The trail between Rose Bay and Watsons Bay is one of the most scenic coastal walking tracks in Sydney Harbour National Park.
The walk takes in secluded beaches, beautiful parks, and picturesque bays, with panoramic views of the city and the Harbour to enjoy along the way.
Part of this track is the Hermitage Foreshore Walk, which runs between Bayview Hill Rd (just north of Rose Bay) to Nielsen Park in Vaucluse.
| Rose Bay to Watsons Bay Walk | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 8 km (one way) |
| Duration: | 3-4 hours (depending on stops) |
| Grade: | Easy / moderate |
| Dogs: | Not allowed on the trail |
Getting There
There are a number of parking options (both paid and free) in Rose Bay, though they tend to fill up quickly on weekends.
With ferry wharves at both ends of the walk, travelling by ferry may be a better option. Sydney Ferries operates regular services between Circular Quay, Rose Bay, and Watsons Bay.
If you choose to drive, you can park in either Rose Bay or Watsons Bay and take a ferry back to your starting point.
Bus travel is also an option, with several bus stops located on New South Head Rd in Rose Bay, with regular services to and from the city and Bondi Junction.
Track Notes
We are going to describe the walk starting from Rose Bay along the following sections and highlights:
- Rose Bay
- Hermitage Foreshore Walk
- Secluded Beaches
- Strickland House
- Nielsen Park and Shark Beach
- Vaucluse House and Gardens
- Parsley Bay Reserve
- Watsons Bay
Below is a map of the walk with those highlights marked. To stay on the right track when walking, follow the recognisable Bondi to Manly signs along the way.
If you would like a more detailed map to print out, grab a copy from the Woollahra Council website.
1. Rose Bay
The suburb of Rose Bay is a lovely place to relax on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
There’s no shortage of activities, from stand-up paddling and kayaking to swimming, playing tennis, or simply enjoying a coffee at one of the many cafes.
The best starting point for the walking trail to Watsons Bay is the Rose Bay ferry wharf. From there, head to the north end of Rose Bay Beach, passing by Lyne Park and Tingira Memorial Park along the way.
At Dumaresq Reserve, look for the steps leading up to New South Head Road. From there, turn left onto Tivoli Avenue and then take another left onto Bayview Hill Road.
2. Hermitage Foreshore Walk
At the end of that road, you’ll find the sign marking the start of the Hermitage Foreshore Walk.
That’s where the Rose Bay to Watsons Bay Walk transforms into a stunning coastal and bush trail, featuring scenic bays, hidden beaches, and magnificent views of Sydney Harbour to soak in.
It’s a wonderful reminder of just how fortunate we are to experience such a beautiful landscape so close to the city.
3. Secluded Beaches
The first hidden gem along the track is Queens Beach.
Don’t be surprised if you find it completely empty; this beach is truly secluded, quietly tucked away from the main road and nearby properties.
Continue following the trail north, and you’ll soon come across Tingara Beach, Hermit Bay, and Milk Beach.
These small, secluded beaches can make you feel as though you’ve stumbled into a tropical paradise.
4. Strickland House
Behind Milk Bach, you’ll find Strickland House.
Strickland House, a heritage-listed mansion in the suburb of Vaucluse, was designed and built in the 1850s and once served as the home of Sydney’s second mayor, John Hosking.
The grounds surrounding Strickland House form a pleasant urban park, open to the public seven days a week. If you’d like to see the inside of the house, you can book a tour through NSW National Parks.
From Strickland House, it’s only a short stroll to Nielsen Park, an ideal spot for a quick coffee break.
5. Nielsen Park and Shark Beach
Shark Beach, with Nielsen Park nestled just behind it, marks the end of the Hermitage Foreshore Walk.
This beach is a popular weekend spot for families looking to swim and relax in the park. However, finding a parking spot in the area on a warm Sunday afternoon can be quite challenging, so it’s best to walk there.
The area is highly family-friendly, offering calm waters, an enclosed swimming area, a shaded promenade, and various picnic spots.
From here, you can either continue along the track to Watsons Bay or take an additional loop walk to Bottle and Glass Point. It’s a short detour, but the views from the hill are quite spectacular.
6. Vaucluse House and Gardens
From Nielsen Park, continue along Coolong Rd and Wentworth Rd as they wind around Vaucluse Bay.
If you have the time, a visit to Vaucluse House is highly recommended. This historic 19th-century mansion became a museum in 1915 and remains so today.
Stroll around the grounds, enjoy high tea, coffee, or lunch, and soak in the charm of this beautiful heritage site. The gardens are so lovely that we’ve included Vaucluse House in our list of best gardens in Sydney.
From Vaucluse Bay, follow Wentworth Road and Fitzwilliam Road to reach the picturesque Parsley Bay Reserve.
7. Parsley Bay Reserve
The Parsley Bay Reserve area offers a similar experience to Nielsen Park but on a smaller, less crowded scale, featuring an enclosed swimming area and quiet picnic spots.
