Southern Headlands Walk NSW (20km)
Urban coastal walk
Nearest Town
Ulladulla, NSW (closest major town)
Starting Location
- Narrawallee Headland (northern trailhead) optional start
- Why start here?
- If you start here you can have morning tea at Mollymook Beach and lunch at Ulladulla
- Why start here?
- Blackburn Headland (southern trailhead) optional start
- Why’s start here?
- An easy start to the walk and overall lower ascents
- Why’s start here?
Start point at Narrawallee Headland
Signage going onto the beach
Finish Location
- Blackburn Headland (southern trailhead)
Blackburn Headland trailhead car park
Best Time of the Year to Walk
Year round but avoid the really hot days in summer
Who is this walk for?
Hikers of all experience levels will enjoy this walk. There’s nothing complex about this walk apart from the 20 km distance
Which direction?
This walk can be done in either direction and really what it comes down to is logistical considerations:
- By starting at Narawalleee you can have morning tea at Mollymook Beach and lunch at Ulladulla
- If you have access to a car at each end of the trail, travelling in either direction works well
- You can also get an Uber or a taxi back to your car
Online resources
The following online resources will help you plan your hike. The broad scale map is very handy:
Southern Headlands Walk Review
Local councils around Australia are enhancing the opportunity to explore their local areas by connecting up and upgrading existing walking tracks. This is a particular focus in NSW with this walk, the Southern Headlands Walk being the most recent addition.
Based on the NSW south coast in the Ulladulla area, this 20 km walk is a hidden gem ‘combining stunning scenery, beaches, wildflowers, cafes and accommodation options.’ You can do this walk in a day or in sections for those who want to linger longer. If doing the walk in sections, the following would work well:
- Narrawallee Headland to Mollymook Surf Life Saving Club
- Mollymook Surf Life Saving Club to Ulladulla Wharf
- Ulladulla Wharf to Rennies Beach
- Rennies Beach to Blackburn Headland
Funding for this walk came from the NSW Government’s Restart NSW which supported the Shoalhaven City Council in connecting and upgrading existing paths from Narrawallee Inlet to Blackburn Headland at Burrill Lake. The walk links ten beaches, neighbourhoods, cafes and headland walks and incorporates interpretive signage and way finding. Banksia symbols on the trail guide you along the walk.
Narrawallee Headland to Mollymook Surf Life Saving Club
We parked our car at Narrawallee Inlet car park having arranged a pickup at Blackburn Headland and return to Narrawallee at the end of the day. There are a few walks which commence at Narrawallee and it took us a few moments to find the start of this trail. From the car park all you need to do is cross the picnic area and head to the beach access where you’ll see the trailhead start and the distinctive Banksia image on the signage.
Head along Narrawallee Beach – a little further along you can continue on the beach or you can head off the beach into one of the many parks and remnant reserves you’ll experience along the way. We chose to stay on the beach and headed towards Bannisters Headland. At the end of Narrawallee Beach you’re taken off the beach into natural reserve where you’ll get some spectacular views north and back to Narrawallee Inlet. From here you’ll wind your way along Bannisters Head Road past Jones Beach.
It gets a bit tricky as you approach Bannisters Headland given you need to turn left at Mitchell Parade and follow it around in a loop. Make sure you spend a little time taking in the views at the Bannisters Point Lookout! The trail will take you back to Mitchell Parade where you’ll turn left at the end of the loop following Mitchell Parade down towards Mollymook Beach via the pedestrian beach access walkway.
From here we had another beach walk, this time along the stunning Mollymook Beach. On the day we did this walk there was a swim carnival happening so there were lots of people around but then Mollymoook Beach is very popular at any time so expect to have company.
Once we arrived at the Mollymook Surf Life Saving Club we grabbed coffees and a cookie from a coffee van which was servicing the swim meet. There is a permanent cafe at this location that will suit when there aren’t any events on.
There are also toilets at Mollymook Beach.
