Coogee to Botany Bay
15 km (1031 km) 6 hr
L’aventure c’est le trésor que l’on découvre à chaque matin. Jacques Brel [Adventure is the treasure we discover every morning.]
Enjoyed the Coogee to La Perouse walk today - the Bondi-Coogee's lesser known but perhaps more spectacular sibling -made even better by having much of it to ourselves.
Awesome sunrise from Mistral Point (the northern headland of Maroubra and my usual goto sunrise spot) and wonderful Mahon pool.
At the southern end of Maroubra is the fantastical coastal track out to Boora and Magic Points. Outdoes its more famous sibling in that the cliffs are all accessible and there has been much 'over-fencing' to ruin that wild coastal feel.
Had a short rest stop at cute Malabar Beach and then it was cliffside around Randwick golf course to more cuteness at Little Bay Beach.
A trinity of golf courses (The Coast, St Michael's and NSW) followed. All permit walkers cliffside, after a few skirmishes years ago. Great stuff when we all learn to share!
The golf courses lead on to one of Sydney's most underrated coastal marvels - Cape Banks. I say enjoy this 'remote' rocky island-like place as soon as you get a chance. Incredible that it sits so close to suburban Sydney. The wreck of the Minmi sits on the southern edge and the whole place has a glorious wild, isolated feel.
A luxurious corporate funded track then leads from the Cape up to Henry Head and its WW2 bunkers, before then dropping down through some angophora forest to Congewong and Little Congewong Beaches - perfect today for a swim as the midday heat cut in.
We ended our walk at La Perouse - named for Jean François de Galaup, Comte de Lapérouse, who led a French scientific expedition which arrived at Botany Bay on 24 January 1788 - 6 days after the English but 2 days before the official first settlement was proclaimed on 26 January - our somewhat controversial 'AustraliaDay'.
I love the little trivia fact that a young Napoleon applied to be on this voyage but didn't 'pass muster'. Would European history have been different if an unknown shipman had perished with the Comte in the Solomon Islands?
Anyway, any place that was too good for Napoleon has to be just fine by me!
So, another perfect day's coast walking on my little Dreamtime to Eden quest, even though this one is right in my backyard!
Tomorrow is across Botany Bay to the Shire - Kurnell (pity the long promised ferry isn't yet operational) and then onto Sydney's most southern beach - Cronulla. On we go...