Barrenjoey Lighthouse Walk with Kids
- Lisa
- Aug 29, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 17, 2024
One of the most beautiful bushwalks in Sydney is the walk from Palm Beach to Barrenjoey Lighthouse.
The lighthouse sits at the most northern point of Sydney, 91 metres above sea level.
Although it is not a long walk to get to the lighthouse, the 360 degree views from the top are absolutely spectacular!
From the top of the headland you look out over the Pacific Ocean, Pittwater and all the way up to the Central Coast, not to mention getting a close up view of a very cute lighthouse!
How to get there:
If you are driving, park your car at the North Palm Beach parking lot.
If you are catching the bus, you’ll need to get off at the Palm Beach Golf Club stop and walk north along Barrenjoey Beach.
From the carpark, walk out onto Station Beach and along the beach until you get to the Barrenjoey Headland walk sign.
Two Routes to the Lighthouse:
There are two paths that you can take: the Access Trail and the Smugglers Track.
We chose the Access Trail on the way up and the Smugglers Track on the way back.
The Access trail is longer (at 800m each way) but it is not as steep and is rated as a grade 2. It has a proper path, so I think you’d be ok with a stroller, but it is still a pretty big climb up (see pic).
We also thought that the views from the Access trail were better than the Smugglers Track.
The Smugglers Track is a 400m one-way walk, but it is rated as a grade 3 and you are pretty much just climbing stairs the whole way to the top.
The name comes from customs officers who built the track to monitor smugglers bringing contraband into Broken Bay back in the 1800s.
The beautiful lighthouse was built here in 1881 from sandstone which was quarried at the site.
Its location at the headland provides an incredible spot for whale watching during their migration season, between May and September.
Although they’re both short walks, because of the incline, you do need a moderate level of fitness.
We recommend wearing proper walking shoes, however we saw people in thongs and even bare feet! But you are walking through bushland, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Don’t forget water, a hat and sunscreen. Even in winter we got very warm and many parts of the walks are exposed to the sun (especially at the top where the lighthouse is).
There are toilets at the carpark and also up at the lighthouse, but none along the way.
On Sundays the National Parks people run guided tours of the lighthouse. Find out all the information here.
This title brought back memories of a similar hike we did with our little ones up to a lookout point near our old place. They were much younger then, and I remember being so worried about them making it all the way, but they surprised us! My youngest, who is usually a whinger, was absolutely captivated by the whole experience https://iabaustralia.com.au/ He kept pointing out different birds and rocks, and I think the promise of a picnic at the top was a pretty strong motivator too. It’s funny how just a little bit of effort can lead to such big rewards, isn't it? Seeing their faces light up with discovery is just the best. I hope your trip to Barrenjoey…
Questo titolo mi ha riportato subito alla mente una passeggiata che facemmo qualche anno fa sul Monte Brè, sopra Lugano. Avevamo i nostri due bambini piccoli, uno che camminava a malapena e l'altro che si lamentava ogni cinque minuti di quanto fossero scomode le sue scarpe. L'idea di un faro, di un punto panoramico da raggiungere, era la stessa che ci aveva spronati a partire, con la promessa di una vista mozzafiato e, speravamo, di un po' di pace una volta arrivati. Ricordo il sole che batteva, la fatica che saliva ma anche i sorrisi dei bambini quando finalmente intravedevano le case in lontananza e il lago che luccicava. Mi chiedo se anche la vostra esperienza sia stata simile, un…