Cape Solander & Cape Baily

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Route: Yena Gap, Cape Solander, Cape Solander Lookout, Cape Baily Track, Tabbigai Gap, Long Nose Point, Blue Hole Gap, Cape Baily, Cape Baily Lighthouse

Date: 29/03/2020
From: Yena Picnic Area

Parking: Yena Picnic Area
Start Point: Cape Solander
Region: Kamay Botany Bay National Park

Route length: 4.9 miles (7.8 km)
Time taken: 02:46
Average speed: 2.1 mph
Ascent: 115m
Descent: 99m

Other points of interest: Cape Solander, Tabbigai Gap, Cape Baily

Sticking to the theme of staying close to home, Kamay Botany Bay is probably our nearest national park with the exception of Sydney Harbour, most of which is currently closed. The park is a mere 9 miles from the centre of Sydney and encompasses both the northern and southern headlands of Botany Bay, an important location in the modern history of Australia. We planned a short hike along the sandstone cliffs of Cape Solander to the Cape Baily lighthouse, parking at the pretty Yena Gap which overlooks the entrance to the bay.

Cape Solander is named after Dr Daniel Solander who formed part of Captain Cooks crew who arrived in Botany Bay on 29 April 1770 - the first landing of HMS Endeavour on the landmass of Australia, after the exploration of New Zealand. Solander collected many plant specimens as part of the first shore party including some that later became type-specimens for Australia. These now have important scientific and research value.

Coast and cliffs at the Yena picnic area

A path is built along the sandstone cliffs of Cape Solander and is easy to follow thanks to the numerous sections of metal boardwalk. In places, however, it is simply a case of walking along the rock itself keeping the sea to your left and the coastal heath to your right. Though we were out of season, Cape Solander is a popular spot for whale watching during the winter and spring migrations.

Yena Gap

View along Cape Solander

Cape Solander

Cape Solander

The cars parked at the whale watching platform on Cape Solander

The Cape Baily Track starts at the whale watching lookout, heading south along the cliffs. There are a number of hanging swamps that can be found along the Cape Baily walk. They are home to a number of different plants and animals like reeds and frogs. Hanging swamps are formed on high ground when rainfall seeps out of surrounding hills and accumulates in a slight depression, over time forming a swamp.

The cliffs of Cape Solander

In most places, the 'path' follows the top of the cliffs

Cape Solander

A short section of boardwalk crosses a damp patch

Looking across Tabbigai Gap

The cliffs on the far side of Tabbigai Gap

Heading south, we eventually reached Tabbigai Gap, a deep incision into the sandstone cliffs (a zawn - common in Cornwall I'm led to believe). Here, from 1920 to 1970, a small community of fishermen built houses directly into the cliffs. While starting out fairly scant, the houses developed to include most modern conveniences. They paid an annual fee to the Lands Department and also paid Council rates for the right to occupy their precarious ledge and were not considered squatters. Despite this, they were ultimately ordered to leave their occupancy on Crown Land in the 1960s.

Tabbigai Gap

Boardwalk on the southern side of Tabbigai Gap

We pressed on southwards still, leaving the cliffs and entering an area of coastal heath which is common along this area of the NSW coastline. We negotiated Blue Hole Gap, another deep incision, via a steel walkway and were deposited on the cliff tops once again. With the southern headland occupying a slight rise, the Sydney skyline makes a few fleeting appearances.

Looking across the entrance of Botany Bay

After Tabbigai Gap, the boardwalks become far more common

Long Nose Point

The eroded base of the sandstone cliffs

A short distance further, we reached the Cape Baily Lighthouse, perched atop a low hill with a commanding view over the Pacific. The light is fairly modern by Sydney standards and was first considered in 1931 but only constructed in 1950. It is required so north-bound shipping can hug the coast and avoid the strong southerly currents further out to sea. While its lantern enclosure was taken from an unknown late-19th-century lighthouse, it is entirely modernised and currently solar powered.

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Long Nose Point

Cape Baily

Cape Baily

Having reached the most southerly point of our walk, we retraced our steps along the Cape Baily Track to return to the picnic area at Yena Gap at the entrance to Botany Bay. Here are a selection of photos from the hike back to the car, including the hungry Osprey which we followed along the cliffs.

Long Nose Point

Eastern Osprey

Cape Baily

Blue Hole Gap

Blue Hole Gap

Blue Hole Gap

Eastern Osprey

Long Nose Point

Waves crash against the cliffs

Cliffs at Long Nose Point

Long Nose Point

Eastern Osprey

The snaking metal walkway

Approaching Tabbigai Gap

Sea being blown up against the cliffs at Tabbigai Gap

Cape Solander

Cormorants

Cape Solander

Cape Solander

Botany Bay

Cape Solander

Despite missing out on becoming the famed Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay is probably an economically more important area than its illustrious neighbour as it is now home to Sydney Airport and the container port through which our possessions arrived in September last year. Immediately adjacent to Kamay Botany Bay National Park is Sydney's desalination plant and oil terminal - neither of which can be seen or heard on our walk.

I say it missed out on becoming Sydney Harbour as, when Arthur Phillip arrived with the First Fleet, he was disappointed at the lack of water on the shores of Botany Bay and was dismayed by the large numbers of Aboriginal people inhabiting the place. Shortly after arriving, Phillip left Botany Bay and sailed for Port Jackson where the first settlement in Australia was made, ultimately becoming Sydney.

Yena Picnic Area