Wattamolla to Curracurrang Cove in Royal National Park

Royal National Park, NSW

Wattamolla to Curracurrang Cove

A rough coastal track to a sheltered creek-mouth cove.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Length
3.4km
Time
1.5hr
Elev. change
41m
Difficulty
Moderate
  • No dogs
  • High point 54 m
  • #33 of 69 in Royal

Hear the audio tour

Wattamolla Walk to Eagle Rock

Overview

About Wattamolla to Curracurrang Cove

Why go

  • Sweeping coastal views on a short walk
  • A creek-mouth cove at the end

Heads up

  • Uneven footing and a rough descent near the cove

Map & elevation

The route

Loading the Royal map
Full map
Elevation13–54 m
TrailheadWattamolla Picnic Area, southern car park-34.13923, 151.11411
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Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Start at the southern car park at Wattamolla Picnic Area, reached by Wattamolla Road. Parking can fill on busy weekends and holidays, and access may be restricted when the area is full.

Safety

Uneven ground and a rough bush-track descent at the cove; carry all drinking water. Not wheelchair accessible. Pets are prohibited except certified assistance animals.

4 active Royal alerts

  • 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
  • ClosureUnauthorised trail between East Heathcote and Waterfall closedThe unauthorised trail between East Heathcote and Waterfall is formally and physically closed; access is not permitted.Official details
See all 4 alerts
A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone
Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Royal Tour Guide

Your drive to Wattamolla to Curracurrang Cove, 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

Wattamolla Walk to Eagle Rock
0:00 / 0:27
“You're coming up on the road to Wattamolla, where the coastal walk to Eagle Rock begins. Allow three to four hours for about eight and a half kilometres return, over boardwalk, uneven rock and a creek crossing.”

Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Royal Tour Guide.

More stories near here in the app

  • Wattamolla Beach and Lagoon
  • The Sundew’s Sticky Trap
  • Who Scribbled on the Gums?
  • Bundeena Drive Walk to Little Marley
  • 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!!!!”
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Trail guide

Hiking Wattamolla to Curracurrang Cove

The short cove walkWattamolla to Curracurrang Cove is a 3.5 km (2.

Wattamolla to Curracurrang Cove is a 3.5 km (2.13 mi) out-and-back from the southern car park at Wattamolla Picnic Area. Follow the Coast Track to the creek-mouth cove, then return the same way. Allow about 1.5 hours for the walk itself. It is a useful taste of the coast without committing to the full Bundeena-to-Otford route.

What the track is likeThe first stretch follows a broad, rocky service track with views opening along the headlands.

The first stretch follows a broad, rocky service track with views opening along the headlands. Farther on, the route narrows to bush track and drops unevenly toward the cove. This is a moderate walk rather than a smooth beach promenade; take your time on the descent, especially if the ground is wet.

At Curracurrang CoveThe route finishes where Curracurrang Creek meets the ocean, in a small inlet held between…

The route finishes where Curracurrang Creek meets the ocean, in a small inlet held between rocky headlands. The cove is the payoff, not the nearby Curracurrong Falls route, which continues farther along the Coast Track. From the approach, frame the creek mouth with the headland in view; then turn around and retrace the same track.

Water, wildlife and accessThe walk is on Dharawal Country.

The walk is on Dharawal Country. Wattamolla is a picnic and barbecue area, but bring all your drinking water for the route. A seven-stop audio story follows this coastal section; download it before arriving because mobile reception is unavailable in this part of the park. Sea eagles and oystercatchers are among the birds to watch for around Wattamolla. Park entry fees apply. Dogs and other pets are not permitted in the park, except certified assistance animals.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Royal

All Royal wildlife maps

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Royal. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Keep exploring

Near Wattamolla to Curracurrang Cove

See it all on the map

Trails that start nearby

Places near the trailhead

Parkwolf’s Royal ranking

Top-rated trails in Royal

All 69 trails
  1. 1The Coast TrackChallenging · 27 km
  2. 2Wattamolla to Eagle Rock and Curracurrong FallsModerate · 8.5 km
  3. 3Jibbon Loop TrackEasy · 5.2 km
  4. 4Palm Jungle Loop TrackChallenging · 8.2 km
  5. 5Curra Moors Loop TrackModerate · 10 km
  6. 6Wedding Cake Rock TrackModerate · 5.6 km

Take Parkwolf to Royal.

The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.

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