Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

Picnics and barbecues

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is a haven for daytime picnickers, and Sydneysiders flock to the park's many picnic areas on weekends. Here are some of the most popular spots:

Akuna Bay

Wheelchair access: easy

This area is fully wheelchair accessible. Access is available from the carpark to the marina and aafe.

Set sail for beautiful Akuna Bay, tucked away at the end of Coal and Candle Creek. The popular destination can also be reached by road via the scenic Liberator General San Martin Drive.

Bring a pair of binoculars to take advantage of the superb birdlife on display, or bring a fishing rod for a lazy afternoon drifting past the banks in solitude. Make the most of the great facilities and bring your picnic hamper. The public barbecue and seating area is a lovely, family-friendly space with shaded tables. Or, if you feel like letting someone else prepare your breakfast or lunch, pop into the marina’s Driftwood Cafe.

At d'Albora Marina, you’ll find wet berths and a dry stack area for small boats. There are also boat hire facilities, shops, a restaurant and function centre and plenty of parking for cars and boat trailers.

• d'Albora Marinas Akuna Bay 
• Driftwood Cafe Akuna Bay

Activities: motor boating, paddling, sailing and boating, sailing, fishing, picnicking, playing and socialising

Getting there: Akuna Bay is in the Akuna Bay precinct of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. To get there:

• Follow McCarrs Creek Road and turn onto Liberator General San Martin Drive
• Akuna Bay is part way along scenic Coal and Candle Creek.

Road access: Sealed road - 2WD vehicles.

Opening hours: The picnic tables and barbecue are open seven days a week between 8.30am and 5pm. Driftwood Cafe is closed on Tuesdays.

Facilities: picnic tables, gas/electric barbecues, cafe/kiosk, boat ramp

Apple Tree picnic area

Wheelchair access: medium

Assistance may be required to access this area.

Apple Tree picnic area is only an hour’s drive from Sydney and one of the gateways to Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park’s many walking trails, waterways and lookouts. Apple Tree picnic area provides an easily accessible spot to park your car and re-energise, before you head off into the park and explore. You can buy drinks and food at the café or make use of the shaded picnic tables and barbecues. The Berowra walking track begins at this point, but if you have a boat, you can also set sail from Apple Tree picnic area’s boat ramp.

Activities: picnics and barbecues, motor boating, sailing, walking

Location:  shown on Bobbin Head map

Getting there: On entering Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

• Take Bobbin Head Road through North Turramurra, or Ku-ring-gai Chase Road, Mount Colah near Hornsby.

Road access: Unsealed road/trail - 2WD vehicles.

Facilities: picnic tables, gas/electric barbecues, flush toilets, drinking water, boat ramp, carpark, trackhead/access point

Bobbin Head

Wheelchair access: medium

Assistance may be required to access this area

• The southern part of Bobbin Head wheelchair accessible

Located in the west of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Bobbin Head is a large area offering lots of attractions and facilities. As well as being a great place to bushwalk, paddle or go fishing, Bobbin Head is the perfect waterfront picnic spot.

The area features barbecues, picnic tables, shelters and plenty of green space for an impromptu frisbee session or a spot of cricket. There’s also a children’s playground that’s sure to be a hit with kids and you can pick up a coffee at the Bobbin Head Inn Café or tuck into some beautiful Mediterranean cuisine at Galley Foods Restaurant and Kiosk.

Visit Empire Marina Bobbin Head to hire a run-a-bout with fishing licence, or follow any of the number of walking tracks and collect maps and brochures from Bobbin Inn Visitor Centre. Stroll the mangrove boardwalk behind the picnic area and see if you can spot some of the park’s many birds.

Activities: fishing, picnics and barbecues, motor boating, sailing

Location:  shown on Bobbin Head map

Getting there: On entering Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, take Bobbin Head Road through North Turramurra, or Ku-ring-gai Chase Road, Mount Colah near Hornsby.

Road access: Sealed road - 2WD vehicles.

Facilities: picnic tables, gas/electric barbecues, flush toilets, drinking water, public phone

Vehicle entry fee: $11 per vehicle per day. If you're arriving by bus or taxi you'll need to pay daily entry fees of $4.40 adults, $2.20 children; there is no daily entry fee for teachers/educational supervisors (1 adult per 10 children)

Contact: Sydney North (Bobbin Inn, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park), Phone: 02 9472 8949

Kalkari Discovery Centre

Wheelchair access: easy

This area is fully wheelchair-accessible.

Immerse yourself in the knowledge Kalkari Discovery Centre has to offer. At Kalkari, you’ll be inspired to learn more about the park’s plants, animals and Aboriginal history, under the guidance of Kalkari’s knowledgeable volunteers. Find out more about the Discovery trail and the range of educational activities for adults and children on offer. You may find yourself making a model wombat and burrow, sipping morning tea with visitors from around the world, or playing Aboriginal games.

From the Discovery Centre, it’s a short walk along Birrawanna walking track to Bobbin Head, which is a great place to stop for lunch.

Activities: walking, birdwatching, picnics and barbecues

Getting there: Kalkari Discovery Centre in the Bobbin Head precinct of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. To get there, enter the park from Ku-ring-gai Chase Road, off Pacific Highway.

Road access: Sealed road - 2WD vehicles.

Opening hours: The Kalkari Discovery Centre is:

• open 9am – 5pm (Monday – Sunday)
• closed on Christmas Day

Facilities: amenities block, visitor centre

Contact: Sydney North (Kalkari Discovery Centre), Phone: 02 9472 9300 or 02 9472 9301

Resolute picnic area

Wheelchair access: medium

Assistance may be required to access this area

• A wheelchair-accessible bathroom is available
• There are picnic tables that can be accessed via a sealed track from the carpark

Enjoy a quiet picnic surrounded by Sydney red gums at West Head’s Resolute picnic area.

