Coogee to Bondi Coastal Walk

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Route: Beach Street, Coogee Beach, Dunningham Park, Dolphins Point, Gordon's Bay, Clovelly, Clovelly Beach, Bundock Park, Shark Point, Burrows Park, Waverley Cemetery, South Bronte Reserve, Bronte Beach, Tamarama Beach, Mackenzies Point, Bondi Icebergs, Bondi Beach

Date: 15/09/2019
From: Coogee

Parking: N/A
Start Point: Coogee Beach
Finish Point: Bondi Beach
Region: Sydney

Route length: 4.9 miles (7.9km)
Time taken: 02:45
Average speed: 1.8mph
Ascent: 190m
Descent: 177m

Points of Interest: Coogee Beach, Gordon's Bay, Clovelly Bay, Shark Point, Bronte Beach, Waverley Cemetery, Bondi Beach

We've arrived in Sydney after a hectic few weeks where we spent time at home, in Crete, in North Wales and, ultimately, in a hotel at Manchester airport with much of our life packed into four suitcases, having temporarily moved out of All the Gear HQ. 10,000 miles and two days later we're in a hotel while we find a place to live in Sydney.

There's no better way to find your feet in a new city than to walk around it. Sydney is vast, home to some eight million people but spread far and wide. The crown jewel of the city is the harbour which you'll all be familiar with thanks to the world-famous harbour bridge and Sydney Opera House.

Perhaps the other icon of Sydney is Bondi Beach, located on the east coast of the city and easily accessible by public transport. You may be fooled into thinking that Bondi is the only beach in Sydney given its fame but there are several strung out along the coast, linked by a well-paved path. A walk between Coogee Beach and Bondi (or vice versa) comes with a 'highly recommended' stamp.

If you needed a reminder, September is spring in Sydney, fast approaching summer. That means we've been having a smattering of very warm days interspersed among some cooler weather and today was a warm one - perfect conditions to be enjoying the breeze down on the coast.

Coogee Bay

We set off from the southern end of the great sweep of Coogee Beach which, unsurprisingly, was pretty busy as the afternoon temperatures started to rise. The name Coogee is said to be taken from a local Aboriginal word koojah which means "smelly place", likely a reference to the smell of drying seaweed that gets washed up on the beach rather than anything more sinister.

Coogee Beach

Coogee Surf Life Saving Club

Coogee Beach

From the beach the path climbs over Dolphin Point, heading through Dunningham Park and past the Bali Memorial while giving a fine view back over Coogee. It heads into the neighbouring Gordons Bay, named after Lewis Gordon, a government surveyor who was granted crown land in this area in the 19th century. The bay is protected by an offshore reef which is a popular dive spot and has a unique underwater trail consisting of small concrete drums linked by a chain.

The Bali Memorial

Coogee Beach

A view along the coast

Coogee Bay from Dolphins Point

Some of the locals

Gordon's Bay

The boardwalk leads around the bay to a sandstone headland and then to Clovelly Bay, home to one of the worlds first surf lifesaving clubs which was established in 1908. Once again, the path rounds the bay and makes its way out to a rocky headland, Shark Point.

Gordon's bay

Gordon's Bay

Gordon's Bay

Gordon's Bay

Gordon's Bay

Forsyth

The sea at Forsyth Park

In the early 1870s, Shark Point was the site of a coastal defence facility which was excavated from the sandstone to include barracks, a powder magazine and eventually in 1893, a 9.2 inch Mark VI British Armstrong "disappearing" gun. The subterranean barracks and gun emplacement were gradually demolished in the 1960s. This emplacement formed part of three gun emplacements originally designed to protect Sydney Harbour from a supposed Russian seaboard assault.

Clovelly

Clovelly Ocean Pool

Clovelly Beach

Shark Point

Shark Point

Shark Point

Shark Point

After Burrows Park, the trail briefly leaves the coastline to pass the local bowling club. It emerges at the dramatic Waverley Cemetery which is contained in a large amphitheatre overlooking the sea cliffs. The boardwalk hangs off the side of the cliff below the cemetery as it makes its way round to Bronte Beach.

Trig pillar at Burrows Park

The view north along the coast

Cliffs at Clovelly

Waverley Cemetary

The cliffs at Waverley Cemetary

Waverley Cemetary

The boardwalk continues past Waverley Cemetary

Bronte Beach and Nelson Bay

While Clovelly is home to one of the oldest surf lifesaving clubs, Bronte is home to the oldest, established in 1903. There is a particularly swift rip current on the south side of the beach - the Bronte Express. Adjacent to Bronte Beach is the smaller Tamarama Beach. Despite its size, Tamarama is considered the most dangerous patrolled beach in New South Wales, because of its deepwater and omnipresent rip currents.

The Surfers Code

Bronte Baths

Bronte Beach

Tamarama Beach and Dixon's Bay

Tamarama Beach

The northern headland is MacKenzies Point which juts out into the sea. Rounding the corner gave us our first view of the famous Bondi Beach thanks to a purpose-built lookout.

Gaerloch Reserve

Gaerloch Reserve

Surfers in Dixon's Bay

Bondi Bay from Mackenzies Point

It's not clear exactly why Bondi has its world-famous reputation but it attracts visitors in their droves so it can get extremely busy. It's popular with surfers and many were out enjoying the waves today. From Mackenzies Point it's a 500m walk to the actual beach, passing the much-photographed Bondi Icebergs outdoor pool which marks the official end of the Coogee-Bondi walk.

The rocky foreshore at Mackenzies Point

Bondi Bay

A whale out in the bay

North Bondi

Bondi Icebergs

Surfers at Bondi

Bondi Bay

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach

We had a wander around the beach and some of the shops and cafes along the main frontage before eyeing up the growing queue for the bus back to the train station. As an introduction to Sydney's beaches, this is a superb walk and easy to complete. There are several coastal routes dotted around the city and they are high on my list to do, so keep an eye out for those in the near future.