Discover one of the best-hidden Sydney Harbour hikes with the spectacular Balls Head Reserve walk in Waverton. This easy 2.1 km loop perfectly blends native Australian bushland, rich Aboriginal history, and industrial heritage. Located just a short walk from Waverton Station, this quick trail takes you on a journey through the historic Waverton Coal Loader platform, ancient Cammeraygal rock engravings, and hidden relics like Tom’s Cabin. Whether you are looking for a quick nature escape close to the city or a scenic dog-friendly walk, the Balls Head loop offers an unforgettable urban trekking experience.
The Coal Loader & Balls Head Reserve
📍 SYDNEY AND SURROUNDS
Distance2.1 km
Duration00:37 hrs
Elev Gain+17 m
Elev Lost-11 m
Date
22 December 2024
Starting Point
Coal Loader Centre
Difficulty
Easy
Pace / Gear
3.4 km/h — Water bottle
Highlights
The Coal Loader, Balls Head Reserve
🗺️ Interactive Route MapPinch or use wheel to zoom
Named after Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball of the First Fleet, Balls Head Reserve in Waverton, boasts a rich history for both the Cammeraygal People and modern Australia. The former Quarantine Depot and coal loading depot is now a public parkland, offering beautiful views of Sydney Harbour and the CBD. Located at the southern end of Balls Head Drive, it is a 10-minute walk from Waverton railway station, with parking available in the reserve and on Balls Head Road.
A hike around the headland encompasses local history at the Coal Loader, harbour views from the Harbour View Walk and Aboriginal history on the Midden Walk. It's a genuine bush walk experience, close to the heart of Sydney.
As you enter the coal loader site from Waterhen Drive, make for the Aboriginal Bush Foods Garden, where there is a large whale engraving with faint figures inside. This engraving, which was first recorded in the late 1890s, shows Aboriginal occupation long after colonisation. Balls Head, known as Yerroulbine, is home to the Cammeraygal People.
The whale engraving at Balls Head
As you approach the Coal Loader, you’ll see the dilapidated timber Coal Loader Wharf. The wharf is heritage listed with plans to make it safe and provide opportunities to express its heritage values, despite its rather forlorn appearance. Moored alongside the wharf is the lighthouse tender MV Cape Don, which is currently being restored by volunteers.
Below the sustainability centre
Approaching the Coal Loader
MV Cape Don
The loading wharf has seen better days
You can't help but notice the huge sandstone wall ahead of you, punctuated by several arched tunnels. These tunnels once serviced the coal loader platform above — you'll see the hoppers that used to drop the coal through openings in the roof into waiting wagons. One of these tunnels is open for access, and it will take you through to the bush walks around Balls Point on the other side.
Entering the old rail tunnel through the coal loader
The coal loader tunnel
One of the coal dispensing hoppers
The coal loader tunnel
There are various short tracks around Balls Head Reserve — if you keep the harbour to your right-hand side, you'll be following the Coal Loader Link Track, which meets up with the Isabella Brierley Track, running down the west side of the headland. At the southern end is a lookout with a beautiful view of Sydney and Darling Harbour.
Coal Loader Link Track
Sydney Harbour
Darling Harbour — home to some of Sydney's newest developments
Sydney Harbour Bridge and a peek at the Opera House
The trail proceeds to the Harbour View walk, which occupies a higher and lower track. The lower section is accessible via a series of steep steps. Along the way, you'll encounter Tom’s Cabin, a natural rock formation transformed into a small cabin. The cabin, featuring a fireplace and chimney, is believed to have been inhabited during the depression years.
Harbour View Walk
Steps on the Harbour View Walk
The remains of Tom's Cabin
At the eastern end of the Harbour View Walk is a view of Sydney's iconic Harbour Bridge, though it is somewhat marred by the ubiquitous Blues Point Tower — supposedly Sydney's favourite eyesore. It is regarded by some as one of the ugliest buildings in Sydney. Designed to be part of a modernist housing makeover of North Sydney, the tower proved so unpopular that the project was cancelled. The tower itself is nothing special, however, its situation on the harbour foreshore is likely the reason it is so disliked.
