Watsons Bay Walk: Coastal Charm and History

This Watsons Bay walk offers buckets of coastal charm. It combines panoramic clifftop lookouts with pretty Sydney Harbour views.  Along the way, you’ll discover historic sites, a pretty candy-striped lighthouse, and some of the best fish and chips in Sydney. We think it’s the perfect half day escape from the hustle and bustle of the city centre and a brilliant contrast to Manly or Bondi.

Updated: 21 September 2024

This page contains affiliate links. You can find our full disclosure policy here.

Exploring Watsons Bay on Foot

Today, we want to show you one of our favourite parts of Sydney, a ferry ride to Watsons Bay and a stroll on the easy but rewarding South Head Heritage loop out to Hornby Lighthouse on South Head. You could easily spend a couple of hours here between the walk, a paddle at Camp Cove Beach and a coffee or lunch in the area.

If you only had one day to explore Sydney, a day at Watsons Bay would not be a bad choice.

The walk is relatively easy, suitable for most people. It’s not a challenging track, but there are some steps and mild inclines.ut to Hornby Lighthouse on South Head.

You could easily spend a couple of hours here between the walk, a paddle at Camp Cove Beach and a coffee or lunch in the area.

If this will be your first time using Sydney’s public transport, you might like to read our Opal travel guide to understand the cheapest way to make this trip.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s begin!

Watsons Bay

The First Nations people of the Sydney Harbour area, the Cadigal, referred to the area around Watsons Bay as Kutti.

It was a favourite spot for fishing and gathering food and very important to them. They remained here after the arrival of the colonials until a smallpox epidemic hit, and the population was severely affected.

Robertson Park and the wharf

Robertson Park, the extensive park surrounding the waterfront, is a great picnic spot with lots of shade, a playground and lovely views of the waterfront.

Here, there are several Canary Islands Palms that grew from seeds the first fleet bought from a stopover in Tenerife, along with some gorgeous fig trees.

If you have some time, take a stroll south along the beach to the swimming enclosure and the Vaucluse Yacht Club.

Gap Bluff and The Gap Lookout

The Gap Bluff and Gap lookout are directly opposite the wharf at Watsons Bay. If you climb to the high point, you are rewarded with views from Mosman to Manly.

Two lighthouses in Watsons Bay highlight the danger the sea here posed to early visitors. In 1857, the Dunbar was wrecked off the cliffs below the Gap, killing 121 and leaving a sole survivor, James Johnson, a crewman rescued from the rocks 36 hours later.

Divers finally located the wreck in 1955, and you will find the anchor of the ship sitting attached to the cliff near the main lookout.

The ship’s bible was washed up on Forty Baskets Beach on the other side of the harbour and can be found in St Stephen’s Church in Camperdown.

A few months after this terrible accident, a second ship, The Catherine Adamson, was wrecked nearby, resulting in another 21 deaths. This was enough to get fast action on the lighthouse building.

From the 1930s, The Gap became known as a place of misadventure. The rocky cliffs drew the foolhardy and the depressed. As early as 1942, a police cliff rescue unit was established, saving over 70 people a year.

From the 1960s, Don Ritchie, a local who lived next to the lookout, watched out for people who appeared to need help. He saved over 160 people, which earned him the nickname “the angel of the gap.”

In 2006, Ritchie was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia. Ge passed away in 2012. These days the area is under camera surveillance, and help phones operated by Lifeline staff are in a couple of spots along the cliff.

So what is “the Gap”? The Gap is the wave cut shelf formed between two sandstone cliffs here.

Camp Cove

Return to the wharf and make your way along the footpath that follows the beach. Continue past the upturned rowboats and Doyles restaurant until you reach the stairs at the end of the beach. Take these up to the street.

You will need to walk along the street and head to Cove Street, Pacific Street, and Green Point Reserve. Once you reach Green Point Reserve, you will find Camp Cove Beach to the right.

When the First Fleet first landed in Sydney, they arrived in Botany Bay. However, they quickly discovered that with no fresh water source, this was not an ideal place to build their settlement. Captain Phillip and a small party then headed off exploring new locations and sailed through the heads into Sydney Harbour.

They camped the night here on the beach at Camp Cove before sailing into Sydney Cove the following day. This was the first place that the English set foot on Australian soil.

A marble monument reading, “On this beach, Governor Phillip first landed in Port Jackson Jan 21 1788” is at the southern end of the beach.

You will find this rather unassuming structure to the right of the toilet block, but it’s easy to walk right by it.

Sydney Harbour National Park

At the northern end of Camp Cove Beach, a set of wooden stairs will lead you to the entry of Sydney Harbour National Park and the South Head Heritage Trail Loop. The first highlight is the historic canon.

Watsons Bay Canon

This cannon that points back towards the city skyline is a favourite photo spot on South Head. It was bought to the colony from England in 1872 and placed at South Head in the 1890s.

