Bondi to Manly - Taronga to Spit via Middle Head

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Route: Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head Walking Track, Bradleys Head, Taylors Bay Track, Taylors Bay, Chowder Bay, Clifton Gardens, Georges Heights, Georges Head, Middle Head Road, Middle Head, Middle Head Road, Balmoral Park, Balmoral Beach, Edwards Beach, Wyargine Point, Parriwi Lighthouse, The Spit

Date: 28/12/2025
From: Taronga Zoo

Parking: N/A
Start Point: Taronga Zoon
Finish Point: Spit Bridge
Region: Sydney

Route length: 15.5 km
Time taken: 04:20
Average speed: 5.3 km/h
Ascent: 671m
Descent: 668m

Points of Interest: Bradleys Head, George Heights, Middle Head, Balmoral

Bondi and Manly are arguably Sydney’s two most famous beaches. Although they lie only 10 km apart, they sit on opposite sides of the vast entrance to Sydney Harbour. Linked by the beautiful Bondi to Manly Walk, the full route stretches for 80 km, passing some of Sydney’s most impressive coastal sights. The section between Taronga and Spit Bridge is one of the best - especially if you enjoy a little bit of history - the route passes a string of harbour forts and gun emplacements, remnants of Sydney's early coastal defences.

The Taronga Zoo ferry wharf

Athol Bay

The Taronga to Spit leg begins at Taronga Zoo, right by the ferry wharf. I hopped off the ferry and walked the short distance uphill to the zoo’s main entrance to find the Bradley’s Head Track. Taronga is the largest zoo in Australia and is over 100 years old, having opened its doors in 1916. It has successfully bred critically endangered species such as the Sumatran tiger, with 21 cubs born at the zoo since 1980.

The entrance to Taronga Zoo

The Bondi to Manly route continues along the Bradley's Head track, which starts opposite the zoo entrance and follows the west side of the peninsula in a southerly direction, passing Athol Beach and winding through some well-preserved bush. Bradley's Head forms part of the Sydney Harbour National Park which helps to protect several islands and large stretches of the foreshore around the harbour.

Bradleys Head Track

Bradleys Head Track

Sydney Harbour

The track leads to the end of the peninsula and the Bradley's Head Amphitheatre, a stepped bowl built in 2000 for the filming of a Hollywood movie. The area's history goes back much further, however. Its present name comes from Lieutenant William Bradley of HMS Sirius, the First Fleet flagship, while the Aboriginal inhabitants call it Borogegy, Booraghee, Booragy or Burrogy. This prominent point offers a sweeping view of the Sydney skyline, among the best anywhere on the harbour harbour. Access was somewhat limited today as the headland was being prepared for Sydney's famous NYE fireworks display.

Bradleys Head

At the tip of headland resides the tripod foremast and fire control tower of HMAS Sydney, an Australian warship that sank a German warship, Emden, in 1914. The Emden was tasked with a raid on the Cocos Islands, in an attempt to destroy British facilities. Emden was attacked by HMAS Sydney with the more powerful Australian ship quickly inflicting serious damage. The whole area around the mast now serves as a memorial to all RNAS sailors.

The foremast of HMAS Sydney

Standing out from the waters in front of the tower is a curious stone column. The column originated from the first Sydney General Post Office façade, which was demolished in 1863. It was erected near the Bradley's Head jetty to mark a nautical mile from Fort Denison to provide accurate sea trial measurements, allowing the speed of newly constructed ships to be checked.

The mile-marker at Bradleys Head

Rain was threatening as I left Bradley's Head, following another trail through the bush around Taylors Bay. Views were limited by the trees until we reached the opposite side of the bay where some clearings allowed a few glimpses of the idyllic turquoise waters.

Sydney Harbour

Sydney Red Gums line the track

Taylor's Bay

The path leads to Chowder Bay which, like many of the bays around Sydney, has a historic military connection. After the withdrawal of British troops in the 1870s, Sydney had to devise its own defensive strategy to protect itself from attack. In order to achieve this, a base was built at Chowder Bay for the newly-devised Submarine Mining Corps. The defence strategy involved attaching mines to underwater cables that stretched across the harbour from Chowder Bay and were designed to detonate if an enemy ship entered the harbour.

Chowder Bay

Chowder Bay

Eventually, technology rendered the underwater mines and cables obsolete, and the Submarine Mining Corps closed in 1922. After that, Chowder Bay became a depot and barracks for Army engineers, and in the 1980s, it was the site of the Army Maritime until 1997. It wasn't until 2000 that the area was opened up to the public, looked after by the Harbour Trust.

