to find me someone who doesn't want to think of the Caribbean while lying on a beach a few hrs south of Sydney. From the lightest shades of turquoise to the deepest blues of fine china, you can't help but get a feeling of complete surrender. Salt cures all ... so breathe it in and let it work its magic. I can't comment on the temperature or the temperament of the water during summer but I can during autumn - it's damn cold ... yup legs pink and numb kinda damn cold. Apart from the obvious attraction I have to water, I was beyond excited that this beach actually has the potential for a load of shade too - always a bonus. Ohh and if you can't part with your furry four legged buddy, this beach is dog friendly.

Probably one of my favorite beaches in Sydney. During my semester abroad way back when I'd enjoy…read morestrolling through Manly all the way to lesser known Freshwater beach. Sometimes I head through the lovely cliff side neighborhoods just walk along the cliff. I'd often find my self hanging out here for hours. Sometimes at the beach or sitting on the cliffs studying for school. There's a special connection to this beach to where I currently live in Hawaii. This is where Duke Kahanamoku, Olympian, politician, surfer, spreader of Aloha introduced Surfing to Australia. Inside the Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club there is a little memorial for the Duke with pictures, trophies, and his original wooden board he took to Australia. If you head up the stairs above the salt water pool there is an overgrown little park with a statue of the Duke Kahanamoku surfing on a boulder facing Freshwater beach. It's definitely a cool spot for anyone visiting from Hawaii. It's a great beach too with dramatic picturesque landscape. Ideally probably one of my top dream Neighborhoods to reside one day.

Once again, Freshie is one of my favorite beaches. It draws locals and not the chaos of tourist and…read moresurfers.

This was relatively close enough for an outdoor experience. It really is create your own adventure…read moreas there are a lot of things to do here. We decided to do the wedding cake hike, here was our experience. Directions: What's nice is that this is a common hike,; the directions are simple if you're at the main entrance. Hiking Difficulty: If you're coming from the main entrance, it really isn't that difficult, if you're on the trail, you don't need fancy hiking shoes. Overall: 4.5 stars. I enjoyed the hike here. I admire the different scenery from the ocean to the rock patterns. Shading changes now and then and it took maybe 1.5 hrs total. There are many more things to see, so be sure to plan and schedule things accordingly. TL;DR Tips: * Parking is free but limited * Bring hiking shoes to be safe. * Wedding Cake Rock is now gated off * 2nd Oldest National Park in the world!

Royal National Park is the second oldest national park in the world, with Yellowstone in USA being…read morethe first. About a 45 minute drive from Sydney CBD, Royal National Park is definitely worth a visit if you want to get away from the city. With the lush beauty, peaceful surroundings, various wildlife, scenic hikes, and relaxing beaches, Royal National Park doesn't disappoint. As part of a small tour group, we visited the Royal National Park back in January 2014 and enjoyed the gorgeous views from Stanwell Tops and Sea Cliff Bridge; the cool, calm waters and warm, soft sand from Jibbon beach; and a mild hike along The Coast Track for a breathtaking panoramic view of the blue Pacific Ocean. Whether visiting Royal National Park on your own, with family or friends, or as part of a private tour group, there's plenty of activities to suit your needs: hiking, biking, picnic lunches, canoeing and kayaking... the list goes on. It's the perfect place to spend a day or two to relax.

Great park and a short walk to the beach. The beach has a rock pool so our 11 month old son was…read morecrawling around in the water there. The park has a large playground, two tables under gazebos and toilets. Short walk to a nice cafe too.

This little unknown harbour beach sits at the bottom of Taronga Zoo. If there were any animal…read moreenclosures that could give a hint to where it could be it would definitely be the Muir Cats - standing upright pointing the way. Access to Whiting Beach is a beautiful rugged bushwalk from a residential street which clears out to this tiny beach with a spectacular view of the harbour and ferries pulling into Taronga Beach zoo ferry wharf. As its off the beaten track it does not have the manicured maintenance of our most well known beaches and there is a sign that warns of syringes that maybe hidden in the sand. I talk to some locals and they say in all the years they have been using the beach they have never come across syringes and just as much chance of finding them on the popular beaches than Whiting Beach however for the sake of my baby I keep her shoes on and watch her as she excitedly bumbles towards the water. Bring a picnic blanket also as well as beach towels as the walk is steep you may want to spend quality time on this beach. Alot of leisure craft use the beach as a swim stop. There is only 4 other people on the actual beach which gives it a deserted feeling... well as deserted as you would find in the middle of one of the worlds most beauitful cities. This natural gem is just a reminder of how beautiful it can be.

Beautiful surrounding but extremely dirty. I havnt seen so much garbage on the beach and in the…read morewater since phuket. I pulled out 10 bottles from the beach and on finding no bin left them next to the syringe recepticle unit. Many bottles were broken and swimming would mean cut feet. A real black eye for sydney.