The path along the road, made of cobblestone and built during the late 1870s, is a gentle reminder of the history of the area.

Lady Bay Beach

This beach, also known as Lady Jane, was granted legal nude status way back in 1976 during Premier Wran’s government. A few things to note: nudity is only permitted on the beach and water, and while you can don swimwear here, it is sometimes frowned upon by the locals.

It’s also good to note that walkers tend to stand at the top and take photos of the beach and its visitors. If you decide to go off climbing around the rocky point, you may discover some frisky beachgoers.

South Head Heritage Walk

This easy 30-minute loop walk is a leisurely stroll with 5-star views. If the long walk from Vaucluse is a bit much for you, this is a great alternative. It is a mix of boardwalk, concrete, and cobblestone with a few stairs.

As you reach the head, you will come across the lighthouse keeper’s cottage. The sole survivor of the Dunbar, crewman James Johnson and his brother. became lighthouse keepers here and then later in Newcastle.

Hornby Lighthouse

Just around the tip of South Head is the candy stripe lighthouse that marks the entry to Port Jackson. It was the third lighthouse built in NSW; you can learn more about it here.

The iconic Hornby Lighthouse recently received a major facelift. Over the course of a year, experts meticulously peeled back decades of history, removing multiple layers of old paint. They carefully crafted a new paint blend to match the lighthouse’s famous red and white stripes, ensuring its classic look was preserved. 

Once you have finished your visit, you need to retrace your steps back to Camp Cove. Take the street to the side of the Kiosk and wander past some of the lovely homes, old and new, on the roads back to the hotel and the wharf.

Itinerary tip: Combine this walk in Watsons Bay with the nearby Federation Cliff walk or the Bondi to Coogee walk for a full day exploring the eastern suburbs.

Watsons Bay Walking Map and Guide

Where to eat in Watsons Bay

Ok, so after you have completed the walk, you have most certainly earned a break. There are several places to eat nearby or if you are travelling on a budget, then bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in Robertson Park.

With this superb harbourside location, it’s hardly surprising that seafood is one of the most popular things to eat in Watsons Bay. The iconic Doyle’s on the Beach restaurant is listed in almost every guidebook. This was the first seafood restaurant in the country, opening in 1885.

Doyles / Doyles on the Wharf

Since 1845, the Doyle family has been selling seafood from this location. They have two restaurants, a takeaway and a cafe on the pier. I have not dined in the restaurant; $45 -$55 mains are a little out of my budget, but the takeaway from the wharf is pretty good. Takeaway lunch will set you back $20 or less.

Beach Club Watsons Bay Hotel

Beach Club is one of the most popular spots here. The pub offers bbq food, salads and burgers and has a fantastic beer garden overlooking the harbour. Even if you are not hungry, this is an excellent spot for a beer or coffee.

How to get to Watsons Bay

You have a few options for travelling between Watsons Bay, Bondi and the City.

• The 324 bus departs from Edgecliff Station and travels via the backstreets to Watsons Bay. If you would like to walk the Federation Cliff Walk to Watsons Bay, the 323 will drop you near the start of the walk.
• Take a 380 bus from Bondi Junction train station to Robertson Park,Watsons Bay.
• Take the F4 ferry from Circular Quay to Watsons Bay. Then, either do the walk in reverse or take one of these two buses above to the start of the walk.
• Take the private Manly Fast Ferry or the Captain Cook ferry service. You can use your Opal card (although Captain Cook fare won’t count towards your daily travel cap). Both companies offer direct ferries to Manly.

Where to Stay in Watsons Bay

Why not stay a little longer? Watsons Bay is a beautiful spot to spend a few days away from the rush of the city, whether you are a local or a visitor. There are a couple of options.

Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel

This 4-star property offers 31 boutique rooms and suites, many overlooking the harbour. It has beautifully decorated rooms with plenty of food and action right on the doorstep. This is a lovely property, but it is not necessarily the best option for a quiet getaway.

If you like the idea of heading right upstairs after you finish your dinner and drinks, I love the room decor and could happily move in tomorrow.

Insider tips for visiting Watsons Bay

• Dogs are not allowed in the National Park.
• The last public ferry on weekdays leaves very early, around 4:15pm. On weekends, it is much later, just after midnight.
• You can take a private ferry and use your Opal card on this, but it will cost more.
• Alternatively, take the bus to Edgecliff station and travel three stops back to the city.
• It is tough to get parking here, particularly at weekends. So, public transport is the best option.

Read more about Watsons Bay

My good friend Joanne writes extensively about Sydney Suburbs and has covered Watsons Bay here.

Looking for more Sydney walks?

• Hermitage Foreshore Trail in Rose Bay
• The Bondi to Coogee Walk
• The Best Sydney Ferry Rides
• Cremorne Point – A lovely walk on the other side of the harbour
• The best Harbour Walks in Sydney

Have questions about things to see and do in Sydney?
Head over and join our Facebook Group and we will be happy to help.