Chowder Bay

Former Sergeant Major's Cottage

The Gunners Barracks

From Chowder Bay, a short, steep set of steps climb up the hillside behind the beach. The shortcut, known as Bungaree Walkway (dedicated to historic indigenous leader Bungaree, who was the first person to be recorded in print as an Australian, and the first Australian to circumnavigate the continent, sailing with Matthew Flinders on the Investigator in 1802) leads up to Georges Head Lookout.

Georges Head

The firing arcs of the harbour defences are shown on this plaque

Georges Head batteries

Georges Heights is home to some historic fortifications. The current lookout is the former site of the A84 Battery, which was set up to protect Sydney Harbour from naval threats. It originally housed six guns in open circular pits connected by zig-zag passages and tunnels that lead to an underground magazine. The lookout offers 180-degree views over the harbour and across to Manly, Vaucluse and the city.

Georges Head

Sydney

Between 1916 and 1921, a large military hospital operated at Georges Heights, providing care to soldiers injured on the Western Front during the Great War. Known as the Hospital on the Hill, this important heritage building today serves as the headquarters of the Sydney Harbour Trust.

Beyond Georges Heights, a path follows the edge of the escarpment, overlooking the entrance to Sydney Harbour. It follows Middle Head Road to HMAS Penguin and onto the old forts at Middle Head.

Sydney Harbour

Watsons Bay

 

Sydney Heafds

Camp Cove

The National Park have recently completed work on an upgraded walking track that leads to the old 1801 fort. The emplacement here is the oldest colonial fortification in Australia. It was hewn by hand out of solid rock using a work gang of 44 convicts, leaving a curved parapet along the cliff edge. Once past the old fort, it's a short stroll to Middle Head. 

The Middle Head - Georges Head Walking Track

Georges Head

Obelisk Beach

The Manly ferry plies its trade

Obelisk Battery

1801 Fort

Along with Georges Heights, Middle Head is one of the seven Sydney headlands which surround the bay and is an outstanding vantage point, looking directly between the north and south heads to the Pacific Ocean. It's no wonder there is a significant number of historic gun emplacements located here.

The paths heads up an old ditch into Middle Head

Middle Head

Middle Head

The first fort at Middle Head was built in 1801 and the last batteries were constructed in 1942 though the majority of the fortifications were built between 1870 and 1911. The site contains the works of several periods and technologies, which remain in place today. Historically, it dates from the time when the defence was first moved away from Sydney Cove and towards The Heads. Rooms located below ground were used to train some of Australia's first troops who were sent to Vietnam in 'Code of Conduct' courses, which were lessons in how to withstand torture and interrogation, by simulating prisoner of war conditions.

Middle Head

Middle Head

The suburb of Manly

Middle Head

North Head

Inside the 'tiger cage'

Middle Head

Grotto Point

Middle Head Road

After a circuit of the old fort, I retraced my steps to the gated entrance and climbed the hill alongside the navy base HMAS Penguin which is home to the Balmoral Naval Hospital. Shortly after passing the hospital, a set of steps lead down a lush gully to Balmoral Park and the fine Balmoral Beach.

Headland Park Walking Track

Headland Park Walking Track

Balmoral is named after the castle in Scotland. In the early 1920s, a ferry started to bring daytrippers to the area and shortly after a tram line opened and the beauty of the area was discovered by the masses. A tree-lined promenade runs the length of the beach and continues to neighbouring Edwards Beach. The two beaches are separated by Rocky Point Island, a tiny outcrop accessed by an arched concrete bridge that has been conserved as a small, lawned recreational area. This is a favourite spot for picnickers and seats are placed at scenic vantage points around the small island.

Balmoral Beach

Balmoral Beach

Rocky Point Island

On the north side of the island is Edwards Beach, backed by the impressive Balmoral Bathers Pavilion. Built in 1929, the pavilion was the product of a surge of interest in swimming that had begun in the 1890s. To cater for the crowds flocking to their beaches, councils endowed with good beaches had to provide the desired facilities to keep up with the competition of neighbouring councils.

The Bathers' Pavilion

Balmoral Beach

A set of steps lead away from the beach, cutting across Wyagine Point and up to Burran Avenue. I followed the street around the small headland to Rosherville Reserve and Chinaman's Beach. A steep climb follows, up Cyprian Street to Parriwi Road, revealing expansive views across Middle Harbour. A short distance along Parriwi Road is the Parriwi Head Light, the rear range light for Grotto Point Light, almost exactly 1 mile away.

Parriwi Lightnhouse

Grotto Point

From the lighthouse, the route follows Parriwi Road down to Parriwi Head which nestles below some imposing cliffs at The Spit. Here, the track comes to a natural conclusion ay Spit Bridge, the starting point of the famed Spit to Manly hike which is one of the highlights of all the hikes in and around Sydney Harbour. I hopped on a bus back to the city from Spit Bridge but, you can continue the Bondi to Manly journey here.

Middle Harbour

Spit Bridge

Clontarf

Clontarf Beach