G’day Sydneysiders and visitors,
There aren’t many cities where you can see whales on your morning walk, but in Sydney it’s part of daily life on the coast during whale season. With dramatic headlands and walking tracks, the coastline surrounding Sydney Harbour offers stunning land-based whale watching opportunities right across the city. When we’re not on the whale boats, here’s a few of our favourite spots to visit for a morning stroll during the whale migration from May to November each year.
North Head
North Head is located near Manly Beach in Sydney Harbour National Park and is a slice of paradise only a short ferry trip or drive from the city. With sweeping views back towards Sydney Harbour and the cityscape, the dramatic cliffs of North Head offer excellent elevation and whale sightings, plus you’ll often have the lookouts all to yourself. Stroll along the 1-kilometre Fairfax walk loop, or enjoy a bigger adventure exploring the network of walking tracks around North Head and towards Shelley Beach.
Photo by Destination NSW
Cape Solander
Perhaps Sydney’s most iconic land-based whale watching location, Cape Solander in Kamay Botany Bay National Park offers clifftop viewing platforms with uninterrupted views of the passing humpbacks. The coastline is spectacular and the Cape Baily walking track is a great way to spend a few hours as you traverse the heathland-covered cliffs with views of the ‘Humpback Highway’ the whole way.
Photo by Destination NSW
Hornby Lighthouse
Follow the South Head heritage trail through Watsons Bay and you’ll reach Hornby Lighthouse, perched above the harbour entrance. This striking red-and-white striped lighthouse marks a prime vantage point to spot humpback whales as they pass Sydney Harbour and ‘the Heads’ (North Head, South Head and Middle Head) on their way to and from Antarctica. The walk takes you past The Gap and several cliffside lookouts, each one a perfect place to stop and scan the horizon for passing humpbacks.
Photo by Destination NSW
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
This famous walk is a Sydney icon, hugging the coastline from Bondi Beach to Coogee in Sydney’s east. Stretching around 6-kilometres along the edge of the coastline, the walk offers scenic vantage points the whole way. You can start or finish anywhere, grab a coffee at Bondi or Coogee, and spot whales while passing surfers, ocean pools and sandstone cliffs.
Photo by Destination NSW
Barrenjoey Lighthouse
Located at the northern tip of Sydney, Barrenjoey Headland in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is well worth a day trip. The lighthouse sits at 91m above sea level, overlooking Palm Beach, Pittwater and north towards the Central Coast. It’s a challenging walk up the Smugglers Track to the lighthouse but you’ll be rewarded with some of most spectacular coastal views on offer in Sydney. Just remember not to leave your binoculars in the car!
Photo by Destination NSW
See whales up close just outside Sydney Harbour
Sydney’s headlands offer amazing land-based whale watching, but if you want to leave the binoculars behind and fully experience the magic of the whale migration, the best way is on a whale watching cruise.
Our cruises take you right to the heart of the action where you’ll experience the scale, sound and energy of the migration up close, often with whales breaching, tail slapping, or even spyhopping for an eye to eye encounter.
See Sydney Harbour whales on our whale watching tours from May to November, departing Darling Harbour.
Tails up,
