Five National Parks near Sydney worth the drive this weekend
Greater Sydney’s convoluted topography means that pockets of bushland, and often vast swathes, have been left undeveloped and fortunately many have been preserved as National Parks.Within easy driving distance of the New South Wales capital are wilderness wonderlands of coastal cliffs, dreamy rivers and magnificent escarpments ready to explore. Here are five of our favourites just for your enjoyment.
Dharawal National Park
You don’t need to travel thousands of kilometres inland to absorb the wonder of Australia’s indigenous heritage. Dharawal National Park is barely 80km south of Sydney and contains artworks and axe-grinding grooves made thousands of years ago by the people after whom the park is named. Native bushland among gorges and waterways abound – check out Maddens Falls and the easy 2.4km Minerva Pool walking track. Pack a picnic and make an energetic and educational day of it.
Royal National Park
Thousands of motorists travel between Sydney and Wollongong daily but just to the coastal side of the freeway is an enormous natural oasis known as Royal National Park. At more than 15,000 hectares this is a place of peace and recreation, whether you’re into walking, cycling, bird watching, surfing or discovering natural wonders such as Curracurrong Falls tumbling into the sea. The 26km, two-day coastal trail is a kind of pilgrimage but then so is any visit to this beloved piece of paradise.
Bouddi National Park
This gorgeous National Park is around 100km north of Sydney up near Gosford, and Bouddi packs a lot into a relatively small space. Hugging the coast - and with an 8.5km coastal walk doable in a day – it’s a natural whale-watching spot during the migration season. On land, there is birdlife, echidnas and wallabies and the Maitland Bay walking track takes you to the wreck of the eponymous SS Maitland.
Marramarra National Park
Another northern national park, Marramarra is wrapped around the southern banks of the sinuous Hawkesbury River about 70km from Sydney. It’s remarkably peaceful and isolated and waterways such as Berowra Creek and the river itself are a haven for canoeists, while walking tracks such as that to Smugglers Ridge give beautiful views of the rugged terrain. Free campgrounds like Gentlemans Halt are totally back-to-nature so the proximity to Sydney can make this a kind of wilderness staycation.
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
In the backyard of Sydney’s northern beaches, Ku-ring-gai Chase is literally within sight of swanky cafes and restaurants yet its 15,000 hectares are an opportunity to escape the concrete jungle. Isolated beaches, views of the Hawkesbury and Barrenjoey lighthouse are part of this coastal peninsula experience, but so are the myriad inland walking tracks taking in rock formations, ancient indigenous rock art and of course, plenty of flora and fauna.
Related: Five free campgrounds near Sydney to check out
Related: Five great views near Sydney worth the drive
Related: Five towns near Sydney you should road trip to this weekend
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
