Beaches, Sydney

To be honest, I'm not sure what this beach is like right down on it, but from up above it sure looked lovely. I was with a friend who was have a practice at the Mosman Neutral Bay Rifle Range, and went to look out at the view from up there. I was amazed to see this lovely beach.

Coogee Beach in Sydney is not the most touristy of beaches and is a nice, easy swimming beach. Regularly serviced by buses and has plenty of eateries in the area. There is a coastal cliff walk (cliff pictured) and at the southern end of the beach a park and ... A really cool natural pool hewn from the rock that is for women bathers only! (Sorry, guys.) It's called McIver's Baths or just the Coogee Women's Baths will get you there. Needless to say, it's salt water, it's sheltered, and a whole range of women use it. Even the odd little coloured anemone has colonised this pool so it'll really get you in touch with nature. There's a short, nice walk to get there with some plantlife to see, but I think accessibility for the disabled might be limited. There used to be a men's bath I think at the north end of the beach, run by an avant-garde masseuse dude in the 1930s, but this ain't there no more... However, anyone can still go and slosh around under the sea-spray in what remains of a "pool" there. That pool is very very natural in that the waves slosh right over the rocks and into it, and there's no signage or changing rooms as at the women's one.

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Then you have come to the right place. The Sydney metropolitan area has over 150 of them. These range from long sandy Pacific Ocean surf beaches to small harbour beaches surrounded by lush bush. Exploring the beaches of Sydney is a great way to explore the city itself. There are some great articles on some of the beaches on this site or you can find a list of all the beaches and maps of where to find them on my personal site
Many of the beaches are linked by lovely paths and visiting several adjoining beaches in one day is a really enjoyable excursion. A god way to explore some of the harbour beaches is to get one of the water taxi’s to take you on a “Beach Safari”

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A trip to Sydney always requires some visits to Watsons bay for a walk and some great food at Doyles or The Watson Bay Hotel. Watsons Bay is accesible by bus, car or ferry. I love the ferry system and the ride to Watsons Bay; so I always choose a ferry.

Watsons Bay has spectacular views of the ocean as well as the city. The Gap is amazing with te large cliffs and crashing waves. Walking around Watsons Bay is a fun way to explore the area but make sure to wear plenty of sunblock and bring water; some of the hike can be tiring.

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Manly is a favorite destination for us. It's a simple ferry ride from Circular Quay...actually the ferry ride is my favorite part. Once in Manly, there is so much to see and do. The beach is beautiful and provides a great place to relax or participate in some surfing, swimming or body boarding. The Corso is packed with tons of shops carrying everything from souvenirs, swimwear, shoes, surfboards, perfume and more. There are also several great food options ranging from quick serve food to full sit down meals.

Manly is a great place to spend a day shopping, swimming and enjoying a good meal in a beach setting. I have even come to Manly on the ferry with no more intention than to turn around and ride the 30 minute ferry back again.

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Bronte Beach is one of the many beaches we encountered during our walk from Bondi to Coogee on the Coastal Walk. As we walked down from the cliffs, Bronte Beach came into view. The surf was awesome; crashing on the beach and rocks. The water was a blueish green and very foamy. This was just one of the many beautiful beaches of Sydney and I was glad to have seen it.

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Bondi iBeach is the place for sun, fun and surf. It's afmous for its white sand beach and breaking surf. The beach area is full of shops, restuarants and a bustle of activity.

Bondi Beach was a must on my to do list of sights. So one morning we woke up early and hoped on a bus to Circular Quay. We hopped on the 380 bus that would take us to Bondi Junction. The ride was smooth and quick about 15 minutes. It provided a nice sightseeing experience before we got to the beach area.

We started our adventure by checking out some of the local shops and buying a beach towel. We then too a walk along the beach to find our perfect spot in the sand. We visited during the week so it wasn't very crowded. There were a few tourists, surfers and a camera crew filming a commercial. As Chris enjoyed laying out on the sand I took a dip in the ocean. The water was a beautiful blue, not too cold but very salty. It was a fun day lounging out on the beach and enjoying this fabulous place with my Christopher.

Wollongong :

Historically the area was first settled by the wodi wodi aboriginal tribe, and the aboriginal name means " hard water near ground". It is said that Captain Cook attempted to land here in April of 1770 but was unable to land due to tough and unstable conditions at sea. Wollongong has beautiful beaches and lagoons, and is nestled beside some very interesting areas.

It used to be a very Industrial city but now has become a modern and vibrant city offering great restaurants, accommodation and attractions. www.novotelnorthbeach.com.au for accommodation.

You can rive via the coastal drive from Sydney National Park or catch the train from Central Railway Station.