6 beautiful day trips from Sydney

It’s been a while since I’ve bothered to write anything on here – mainly because I haven’t been anywhere too far outside of Sydney recently (‘cos COVID) and I usually bang on about all the places I visit in these posts. I’ve also been uncharacteristically mindful of those in locked-down parts of the world who might not welcome me chronicling all the swell times I’m having while locky D is still their reality.

But I’ve missed writing (in the non-work sense) and have been meaning to get back into it for a while. So fuck it, I’m going to chronicle my swell times anyway.

Here are a few bushwalks and ok places around Sydney that are well worth exploring, in my humble opinion.

Figure of 8 pools

The Figure of 8 Pools are naturally formed tidal pools located in Sydney’s Royal National Park on the South Coast. Formed by the merging of two circular sinkholes, they form a perfect ‘figure of 8’ shape, and are accessed via a slippery 15-minute walk across big scary rocks.

Their location on a dangerous rock shelf means you have to check the tidal report before going, since visiting at high tide will not only mean the pools are covered by the sea, but also being swept off the rocks by huge waves. Dying = not fun. These beautiful natural wonders are often filled with diverse marine life; when we visited we were lucky to see some stingrays – don’t ask me what kind; I just know they won’t kill you thanks to the intel of a friendly fisherman. If you’re (un)lucky you might also spot some influencers milling around.

The NSW National Parks website advises when high and low tide is so that you can find a safe time to go. The 6km walk to and from the pools is also very pretty, FYI.

Lane Cove National Park

I had absolutely no idea Lane Cove National Park existed until a couple of months ago. Not far from the heaving, soulless business district that is Chatswood, this stunning pocket of bushland lining the Lane Cove River is one of Sydney’s best-kept secrets. I recommend going on a sunny day and renting a canoe or kayak to paddle down the river for some sensational views and sightings of creepy lizards that scuttle along the water edge: Eastern water dragons. I learned that they are one of the oldest Australian reptiles, remaining unchanged for virtually 20 million years. Their walk is quite hilarious in a way my description won’t do any justice.

Karloo Pools

The Karloo Pools are found near Heathcote (a suburb of southern Sydney) and accessed via different walking tracks. We got the train to Waterfall station, and from there did the Uloola walking track (roughly 10km) finishing at Heathcote station. 

The Karloo Pools themselves are beautiful turquoise waters encircled by stunning bushland.

Kamay Botany Bay National Park

I visited Kamay Botany Bay National Park last year in June – a supposedly ideal time to go if you’re hoping to see some whales since May-October is the whale migratory season.*

The Kurnell to Cronulla walk is roughly 18 kilometres (5-6 hours), and passes Cape Solander (a whale-watching point), Cape Bailey Lighthouse, and the hanging swamps. The route covers vast areas of rock formations and beautiful coastal stretches backed by sand dunes, finishing at Cronulla train station. 

*Did not see a single fucking whale and was livid.

Blue Mountains

It’s really easy to get to the Blue Mountains from Sydney – only a couple of hours on the train or an hour and a half-ish if driving. Trains depart from Central station frequently to get to Katoombah, the main town in the Blue Mountains.

It’s a place of simply stunning natural beauty; hazy blue mist hovers over stunning mountain ranges and plunging escarpments – with dramatic viewpoints at every turn. A trip to Scenic World is a must and the best way to appreciate the beauty of this magical place, as is the Wentworth to Leura hike.

Quaint little towns are everywhere in the Blue Mountains – my favourites being Katoombah, Leura and Blackheath. Read more about things to do in the Blue Mountains here.

The Farm (Killalea Reserve)

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This spot is perhaps the farthest-flung of this round-up. Known as ‘The Farm’, Killalea beach is a famous surfing beach and officially declared a national surfing reserve. It’s close to Shellharbour, just over 1.5 hours’ south of Sydney.

Killalea beach itself, south-east facing and a sheltered cove, has a reputation of consistently good surf for all levels.

It’s great for a camping weekend. Reflections, a campsite that’s 15-minutes’ walk from the beach, is a beaut’ little campsite.