Sydney Harbour Bridge (and Blues Point Tower)
The route now joins the Midden Walk, looking over Berrys Bay and towards McMahons Point. The word “midden” refers to a heap or mound of discarded items, particularly shell and other food remains, left behind by past human populations. Presumably, a midden exists (or existed) in the area, but my untrained eyes could not spot such a feature — perhaps for the best.
Midden Walk
Midden Walk
Berrys Bay
Midden Walk
A perfect place to cool some hot paws
Walking up the hill along the Midden Walk leads to Balls Head Drive, and you'll soon find yourself on the Coal Loader platform which sits above the tunnel I described earlier. The platform, once covered in a large stockpile of coal, is now home to one of Sydney’s largest publicly accessible green roof spaces.
The Coal Loader
The Coal Loader
The platform and adjacent buildings serve as a model of sustainability where visitors can learn not only about growing plants but also how to incorporate sustainable design into their own projects. This includes energy and water-saving technology, stormwater harvesting, solar technology, and recycling.
The old loading platform of the Coal Loader
The Coal Loader is also home to a great little café, which was the perfect final stop. We wrapped up our walk by grabbing some ice-cold drinks—the ultimate reward after a hot afternoon on the trails. It's a super relaxed, dog-friendly spot to kick back and cool off before heading back to the car (or station).
Rise above the New South Wales South Coast on a journey to the sacred peak of Gulaga / Mount Dromedary. Climbing past relics of an 1800s gold-mining boom through lush, moody rainforest, this iconic walk from the historic heritage village of Tilba Tilba leads you deep into the spiritual heartland of the Yuin people. Discover world-class granite tors recognised where ancient traditions were taught, and experience a mountain revered as the sacred Mother Mountain. Whether you are planning a meaningful bushwalk or exploring the rich cultural landscapes of the Sapphire Coast, here is everything you need to know about tackling the trail to the summit of Gulaga.
Gulaga / Mount Dromedary
📍 GULAGA NATIONAL PARK
Distance13.6 km
Duration03:49 hrs
Elev Gain+848 m
Elev Lost-848 m
Date
28 January 2024
Starting Point
Central Tilba
Difficulty
Moderate / Hard
Pace / Gear
4.0 km/h — Light day pack
Highlights
The Saddle, Gulaga Formations, Rainforest Track
🗺️ Interactive Route MapPinch or use wheel to zoom
Rising 807 metres above the New South Wales South Coast, Gulaga—also known as Mount Dromedary—dominates the landscape like no other landmark in the region. Formed by an ancient volcano, the mountain and its surrounding bushland hold profound spiritual importance for the local Aboriginal people, serving as a sacred place of creation particularly significant to the Yuin women, who have maintained a deep cultural and ancestral connection to its slopes for millennia.
The mountain's written European history began in April 1770 when the crew aboard Captain Cook's HMS Endeavour spotted the peak from roughly 24 kilometres offshore, christening it "Mount Dromedary" because its distinctive silhouette reminded them of a camel's hump. Today, following meaningful consultations and a formal renaming process with the local Yuin community, the peak is officially recognised by its dual heritage name: Gulaga / Mount Dromedary. In the Yuin language, Gulaga translates to "Mother Mountain", reflecting its sacred status as the ancestral entity that gave birth to the Yuin people.
Gulaga / Mount Dromedary stands over the green fields of Central Tilba
A network of tracks now weaves its way to the summit of Gulaga, tracing the routes of an 1800s gold-mining boom that carved up the slopes before fading into history. Where prospectors once searched for fortune, modern hikers now follow these historic trails through dense rainforest and towering tree ferns to climb to the mountain's peak.
