Rose Bay to Watsons Bay Walk in Sydney, Australia

jana meerman rose bay watsons bay sydney (1)

It's my first ever time in Sydney, and it's quickly become one of my favourite cities in the world. Sydney lies on the southeastern coast of Australia, the capital city of New South Wales. It's got hundreds of kilometres of coastline and neighbourhoods twisting along the water. This means there are loads of coastal walks along beautiful views, hidden beaches and bush.

→ Check out my complete guide to visiting Sydney!

Rose Bay and Watsons Bay are two darling seaside towns in Sydney with panoramic views of the harbour and the iconic Harbour Bridge. Between them is an 8km coastal walk.

I am currently solo traveling around Australia, following the classic backpacker route, mostly visiting big cities, staying in hostels and traveling by public transport.

For thousands of years, the Gadigal people lived on this land, long before Europeans arrived. The first Europeans to arrive in the area were the British on the First Fleet in 1788.

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Heading to Australia? Every single spot (and more) that I mention in all my blog posts about Australia (including its three external territories) can be found in my Ultimate Australia Map!

This is a digital map featuring hundreds of my favourite:

restaurants and cafés
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museums and galleries
beaches and lakes
places to see animals
bridges and viewpoints
hikes
snorkeling spots
AND SO MUCH MORE!

Each pin includes the exact location (plus the ability to open it directly in Google Maps), lots of photos for inspiration, detailed information to help you visit the spot plus a link to my relevant blog post to read lots more about it.

How to Get to the Rose Bay to Watsons Bay Walk

This walk is best started in Rose Bay passing neighbourhoods, secluded beaches and harbour views up to Hornby Lighthouse at the tip of Watsons Bay, still active today and situated on a peninsula that feels like it's at the edge of the world.

By car: You can drive to Rose Bay and park your car before taking on the coastal walk. Then you can return to your car once you've completed the walk by Uber or by public transport.

By bus: Bus 324 and 325 connect both Rose Bay and Watsons Bay with Hyde Park just south of downtown Sydney.

By ferry: To reach Rose Bay Wharf or Watsons Bay, catch a ferry from Circular Quay, a ride of between 15 and 25 minutes with stunning views from the water of Sydney's landmarks.

By Uber: Uber is readily available in Sydney and can be used to reach either end of the walk; useful if you have parked at one end and want to get back to your car once you're done!

Rose Bay to Watsons Bay Walk Details

When: year-round

Where: between Rose Bay and Watsons Bay is eastern Sydney

Difficulty: easy

Length: it's about 8km one-way which should take about two hours, including the stretch up to Hornby Lighthouse

Directions: you can start the walk at either end but it is best started in Rose Bay passing neighbourhoods, secluded beaches and harbour views up to Hornby Lighthouse at the tip of Watsons Bay, still active today and situated on a peninsula that feels like it's at the edge of the world

Bathrooms: yes, at the ferry terminals and in the various towns along the way

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Jana Meerman

Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.

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