Garie Beach

Garie Beach is roughly a kilometre of southeast-facing sand on the southern coast of Royal National Park. The open surf runs below green headlands, with Garie North Head rising about 110 metres at the northern end. It’s a good stop for a picnic, a walk on the shore or an open-coast view; choose another beach if you need reliably gentle swimming.

Garie Road brings you to a picnic area and carpark right beside the beach, on a sealed road suitable for 2WD vehicles. Parking can be limited on busy weekends, so carpool and arrive early if you want a picnic table. Flush toilets and tables are here; bring drinking water. A small kiosk is sometimes available, but current hours and menu aren’t confirmed, so bring lunch if a meal matters. Dogs aren’t allowed in the park except certified assistance animals. The carpark locks overnight, so plan to leave before sunset.

This is an exposed beach with powerful waves and several rips along the shore. Patrol cover is seasonal and not daily; check current patrol information before you swim and use a flagged patrolled area. Conditions can be too rough for a casual dip, especially away from the flags.

For the beach’s full curve, stop at nearby Governor Game Lookout before heading out. It gives an elevated view where sand, blue water and green headlands fit together, making the clearest spot for a photo of the coast’s shape. Winter is the season for whale watching here, though sightings are never guaranteed.

Garie is a common exit point for the 27-kilometre Coast Track, the multi-day coastal route between Bundeena and Otford. A walk along the sand gives you the open ocean; the higher beach views come from the longer route above the shore.

Look for albatross, sea eagles and peregrine falcons riding the coastal updrafts. Behind the exposed headlands, nearby rainforest gullies hold cabbage-tree palms and ferns, a sheltered contrast to open sand and surf.

Garie Beach lies on the traditional lands of the Dharawal People. As beach visits grew, the National Park Trust sought regular patrols at Garie and Wattamolla. Garie’s surf lifesaving club held its inaugural meeting at the beach kiosk on 18 December 1938 and dates its establishment to 1939.