Sydney Harbour AerialsCredit: Destination NSW
The sheltered Sydney Harbour is dotted with stunning sandy beaches.
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Explore the coves and bays of Sydney Harbour to discover Sydney’s surprising and serene harbour beaches. Grab a patch of sand with a view and enjoy the city from a different perspective.
Bathe in the beauty of Balmoral Beach
Balmoral Beach, in the upscale North Shore suburb of Mosman, is one of Sydney’s prettiest places to roll out your towel. Just a 20-minute drive northeast of the city centre, here you can rest your lazy gaze on the rock pools, moored yachts, surrounding bush, and out to the Heads, the entrance to Sydney Harbour. This wide bay in Middle Harbour offers sailing, kayaking and shark net-protected swimming areas. You’ll share the Moreton Bay fig-lined promenade with cute dogs and children on rollerblades as you pass fine-dining options Bathers’ Pavilion Restaurant, The Boathouse and Public Dining Room, as well as the popular fish-and-chips takeaway Bottom of the Harbour. Add on a visit to nearby Taronga Zoo and leave time to browse Mosman’s boutiques.
Throw in a line at Chinamans Beach
Named for the Chinese market gardens that once occupied the area, Chinamans is Balmoral’s quieter little sister, just a 10-minute drive further north. The 230m stretch of sand is bordered by Middle Harbour, Clontarf Reserve and low rock formations, which are great fishing spots. Canoeing and kayaking are also popular, and the grassed, three-hectare Rosherville Reserve, behind Chinamans, offers a playground for the kids and plentiful shady picnic and barbecue areas.
Have a dip in the pool at Fairlight Beach
Take the half-hour ferry ride from Circular Quay to Manly and relax on the harbour beach there, or push on past the expensive real estate and panoramic water to Fairlight Beach, a 15-minute stroll further around the harbour. Smooth your feet on the 80m sliver of white sand before you take a dip in the tidal harbour pool or splash with the kids in the paddling pool. Fairlight forms part of the 10km, coast-hugging Manly to Spit Bridge Walk, which takes about four hours and is the perfect appetite- and thirst-builder for lunch or a drink at the superb Manly Pavilion.
Balmoral Beach, Mosman Credit: Andrew Gregory; Destination NSW
Balmoral Beach, Mosman
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Balmoral Beach, Mosman Credit: Andrew Gregory; Destination NSW
Balmoral Beach, Mosman
Doyles on the Beach, Watsons Bay Credit: Andrew Gregory; Destination NSW
Doyles on the Beach restaurant at Watsons Bay
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Doyles on the Beach, Watsons Bay Credit: Andrew Gregory; Destination NSW
Doyles on the Beach restaurant at Watsons Bay
Eat fish and chips at Watsons Bay
One of Sydney’s must-do ferry trips (a 25-minute journey from Circular Quay) takes you to Watsons Bay, on the South Head peninsula in the city’s well-to-do Eastern Suburbs. The sandy beach in this protected cove is perfect for stand-up paddleboarding or to launch a kayak, or to just let the little ones splash about before lunch or dinner. Beside the wharf is Doyles on the Beach, a famous spot for fish and chips, as well as top-end seafood dining. High tea at Dunbar House and lunch at Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel are other local favourites.
Eat ice-cream at Camp Cove
Also accessible from Watsons Bay ferry wharf is the family- and wheelchair-friendly Camp Cove. These calm, clear, protected waters are ideal for paddleboarding, snorkelling and scuba diving. Enjoy the million-dollar views with a far less expensive ice-cream from the much-loved local kiosk, and stride out on the easy, 1km South Head Heritage Trail, which takes in old gun emplacements, Hornby Lighthouse and exceptional harbour and ocean outlooks.
Enjoy a picnic at Nielsen Park
Boasting spectacular harbour aspects from Shark Beach, and sprawling fig trees on generous grass, Nielsen Park, a 25-minute drive from the city centre in the Eastern Suburbs oasis of Vaucluse, is your Sydney picnic nirvana. Grab a coffee, snack or lunch at The Nielsen and walk along the Hermitage Foreshore to take in stunning sights of the Harbour City. History buffs will love the guided tour of stately, 1850s-built Greycliffe House.
Swim at Northbridge Baths
Popular with lap swimmers from sunrise to sunset, Northbridge Baths, a 15-minute drive north of the city in the Lower North Shore suburb of Northbridge, are also a big hit with young families. Your little ones can wallow and splash in the shallows, bigger ones can jump into the water off the boardwalks, and much bigger ones can chill on the shaded grass and fire up the barbecue.
The Nielsen, Vaucluse, Sydney Credit: Kimberley Low
The Nielsen restaurant and café at Nielsen Park in Sydney’s Vaucluse.
