Parking
Start at Garie Beach Carpark at the end of Garie Road; the signed coastal track toward North Era begins from the carpark.
Overview
About Garie Beach, Garawarra and Burning Palms Circuit
Why go
- Combines open coast, a substantial ridge climb and Burning Palms in one loop.
- The Burgh Ridge outlook gives a memorable view over the beach and headlands.
Heads up
- A steep, long day with roughly 648 m of ascent.
- Several junctions need careful map and sign checking.
Map & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
4 active Royal alerts
- ClosureNorth Era campground closedMentions North Era, referenced in this guideNorth Era campground is closed until further notice; do not plan an overnight stay while the closure remains in place. - For more information, contact the local area office on 02 9542 0648.Official details
- ClosureOvernight closures for deer-control operationsSpecified areas of Royal National Park are closed between sunset and sunrise from Monday to Thursday, excluding school holidays, through 18 December 2026 so NPWS can carry out deer-control operations.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Royal Tour Guide
Your drive to Garie Beach, Garawarra and Burning Palms Circuit, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Royal National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Garie Beach and Its Surf Lifesavers0:00 / 0:34
“Garie Beach is coming up, a long sweep of sand beneath green headlands. I'd stop for a picnic and a shoreline walk, rather than count on a gentle swim: the exposed surf has strong rips, and patrols are seasonal.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Royal Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Governor Game Lookout and Spring Heath
- Curra Moors Heath and Coastal Loop
- Wallumarra Track to Bola Creek
- Garawarra Farm and Figure Eight Pools
- 43 audio storiesacross Royal’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Humpback Whale, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Koala, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 69 trails, 58 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Garie Beach, Garawarra and Burning Palms Circuit
A coast-to-ridge loopThis hard 13.5 km circuit starts and ends at Garie Beach Carpark.
This hard 13.5 km circuit starts and ends at Garie Beach Carpark. Allow about seven hours for the full loop and its roughly 648 m of ascent. From Garie it follows the coast north to Little Garie and North Era, climbs inland toward Garawarra Farm, then crosses ridge and management tracks toward Burning Palms before returning north along the coast. The published route distance is 13.5 km; the mapped line measures about 14.3 km, so treat both as approximate and leave a full day.
Garie to North EraThe opening coast section follows the signed track with the sea to your left.
The opening coast section follows the signed track with the sea to your left. It passes Little Garie’s cabins and skirts steep grassy slopes and rocky outcrops before reaching North Era. The inland turn comes at the Burgh Ridge and Era Track junction, about 2.5 km from the start. The loop returns to North Era later, then retraces the coast toward Garie.
Over Burgh RidgeFrom North Era the circuit turns inland and climbs steeply toward Garawarra.
From North Era the circuit turns inland and climbs steeply toward Garawarra. The route then uses the Squeeze Way and tracks leading toward Burning Palms. Expect a demanding day: the climb is a large part of the total ascent, and the terrain changes from open coast to heath and shaded palm gullies. Use a current map and pay attention at the track junctions; this is a multi-track circuit, not a single beach path.
Burning Palms and the returnThe route reaches Burning Palms and its historic beach shacks before turning north on the Coast…
The route reaches Burning Palms and its historic beach shacks before turning north on the Coast Track. The coastal return passes the Burgh Ridge junction and North Era before coming back to Garie. A view from Burgh Ridge over Burning Palms is a standout place to pause and look back across the headlands. Figure Eight Pools is a separate spur and is not included in this circuit; anyone adding it should check tide and swell conditions first.
What to plan forBring enough drinking water for the day; no dependable drinking-water source along the circuit…
Bring enough drinking water for the day; no dependable drinking-water source along the circuit was verified. Dogs and other pets are not allowed in Royal National Park. The hike is long and steep, and route finding matters at the inland and coastal junctions. Check park alerts and track signs before setting out, and carry the route map offline.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Royal
56 sightingsHumpback WhaleMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
68 sightingsWhite-bellied Sea-EagleMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
12 sightingsKoalaMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
33 sightingsJavan RusaMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
69 sightingsShort-beaked EchidnaMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
11 sightingsRed FoxMost seen around 5 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Royal. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
