All The Gear But No Idea: Narrabeen Lagoon, Warriewood Wetlands & Turimetta Head

Narabeen Lagoon, Warriewood Wetlands & Turimetta Head 21-20-23

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Route: Berry Reserve, Wheeler Park, Mactier Street, The Esplanade, Jamieson Park, James Wheel Place Reserve, South Creek, Middle Creek, Narrabeen Lagoon Trail, Bilarong Sanctuary, Wakehurst Parkway, Pittwater Road, Alleyne Avenue Lookout, Aleyne Avenue, Progress Park, Warriewood Wetlands, MacPherson Street, Lakeview Parade, Warriewood Beach, Turimetta Headland Reserve, Coast Walk, North Narrabeen Headland Reserve, Narrabeen Park Parade, Ocean Street

Date: 21/10/2023
From: Narrabeen

Parking: N/A
Start Point: Berry Reserve
Finish Point: North Narrabeen
Region: Northern Beaches

Route length: 18.7km
Time taken: 03:58
Average speed: 5.1km/h
Ascent: 281m
Descent: 273m

Points of Interest: Narrabeen Lagoon, Warriewood Wetlands, Turimetta Head

Narrabeen Lagoon is located north of Sydney CBD in the Northern Beaches suburb of the city. It takes little imagination to figure out where the Northern Beaches gets its name as several long, sandy stretches line the coast between Manly and Palm Beach with Narrabeen Beach being one of the longest.

Behind the beach is the 9km Narrabeen Lagoon Loop - a scenic bike and walking path that follows the perimeter of Narrabeen Lagoon. The path is mostly flat and easy to follow, making it suitable for people of all fitness levels. If you are looking for a nice walk to stretch your legs, surrounded by nature, then Narrabeen Lagoon Trail Sydney is for you.

There are several car parks dotted around the lagoon but parking fees are expensive, so consider public transport to get to the lagoon - the B1 bus from Sydney has a stop at Barrey Reserve, where I began my hike around the lagoon.

The walk makes its way along a path through the long narrow Berry Reserve parkland to The Esplanade, leading to Jamieson Park. The paved path is fairly unremarkable and you will share it with many other people and cyclists. The views of the lake are pretty though and there are several openings among the trees if you want to stop and take in the view.

Narrabeen Lagoon at Berry Reserve

Narrabeen Lagoon

The shared path in Berry Reserve

After Jamieson Park, the Lagoon Trail enters the lush surrounds of South Creek and Middle Creek. This older section of the loop passes through dense rainforest, home to some endangered vegetation communities such as Cabbage Palm woodland. The quiet reserve feels a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of Narrabeen. Within the reserve, Pipeclay Point juts out into the lagoon providing some sweeping views and is a nice spot to watch a sunset.

Pipeclay Point juts out into the lagoon

James Wheel Place Reserve

Pipeclay point

A substantial bridge crosses South Creek where the path hugs the shoreline before crossing Middle Creek over the Jim Somerville Bridge. The bridge and trails on either side of the Sydney Academy of Sport were completed in 2016, completing the Narrabeen Lagoon Trail which was the brainchild of one Graham Jones after visiting Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra. Access through the Academy land was an issue but local resident Jim Somerville was instrumental in lobbying local and State politicians and a solution was agreed in 2008.

The crossing of Middle Creek

Middle Creek

Narrabeen Lagoon

Middle Creek

After crossing Middle Creek, the path runs alongside the lagoon, sandwiched between the water and Wakehurst Parkway. A viewing platform close to the old cement works has good views of the lagoon. The works never reached their full potential due to the construction of Wakehurst Parkway.

The viewing platform close to the old cement works

Little Pied Cormorants

Narrabeen Lagoon

Close by is the new aquatic boardwalk, which hangs across the lagoon. The boardwalk replaces the narrow section of the trail that ran alongside Wakehurst Parkway. Not only is the boardwalk safer for all trail users, but it also helps to protect the fragile bio-diversity along the northern foreshore of the Narrabeen Lagoon. The boardwalk leads into Bilarong Reserve.

Deep Creek

The lagoon trail boardwalk

A view of the lagoon from the boardwalk

The boat ramp at Bilarong Reserve

White-faced Heron

This largely completes the circuit of the lagoon, but I had my sights set on the interesting-looking Warriewood Wetlands, just north of the lagoon. You can reach it by following Pittwater Road north then Garden Street, or by heading up to the Alleyne Avenue Lookout.

The view from Alleyne Avenue Lookout

The wetland is impressive, to say the least, and is the largest remaining sand plain wetland in the northern Sydney area. It is fed by three creeks (Narrabeen, Fern and Mullet Creeks) and flows downstream into Narrabeen Lagoon. You can hike around the wetlands along a series of paths and elevated boardwalks that take you into the heart of the swamp.

Mullet Creek flows from Warriewood Wetlands

A weedy Mullet Creek

Warriewood Wetlands boardwalk

Warriewood Wetlands

I emerged at the opposite side of the wetlands close to Fern Creek, making my walk along the sidestreets to Warriewood Beach, one of several beaches that line the northern coast of Sydney. The beach is guarded to the south by Turimetta Headland which provides some sweeping views to the north and south. A path makes an energetic crossing of the headland.

Warriewood Beach seen from Narrabeen Park Parade

Turimetta Headland

Warriewood Beach

The headlands to the north of Turimetta

Turimetta Headland

Turimetta Beach

To the south is Turimetta Beach which is fringed by tall cliffs. A path follows the cliff edge to the North Narrabeen Headland Reserve which has a couple of viewpoints before it terminates at Middle Creek, the outlet from Narrabeen Lagoon. The best views are to the south along the sweep of Narrabeen and Collaroy beaches. Narrabeen Park Parade crosses the lagoon and leads back into Narrabeen.