There’s no denying it, the walk from Wattamolla to Little Marley Beach is one of the prettiest in Royal National Park. It’s also a really easy track, with little elevation gain and almost all the path has been covered by metal boardwalk.
That means less time spent watching your footing, and more time taking in the glorious ocean views, and the huge amount of bird life in the inland sections. If you fancy a more leisurely walk, but don’t want to sacrifice the views, then you’ll love this trail.
The waves and strong currents at Little Marley don’t make it ideal for swimming, but there’s an excellent swimming hole along the way which has infinity style views!
Here’s what to expect from the trail to Little Marley Beach, one of Sydney’s best coast walks.
Wattamolla to Little Marley Beach Walk
The stats
Distance: 7km return (or 9.25km if walking to the end of Big Marley)
Elevation: 177m
Difficulty: Easy
Type of trail: Return
As we said at the start, this is one of the easier trails in Royal National Park. The distance may make it sound less easy, but the track rarely leaves the boardwalk, and it is flat for the majority of the way.
We recommend allowing at least three hours so that you can enjoy the views, take in the beautiful beach and have time to potentially spot a whale or two (if you’re visiting in season). If you’ve got a full day, why not check out some of the other things to do around Wattamolla?
Starting the trail to Wattamolla Dam
Before you hit the trail, it’s worth diverting for a couple of minutes to check out Wattamolla Falls, one of the prettiest in Royal National Park.
It’s just beyond the car park in the direction of the lagoon and there’s an opening in the bush where you can get a lovely view of the falls. We recommend visiting after a bit of rainfall if you want to see it with a good flow.
You might spot cliff jumpers from here, although it’s technically not allowed!
Once you’ve taken a peek at the falls you cross over the creek to begin the trail to Little Marley.
The creek is usually quite low but after really heavy rain it can get to the over your boots level, it’s only happened to us once though!
The creek to cross
The beginning of the track is lined with vegetation on both sides, and it’s predominantly flat, with just the odd stair to climb. It’s only 600m before you reach Wattamolla Dam.
This is a great swimming spot, and a safe place to take a dip if the waves are big at Little Marley. You have to climb down a couple of rocks to access the pool but it’s not difficult.
Once you’re in the pool you can see over the edge to a waterfall cascading down the cliff side (so long as there has been rain or it will just be a trickle!).
There’s also a really scenic backdrop of hundreds of trees. You’re better off stopping on the way back though, so you can relax knowing you are just 600m away from the car park at the end of the walk.
Continuing on to Little Marley
The walk continues on metal boardwalk for much of the way and whilst we’ve heard people complaining that the track is not natural anymore, we think it does allow you to really appreciate your surroundings, primarily because you never need to watch your feet.
For the next 1.6km you’ll be walking through fairly dense vegetation on either side and this whole section is alive with the sound of birds.
They’ll be constantly flying across the trail in front of you and it adds a lot of interest to this part of the walk. The greenery and the birds totally make up for the lack of sea views on this stretch.
At the 2km mark you’ll start to get glimpses of the sea through the bush and it will remain with you for the rest of the walk to Little Marley.
After another 100m you leave the vegetation behind and begin walking on the iconic sandstone rock.
The swirly rock patterns are gorgeous and the views are vast and high. If you’re here between May and October, make sure that you keep an eye out for whales from this point on.
For the next kilometre you’re walking on a mix of natural rock and the metal boardwalk, before reaching your first view of Big Marley Beach and one of the most photogenic sections of the entire coast track (which extends all the way from Otford to Bundeena).
The path heads downhill in a beautiful curl formation as you see the beach in front of you. The waves are usually pretty big and the whole scene is incredibly dramatic.
It’s just 300m before you can touch the sand at Little Marley, which really is a spectacular beach. You walk through a little patch of trees and then pop out on what almost feels like a secret beach.
There’s barely ever anyone on it and the golden stretch of sand with the headland at one end is definitely one of the most beautiful in Sydney.
If you want to walk barefoot across the beach watch out for Bluebottle jellyfish because we almost always see them washed up on the shore here - yet another reason we prefer swimming in Wattamolla Dam!