Swimming here on a warm day is a delight, thanks to the calm waters and picturesque surroundings.
A standout feature of Parsley Bay is its suspension bridge, which forms part of the walking track between Rose Bay and Watsons Bay.
Crossing the bridge is great fun, offering lovely views on either side. You can access it via a small path from Fitzwilliam Road.
8. Watsons Bay
From Parsley Bay, follow The Crescent, which will lead you to Watsons Bay.
A worthwhile stop along the way is Kutti Beach, a “secret” small stretch of sand accessible via the sailing club on Wharf Road. Just don’t let the secret out.
Continuing along The Crescent, turn left onto Hopetoun Ave, then left again onto Palmerston Street, and follow the path leading to Gibsons Beach. While not as secluded as Kutti Beach, Gibsons Beach is a wonderful spot for a quick swim before heading on to Watsons Bay.
In Watsons Bay, treat yourself to a well-earned lunch at one of the cafes or pubs, relax in Robertson Park, and take in the stunning views from The Gap.
For those up for more adventure, try the Watsons Bay Walk around South Head, one of Sydney’s most popular walking trails.
Continue Hiking
The walk from Rose Bay to Watsons Bay is quite long, but it’s a reasonably flat and relatively easy track.
If you’d like to extend this walk, there are a few options:
- Rushcutters Bay to Rose Bay:
A scenic 5+ km walk from Rushcutters Bay to the Rose Bay ferry wharf. - Federation Cliff Walk:
A coastal walk from Watsons Bay to North Bondi, from where you can continue to Bondi Beach.
Is it pram friendly?
Hi Laura, this walk isn’t pram-friendly as there are many steps and other challenges.
Here are some ideas for pram-friendly walks in Sydney:
https://sydneyuncovered.com/pram-friendly-walks-sydney/
It’s a great article, I didn’t have any issues to find the trail. Thank you very much for sharing the information.
An outstanding walk this one. Who cares about signage as there is always someone to ask and to engage with, be they locals or fellow travellers. Adventure is what it’s about and trail maps and time constraints are simply rough guides and in my mind I’d rather be open to flexibility and discovery throughout the adventure.
Thanks so much, Graham, glad you enjoyed the hike between Rose Bay and Watsons Bay as much as we did!
Is this walk wheelchair accessible?
Hi Robert, this is not a wheelchair-accessible track, unfortunately, although some sections are on boardwalks.
My wife and I recently did this walk as part of a 165km, 9 day walk from La Perouse to Palm Beach along the coast and Harbour foreshore.
We agree that this walk is poorly sign posted in places as you go from Watsons Bay to Rose Bay and trying to follow the above description in reverse didn’t always work. We found the walking maps provided by the Sydney Coastal Councils Group invaluable (for example they show that you can only walk along the foreshore between Rose Bay and Dumaresq Reserve at low tide).
Some lovely sections of Harbour foreshore and secluded beaches along this walk but also some walking through quiet suburban back streets and the rather noisy and ugly New South Head Road if you do it at high tide.
Really disappointed about the lack of signage for this walk.
We are 2 Seniors from the UK who love walking and wanted to get off the beaten track and enjoy your beautiful coastline. We are staying in Paddington and took the 380 bus to Mcquarrie lighthouse and followed the Coast route to Gap Bluff, the Southhead Heritage trail to Watson’s Bay, perfect to here. Then disaster, walked to the baths at end of Watson’s Bay then nothing, not a sign, notice, nothing. We ended up walking along the road to Rose Bay which was most unpleasant and despite asking many locals nobody seemed to have heard of the path (or didn’t want us to know about it).
We saw a sign for cycle route to Parsley Bay but no footpath or route sign anywhere and all we had to guide us was the red dotted line on the free map of Sydney. Needless to say we were very disappointed and wished we had caught the ferry at Watson’s Bay and not wasted a big chunk of our precious few days in Sydney.
Hi Patricia,
Sorry to hear you had issues finding the start of the walking trail to Rose Bay from Watsons Bay. You’re right, the signage there certainly isn’t the best. Especially starting from the Watsons Bay end it can be a bit confusing, because you need to go through some suburban streets until you get to The Crescent from where you can cross the suspension bridge at Parsley Bay. Hopefully the rest of your stay in Sydney worked out well for you.
As a Rose Bay local, I have to say the Rose Bay to Watsons Bay walk is definitely a favourite! Great article, thanks for sharing.
We walked from Rose Bay to Watson’s Bay today, Australia Day. It was quite warm, about 35 deg, but an enjoyable walk. Lots of families on all the beaches, making the most of a sparkling day. We followed the directions in this article and had no problems (thank you) but if you were relying only on the signage you could get lost. More signs and bigger signs needed! Highly recommend this walk.
Thanks Lynne, glad to hear you enjoyed this fantastic coastal walk. You’re right, signage isn’t the best, although it has gotten slightly better in recent times with the extra signs for the Bondi to Manly walk.