The journey begins in the tiny, picturesque village of Tilba Tilba, a preserved heritage settlement that originally blossomed around the success of the region's pioneering dairy farms. Alongside its twin settlement, Central Tilba, the village features beautifully preserved 19th-century timber architecture and rolling green pastures, giving the entire district a wonderfully distinct, old-world character that feels largely untouched by time.
In Tilba Tilba, there's a small grassed parking area adjacent to the village shop/café where you should notice the national park signage directing you towards the Tilba Tilba Walking Track. The walk commences along The Avenue before stretching out through several farm paddocks. As you are surrounded by pastures and beautifully manicured gardens on both sides, you may feel like you are trespassing, but the route is signposted.
The Tilba Tilba Walking Track passes through some farm paddocks as it heads towards Gulaga / Mount Dromedary
Central Tilba
Gulaga / Mount Dromedary
After about a kilometre and a half of gentle walking, you will reach a boundary gate and a national park sign marking your entrance into Gulaga National Park. From this point on, the track changes character, transitioning into a steady, non-stop climb that tests the legs as it winds upward toward The Saddle. Surrounded by dense, misty forest, The Saddle offers a welcome flat expanse and a natural rest spot to catch your breath and grab some water before tackling the final push toward the summit.
Entering the national park
The Gulaga National Park sign at the foot of the climb
The path to The Saddle is wide and east to follow
Further climbing
Some coastal views on the hike
Information board at The Saddle
The Saddle — alongside the info stand there is a small amenities block
Tucked just off the main track at The Saddle, an unmarked side path leads to a collection of striking granite tors and boulder formations. These remarkable geological sculptures have been officially recognised by Geoscience Australia as one of only seven significant rock formations in the country, placing them in rare company alongside world-famous landmarks like Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
The Gulaga formations
Beyond their striking geological shapes, these granite tors carry deep cultural and spiritual weight. Historically, they served as traditional sites for the education of boys and girls, with their distinct shapes used to teach lessons about growth, maturity, and life cycles. Other rock formations represented sacred animal totems of the Yuin nation, while specific areas remained strictly devoted to women's business. As the sacred birthplace of the Yuin people, Gulaga stands as the ultimate embodiment of the mother figure, anchoring the spiritual identity, heritage, and ongoing cultural connection of the local community.
Gulaga formation
Leaving The Saddle behind, the trail transitions into the Rainforest Walk toward the summit, guided clearly by signposts bearing red arrows. Alongside the incredible granite tors, this enchanting stretch of forest stands out as the absolute highlight of the hike. While the climb remains steep, the journey itself proves far more scenic than the summit, which finishes simply with an informational sign and a small geodetic survey marker perched atop a jumble of rocks. Be warned for those expecting ocean panoramas: despite what some online guides might claim, the dense forest canopy completely obscures any coastal views.
The Rainforest Track
Starting the steeper climb towards the summit
The depths of the rainforest atop Gulaga / Mount Dromedary
There are some more interesting rock formations close to the summit
The summit
From the summit, the return journey to Central Tilba simply retraces your steps, leading you back down through the moody rainforest to The Saddle before descending past the national park boundary gate and out into the rolling green pastures of the heritage villages below.
Returning back down the mountain
Descending back through the rainforest
Views of Wallaga Lake
Gulaga / Mount Dromedary
As you head back towards Central Tilba, there are some excellent views of the neighbouring Little Dromedary Mountain. The rock outcrop is a striking feature rising sharply out of the valley. It also bears a dual name, known to the Yuin people as Najanuka, one of two sons of Gulaga (the other being Baranguba / Montague Island).
Najanuka / Little Dromedary Mountain
Gulaga / Mount Dromedary
While the peak itself keeps its secrets hidden behind a wall of ancient trees, the true reward of climbing Gulaga lies in the journey through its living history, sacred landscapes, and breathtaking geological wonders. Stepping back down out of the rainforest and into the timeless heritage streets of Tilba Tilba, you leave with a rare appreciation for a mountain that is so much more than just a bushwalk—it is a profound, living connection to the ancient soul of the South Coast.