The beach is 100m long and it’s well worth walking the length and up to the boardwalk just behind it which offers a lovely view back on the beach.
If you have a little more energy we’d highly recommend continuing on to Big Marley Beach.
Onto Big Marley Beach
The walk from Little Marley to Big Marley - or Marley Beach as it’s also known - is just 650m. It’s boardwalk all the way, and as it’s almost entirely flat it’s really no extra effort.
This stretch of walk is also where we have seen lots of whales, so keep looking out to sea! You’ll also probably spot brave rock fishers down on the rocks below.
The waves are even more dramatic at Big Marley and there are some pretty cool sand dunes behind the beach. It’s easily one of the most spectacular beaches in the whole park.
It has a wild feel to it, and it’s hard to believe that you are so close to the city. The beach is almost 400m long and at the furthest end you will come to a creek crossing.
Crossing over the creek will have you climbing up the short hill to Marley Head but we usually turn round here.
Heading back to Wattamolla
From the creek at Big Marley you retrace your steps and after 650m you’ll have a decision to make. You can either continue back the way you came or head on the fire trail instead to make a loop (it’s well signposted).
We’ve done it both ways and prefer heading back along the coast, particularly if it’s whale season so we have more opportunities to spot them!
If you want to take the fire trail your total walk will be roughly 10.5km (rather than 9.25km).
It’s nice enough, but just not as nice as the coastal route, but we know sometimes you don’t want to go back on yourself.
The walk back is easy again, but you do have a little climbing to do. The only climb that is semi steep rather than gradual is up from Little Marley to the top of the cliffs again. It doesn’t take long but it can feel harder than it is on a really hot day.
If you’re looking for other great walks, here’s a list of our favourites in Sydney.
Essential information about the Little Marley Beach Walk
Parking for the walk
The car parking space at Wattamolla has increased dramatically over the years and there are now a grand total of five parking levels.
However, even with this huge increase in capacity, the car park fills up on a weekend! We were staggered to see there were signs on the Princes Highway warning that Wattamolla was already full.
For this reason, we recommend avoiding the weekends, but if you have to, make sure you go in the morning or late afternoon.
Public transport to Wattamolla
The only way to get to Wattamolla by public transport is to take the shuttle bus. This runs from Sutherland Train Station (a 40 minute train ride on the Illawarra Line - the blue one from Central Station) and the shuttle bus will drop you off at Wattamolla Beach.
Make sure you check their website for the times as this changes seasonally. The shuttle bus costs $9 one way, $15 return and isn’t a part of the Opal Card system (meaning you’ll have to pay on top of the train fare).
Facilties at Wattamolla
There are picnic and BBQ facilities as well as flush toilets. There is also a beach for swimming, as well as the dam if you want to make a whole day of it! The toilets have communal changing facilities.
Royal National Park Entry Fee
The vehicle entry fee for Royal National Park is $12. If you’re planning on visiting several NSW parks in a year you are better off buying the $65 annual pass which includes all parks in the state except Kosciuszko.
Packing suggestions for Royal National Park
Having the right gear can make a huge difference, especially in Royal National Park. Being on the coast, the conditions can change rapidly, so packing correctly can make a big difference.
Here’s what we pack and have relied upon for years:
Sunscreen: Cancer Council Active. With a high SPF, but not the greasy feel of other sunscreens. Makes a big difference when you’re working up a sweat on a sunny day! Check it out on Amazon
Good Rain Jacket: North Face This is an essential item we always pack in our bag! This jacket from North Face is designed to keep you dry but also comfortably warm (many rain jackets will make you feel like you’re in a sauna). Check it out on Amazon
Day Pack: Osprey Talon 22 (we’ve owned this for years). Check on Amazon or direct with Osprey
Hiking Boots: Merrell Moab (for men and women). We’ve both used these for over three years and they just keep going. Check them out on Amazon
Trekking poles: We’ve used Black Diamond for years as they are light, solid and durable. Check them out on Amazon.
Reusable water bottle: To avoid single-use plastic. Check them out on Amazon
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Are you planning a walk in Royal National Park? Would you put the Wattamolla to Little Marley Beach on your list? Let us know in the comments below!