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The Nielsen, Vaucluse, Sydney Credit: Kimberley Low
The Nielsen restaurant and café at Nielsen Park in Sydney’s Vaucluse.
Camp Cove, Watsons Bay Credit: Destination NSW
Sun setting over Camp Cove, Watsons Bay.
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Camp Cove, Watsons Bay Credit: Destination NSW
Sun setting over Camp Cove, Watsons Bay.
Blue Pool, BermaguiCredit: Destination NSW
The scenic Blue Pool on the Bermagui coastline.
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You’ll find spectacular ocean pools dotted along the southern coastline of New South Wales. These handmade pools, fed by the ocean’s waves, are often built into the rocks near beautiful sandy beaches, can be hidden away along the coastline and are enjoyed mostly by locals. Ocean pools are great for kids learning how to swim, lap swimming and for a dip on the days when the waves are a little too big for your liking. Here’s where to find an ocean pool on the coast south of Sydney.
In the Illawarra
You’ll find many spectacular ocean pools in the Illawarra area, from south of the Royal National Park all the way through to the popular seaside town of Kiama. These include lovely pools at Coledale, Bulli, Towradgi, Port Kembla and North Wollongong.
Take the road through the Royal National Park to Stanwell Park and onto Coalcliff Beach, where the ocean pool is set against a dramatic backdrop of the escarpment.
Nuns Pool, at Flagstaff Point in Wollongong, is one of the oldest in the state, dating back to the 1830s. (The title of oldest ocean pool goes to the Bogey Hole in Newcastle, north of Sydney. It was built by convicts in 1819.) Located below the lighthouse, the Nuns Pool (formerly known as Chain Baths and used by the nuns of St Mary’s convent) sits in a small, sheltered cove and is accessed via a narrow path chiselled into the sandstone.
Further south at Kiama, the Blowhole Point Ocean Pool offers a safe swimming spot near the area’s famous blowhole, the largest in the world, on a headland near the town centre. This beautiful, hand-cut pool is an irregular shape and has a varied depth and rock bottom – it was also once a men-only bath. You can also take the 15-minute walk around Kiama Harbour from the blowhole to Black Beach Reserve. Here you can do 50-metre laps in the Olympic-size Continental Ocean Pool.
A 15-minute drive south of Kiama is the tiny coastal town of Gerringong. Head down to Gerringong’s Werri Beach for a swim at Ourie Ocean Pool, at the southern end of the beach. This rectangular pool, carved into a flat rock shelf, has a smooth concrete bottom and is perfect for a summer’s day dip.
Bulli Rockpool, Bulli Credit: Destination NSW
Sun setting over Bulli Rockpool, Bulli.
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Bulli Rockpool, Bulli Credit: Destination NSW
Sun setting over Bulli Rockpool, Bulli.
Ourie Pool, Gerringong Credit: Destination NSW
Scenic aerial over Ourie Pool off Werri Beach, Gerringong.
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Ourie Pool, Gerringong Credit: Destination NSW
Scenic aerial over Ourie Pool off Werri Beach, Gerringong.
From the Illawarra to the Shoalhaven
Drive an hour further south into the Shoalhaven region and seek out Huskisson Sea Pool at Huskisson. This coastal town has a rich shipbuilding heritage, which you can explore at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum after your swim.
A 45-minute drive south of Huskisson brings you to Mollymook, where you’ll find the South Coast’s famous Bogey Hole, a natural rock pool on the headland south of the beach. There’s also a lovely ocean pool at Ulladulla, a five-minute drive further down the coast.
On the Sapphire Coast
One of the state’s most famous ocean pools is found at Bermagui, a little over five hours by car from Sydney, on the Sapphire Coast. Bermagui’s Blue Pool is revered as one of the prettiest, filled with azure-hued water fading to turquoise and green. At 50 metres long it makes for a great lap-swimming pool and there’s also a shallow wading pool, ideal for kids, just next to the pool.
One of the southernmost ocean pools on the NSW coastline is the Aslings Beach Rock Pool, a hidden gem carved into the pink-and-white cliffs at Aslings Beach in Eden, a six-hour drive from Sydney. It’s only a short walk from town, but its low profile makes it hard to spot from further down the beach. Make your way over the rocks from the beach and take a dip at low tide before the waves have a chance to deposit any seaweed.
Blue Pool, Bermagui Credit: Destination NSW
The picturesque Blue Pool situated along the Bermagui coastline.
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Blue Pool, Bermagui Credit: Destination NSW
The picturesque Blue Pool situated along the Bermagui coastline.
Aslings Beach Rock Pool, Eden Credit: Destination NSW
Aerial overlooking Aslings Beach Rock Pool in Eden.
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Aslings Beach Rock Pool, Eden Credit: Destination NSW
Aerial overlooking Aslings Beach Rock Pool in Eden.