Cape Solander, within Kamay Botany Bay National Park, Kurnell, is a spectacular site and receives over 300,000 local, domestic and international visitors each year. It provides a great spot to look for whales from May to July each year, and is also the starting point for the popular Cape Baily Track.
Cape Solander is an exposed location subject to substantial wind and salt spray, with resulting deterioration of key infrastructure, including the existing whale watch platform and metal traffic safety barriers.
What are we doing?
The project will improve visitor access and safety by constructing a new whale watching platform with larger viewing areas, better pedestrian access and new interpretation. We will also improve the parking areas and safety barriers and provide a new footpath from the parking area to the whale watching platform.
The proposal will complement and promote the scenic values of the national park and is consistent with the National Heritage listing of the site.
Project stages and timeframes
In 2020, National Parks and Wildlife Service engaged landscape architects Oculus to design a new whale watching platform that meets the needs of the many thousands of whale watching visitors, will withstand the harsh corrosive environmental conditions, and improve pedestrian access and safety.
You can download the concept plans and comment using the feedback form below.
Construction is scheduled to commence in May 2021. The works will take approximately 4 months to complete. Cape Solander lookout, the adjacent parking, and a portion of Cape Solander Drive will be closed during this time. Vehicle access will be closed beyond Yena, but all walking tracks will remain open.
Protecting park values
This project is consistent with the Kamay Botany Bay National Park Plan of Management (2019) and the Kamay Botany Bay National Park: Kurnell Precinct Master Plan, which aims to provide enriching and memorable experiences in the park, improve access to the park for all, and contribute to the goal of easy and safe transport to and within the park.
Temporary closures and visitor updates
There will be unavoidable impacts to visitor access to the southern section of Cape Solander Drive and surrounding area during the construction phase (scheduled to commence May 2021). The works will take approximately 4 months. Cape Solander will be closed during this period.
We will inform visitors and the community of necessary closures and access within the Kamay Botany Bay National Park through online alerts via the NPWS website and onsite signage.
Where else can I go to look for whales?
During the annual whale migration, you can spot them from lookouts along the entire coastline of Sydney. Check out some other top whale watching locations around Sydney.
Do you have any questions?
For further information on the project, please email the Sydney South Area at npws.sydneysouth@environment.nsw.gov.au
If you have any questions about this project, please fill out the form below. The project team will provide updates via this webpage.
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