Resolute picnic area is a terrific spot for a barbecue or picnic. It’s also a good place to take a breather after a bushwalk. Aboriginal Heritage walk departs from the picnic area, taking you past the park’s best-known Aboriginal rock art to the nearby West Head lookout.

Grab a picnic table and tuck into your lunch while taking in the beautiful bush setting. There’s plenty of parking, as well as a bus-turnaround area and an environmentally-friendly toilet block. But remember it’s BYO drinking water, so be sure to pack your drink bottle.

Activities: walking, picnicking, playing and socialising

Location:  shown on West Head and The Basin map

Getting there: Aboriginal Heritage walk starts at Resolute picnic area in the West Head precinct of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. To get there, follow West Head Road to the end.

Road access: Sealed road - 2WD vehicles.

Facilities: picnic tables, gas/electric barbecues, non-flush toilets, flush toilets

Water supply: There is no drinking water available at Resolute picnic area – please bring your own.

Salvation Creek picnic area

Location:  shown on Cottage Point map

Facilities: picnic tables

Sphinx Memorial

Wheelchair access: easy

This area is fully wheelchair-accessible.

Sphinx Memorial is a sandstone monument created in memory of lives lost in the First World War and was created by a returned soldier in the 1920s. Bushwalkers exploring Sphinx Memorial to Bobbin Head loop track might be surprised to find this unusual symbol of Australian military history tucked away in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.

Grab something to eat at nearby Bobbin Head, or pack your lunch and stop for a picnic at Sphinx Memorial, where you’ll find plenty of grassy spots to sit and relax.

Activities: walking, picnics and barbecues

Location:  shown on Bobbin Head map

Getting there: Sphinx Memorial is in the Bobbin Head precinct of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.

To get there:

• Take Bobbin Head Road to the southern entrance to the park
• Just inside the park, turn right onto Sphinx Road and follow to the end.

Road access: Sealed road - 2WD vehicles.

Opening hours: Sphinx Memorial closes at 5.30pm (Monday - Sunday).

Facilities: picnic tables

The Basin campground

Wheelchair access: medium

Assistance may be required to access this area.

• Wheelchair access is by ferry only
• Wheelchair-accessible toilet

Activities: walking, paddling, liloing, swimming, picnicking, playing and socialising, camping

Location:  shown on West Head and The Basin map

Getting there: The Basin campground is on the western foreshores of Pittwater in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. To get there

• Take the ferry which departs on the hour between 9am - 5pm from Palm Beach Wharf
• If you own a boat, anchor in the sheltered bay opposite the picnic and campground.
• Drive or ride your mountain bike through the park along West Head Road, then walk or cycle along the 2.8km Basin Track to The Basin.

Road access: Sealed road - 2WD vehicles.

Opening hours: The campground is open from sunrise to sunset. Entry to the campground after sunset is for pre-booked campers only.

Facilities: amenities block, cold showers, flush toilets, gas/electric barbecues, wood barbecues (firewood supplied), drinking water, picnic tables, public phone

Vehicle entry fee: $11 per vehicle per day. Please note vehicle entrance fees are not included in your accommodation or camping fees. Purchase at the local office or buy an annual pass online.

Camping fees: All campsites - site fee - $28 per night (2 person inclusive); $14 per night per additional adult (16 years+); $7 per night per additional child (5-15 years); infants free (0-4 years).

Other fees: Landing fees: If you’re arriving at The Basin by water for a day visit, you’ll need to pay landing fees of $3 per adult, $2 per child. Annual pass holders must pay landing fees. If you’re arriving by bus or taxi and walking or cycling to The Basin, you’ll need to pay daily entry fees of $4.40 per adult, $2.20 per child.

Online bookings: use a secure payment facility to book online

Alternatively, please contact the Customer Experience Team on 13000 PARKS (13000 72757).

NB: All reservations incur a booking fee of 2.5% in addition to the total amount payable

The Basin picnic area

When you need a city escape, gather the crew and set sail for The Basin picnic area, nestled in the bush on the eastern shores of West Head in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. Accessed by walking track from West Head or ferry across Pittwater, there’s something for everyone at this popular spot.

With lovely views of the water and heaps of activities, you’ll be hard pressed deciding what to do first. The kids will love swimming and paddling at the sheltered beach and inland lagoon and if you’re keen to explore on foot, there’s nearby Bairne walking track. When it’s time for lunch, unpack the picnic hamper or spark up the barbecue and tuck in.

After a day of relaxing, it might be hard to pack up and leave this idyllic oasis. If you want to make a weekend of it and stay overnight at the adjacent The Basin campground. Be sure to book ahead, as this is a popular place to stay in spring and summer.

Activities: walking, paddling, liloing, swimming, fishing, birdwatching, picnics and barbecues

Getting there: The Basin picnic area is in the western foreshores of Pittwater at Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. To get there:

• Take the ferry which departs hourly, on the hour, 9am - 5pm from Palm Beach Wharf
• If you own a boat, anchor in the sheltered bay opposite the picnic area.
• Drive or ride your mountain bike through the park to West Head Road, then walk or cycle along the 2.8km Basin track to The Basin.
  

Road access: Sealed road - 2WD vehicles.

Facilities: picnic tables, amenities block, gas/electric barbecues (free), wood barbecues (firewood supplied), drinking water, flush toilets, trackhead/access point