Opera House to Watsons Bay
19 km (1002 km) 6 hr
There’s an ease that I have living in Australia. The best things about Sydney are free: the sunshine’s free, and the harbour’s free, and the beach is free. ~ Russell Crowe
Started on Stage 9 of my coast walk today – the beginning of the ‘Southern Way’ from Sydney to Eden (after completing the ‘Northern Way’ from Tweed Heads /Dreamtime to Sydney just before Xmas).
Opera House to Watsons Bay with plenty of opportunities for swims to cool off and easy paths, gardens, parks, beaches, headland tracks and the occasional billionaire streets to enjoy along the way.
Commenced at the Sydney Opera House - always magnificent in the early morning light - before walking through Sydney's wonderful Botanic Gardens across to Mrs Macquarie’s Point.
Sat for a while at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, a sandstone bench carved into the sandstone by convicts to allow the Governor’s wife to view our perfect harbour while pining for England and ships bringing letters from ‘home’.
Spent a little time reflecting on what those convict forebears chiselling away would have made of the good, the bad and the ugly of present day Sydney. Perhaps one of mine occasionally daydreamed about a descendant with the luxury to be able to walk, swim and explore the mighty coast and waterways of NSW and never fear the lash...
Anyway... it was then around the eastern ‘bays’ Elizabeth, Rushcutters, Double and Rose and the headlands Darling Point/Yaranabbe, Point Piper/Willara (Woollahra) and Steele Point/Burrawo.
Had a quick cool-off dip at the fantastic Murray Rose (Redleaf) Baths before Seven Shillings Beach (the manhattanesque sum paid to the local indigenous folk for their prime Sydney real estate).
Next was the Hermitage Foreshore Walk. In case you don't know this is a gorgeous few kms of foreshore pocket harbourside bush and 'hidden' beaches commencing at the bottom of Bayview Hill Rd (between the tombstone edifices of Kambala and Kincoppal schools).
The tiny beaches (with their gunbarrel Sydney city views) along this track are all superb: Queens Beach, Hermit Beach, Little Tingara Beach, and, perhaps the best of the lot, Milk Beach.
Spipa7 Rock just after Milk Beach, provides a great spot for a rest or a perfect sunset view if the instagram rock jumpers are not out in force.
Had a swim at the newly (and finally) refurbished Neilson Park/Shark Beach (big shoutout to the 1800s residents and politicians who kept these lands in public hands) and then it was round Bottle and Glass Point/Moring, through Vaucluse, across Parsley Bay Bridge, down to Kutti and Gibsons Beaches before arriving at exquisite Watsons Bay.
Peak Sydney summer so the return ferry from Watsons Bay to Circular Quay had plenty of daytrippers enjoying the breeze and the view. I once caught a sunset ferry from here and was privileged to have an old Italian bloke singing opera quality serenades, with a backing cassette tape, to the majesty of the harbour - apparently he was a regular - did anyone else ever experience this pleasure?
As always, I can only marvel at the incredible seaside walking that Sydney provides to us all. While I’ve had many long, lonely beaches to myself on this coastal camino, I still love all of my 'local' beaches on today’s walk - and I still find it amazing that even during our summer holidays it’s so easy to enjoy these pristine, uncrowded swimming spots within a few kms of the city centre.
Tomorrow is Watsons Bay to South Head, Bondi and Coogee - sunshine, headlands, walks, swims and outstanding scenery - just blessed!