Royal Coast Track

Poor weather during 2022 has impacted areas of Royal National Park and the Royal Coast Track. Please check the current alerts when planning your visit.

Closures

The Royal Coast Track is closed at Otford due to landslips. There is no alternative route from this point. The area at Otford will remain closed until further notice.

Sections of the track in the southern section will be closed for track upgrades from Monday - Friday each week. Sections will reopen as the track works progress.

Garie Road is closed due to landslips. Garie Beach can still be reached via the Royal Coast Track, but there is no vehicle access.

The Coast Track is closed between Garie, and Little Garie is closed until further notice due to rock falls and erosion.

This project commenced in 2016-17. Currently, almost 17km of track has been upgraded with 9km remaining. Works have been staged and will be completed by June 2023.

The Royal National Park is Australia’s oldest national park and the second oldest national park in the world. The proposal includes major upgrade of the track surface and the provision of high quality visitor facilities at key destinations along the route of the Royal Coast Track, including improvement of safety fencing and signage at Wedding Cake Rock and improvement to the visitor facilities at much loved Wattamolla. The project responds to both to the current pattern of visitor growth, as well as the attraction of new visitors through the offer of enhanced coastal experiences.

Our national parks are managed to protect their unique values and provide for sustainable visitor use and enjoyment. This includes providing visitor experiences and, where appropriate, new visitor facilities including tracks and trails.

We are conducting environmental assessments to examine the significance of any likely environmental impacts of the proposal and will consider measures required to mitigate any impacts to the environment. This highlights the need to ensure public visitation and enjoyment is compatible with the protection of conservation and cultural heritage values.

The Royal Coast Track provides visitors with an opportunity to enjoy a varied walking experience along the spectacular coastline of the Royal National Park. The track offers amazing views of the landscape and coastline and respects the park’s natural and cultural values. Places such as Wattamolla, Garie, Burning Palms, Era Beach and Eagle Rock can be accessed via the Coast Track, and provide stunning views. Visitors can experience the beauty of local landscapes and wildlife including whale watching.

National Parks and Wildlife Service will continue to engage with stakeholders and interested community members. Updates on projects in Royal National Park are available on our website.