Watson’s Bay Walk: Watson’s Bay from Central Sydney
Now Go See It is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Watson’s Bay is a perfect place to watch the sunset over Sydney.
How To Take a Hike on Watson’s Bay: (Jump To)
Watson’s Bay Location
Watson’s Bay is located on the South Head Peninsula darting into Sydney Harbor. The peninsula is still part of the city of Sydney, located about 5 miles from the city center. It’s easy to access the bay via ferry from Circular Quay. The journey takes about 40 minutes.
Ferry to Watson’s Bay
We decided to take a late afternoon ferry in hopes of catching the sunset. From Watson’s Bay the city skyline, the harbor bridge, and the opera house are visible with the setting sun in the background.
We boarded the ferry just before 6 pm. The ferry system is a great way to see the city from the harbor. People pay loads of money for scenic tours, but for a few dollars on your Opal Card (the city’s public transit card), you can see every angle of the city and harbor. We sat near the back of the ferry for prime viewing of the city's landmarks as we made our way out of the harbor.
We made just one other ferry stop before reaching Watson’s Bay. While we waited for commuters to exit and come aboard at Rose Bay we were able to watch the Sydney Seaplanes take off from the water right next to the boat.
Watson’s Bay Walk
We landed in Watson’s Bay and exited right onto the small sandy beach. A cement path along the shore fills up with rowboats at dusk. We followed that path to the other end of the beach where a quick uphill staircase leads to a quaint neighborhood of cottage-style homes. We traversed the two-block neighborhood to Camp Cove Beach.
Here you’ll find the start of the South Head Heritage Trail, part of Sydney Harbor National Park. The trail is a short and easy half-mile lollypop. Along the trail, there are some historic gun emplacements left over from World War II. During the war, just off the shore was an anti-submarine net designed to keep enemy submarines out of the harbor.
Also along the way is Lady Bay Beach a popular gay clothing-optional beach. A steep staircase climb down the rock cliff wall will bring you to the secluded beach.
We continued along the trail to the tip of the peninsula. Here you’ll find the red-stripped Hornby Lighthouse and the abandoned lighthouse keeper’s house. The lighthouse, first constructed in 1858, is still in operation. Rounding the corner finally gave us a chance to gaze out to the wide-open Pacific Ocean. If the season is right, this is a great place for whale watching.
The trail makes its lollypop loop and before we knew it we were on the way back from where we came. We timed things pretty well as the sun was setting into the sky tinting the view a beautiful orange.
After getting back to the starting point at Camp Cove we crossed the peninsula to The Gap Overlook. The overlook is above a steep cliff that goes straight down into the sea, so watch your step. There was a group of active cockatoos that we had fun watching.
By now, the sun was almost set, so we opted for a bus back to our hotel in central Sydney instead of the ferry. As we made the way back on the bus, the sun set on another wonderful day in Australia.
Another great shoreline hike is the Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk.