Getting ready for the day at the Narrawallee trail head
Trailhead toilets and picnic area at Narrawallee Healdland
Southern Headlands Walk sign. This is the only real indication that the walk starts here
BBQ at the Narawallee trail head
Signage going onto the beach. Head across the small park and to the beach to start the walk
Headling along the beach at Narrawallee
Houses at the end of Narrawallee beach
Heading down to Mollymook Beach
Down between the houses to the beach
Onto Mollymook beach
Surf club at the end of Mollymook Beach. On the day we did this walk there was an event on so there were plenty of food options. There is a permanent cafe just around the end of the Sur life saving building
Mollymook Surf Life Saving Club to Ulladulla Wharf
Our coffees and cookie consumed we continued along the trail past the Mollymook Golf Club and through the reserve to Golf Club Reef Beach and Collers Beach. These two beaches are quite different to the Narrawallee and Mollymook surf beaches – there are more secluded and great for exploring rock ledges and cooling off in the shallow waters.
Once off Collers Beach we walked through Tony Estevez Park onto Conjola Street, turning right onto Burrill Street N and then left onto Narrawallee Street.
At the end of Narrawallee Street we came to the One Track For All walk which focuses on indigenous and colonial heritage in the area. This is a series of loops which you could spend a lot of time exploring – we chose to explore about two thirds of the loops popping out near Dolphin Street and heading left along the trail parallel with Did-Dell Street and around past North Harbour Boat Ramp and Memorial Lookout to Rotary Park.
From here we were very much in the centre of Ulladulla walking along the Princes Highway before cutting in to Ulladulla Harbour Beach to Ulladulla Harbour Wharf where we had some great fish and chips for lunch.
Collers Beach toilets facilities
Collers Beach
Gill after falling on Collers Beach – the rocks are very slimy and slippery!
View from Banisters Headland
Lookout on Ulladulla Head
Lambertia in flower
Ulladulla Harbour. From here we walked out onto the main road and then back onto the Southern Headland Walk (after lunch of course)
Ulladulla Wharf to Rennies Beach
After eating our fill and a short rest we headed out of the wharf area and left along Wason Street before heading down to the Ulladulla Sea Pool. It was only at that point we realised we should have headed to the picnic area at the wharf and along the waters edge to the Sea Pool.
Just beyond the Sea Pool you can explore the Gondwana Sea Fossil Walk and beyond that a very long set of steps – 110 in all – up to Did-Dell Street. We had a rest at the top before continuing past the caravan park and then turning left onto New Street. At the end of New Street we turned right and went past the Lighthouse Oval before turning left onto Deering Street.
Deering Street leads to the Warden Head Lighthouse but a short distance up the road we turned left on to the loop trail that runs around Warden Head along the Coomee Nulunga Cultural Trail and the Gari Bagan Cultural Trail looping to the lighthouse along the way. If you’re planning on doing this trail in sections, this is another area you could spend a lot of time exploring.
The trail loops around the headland and takes you back to Deering Street where you emerge across the road from the Lighthouse Oval. From here you turn left along Deering Street and left again onto to Did-Dell Street which you follow until you get to Rennies Beach Close. Turn left here and a little way along you’ll come across a car park on the right with a walkway down to Rennies Beach.
Sea Pools at Ulladulla Harbour
110 steps up from the Ulladulla Sea Pools. This is the biggest ascent on the whole walk
Look on the back of the signs as well as the front – sometimes the information is different
Casuarina Seed Cones
Heading towards Warden Head Lighthouse
Warden Head Lighthouse
Information signage at Ulladulla lighthouse
Panorama image at Warden Head
Warden Head Lookout
Seating on the Southern Headlands Walk. This section of walk heading back from the lighthouse is being upgraded with new mesh track
Rennies Beach to Blackburn Headland
Another beach walk and this time along the beautiful Rennies Beach but about two thirds along you’ll head off the beach up another (very long) set of steps to Dowling Street. Head along Dowling Street a short distance and you’ll see the South Pacific Heathland Reserve on your left.
The South Pacific Heathland Reserve is a 14 hectare flora and fauna reserve on the headland between Rennies Beach and Racecourse Beach. Given this is the southern limit of the Sydney sandstone region it has an abundance of rare plants, animals and birds, including the Glossy Black Cockatoo. There are numerous lookouts where whales can be spotted during the migration season.
Again, this is a great area to explore if you have time but if not take the more direct route south through the Banskia Woodland.
The end of the South Pacific Heathland Reserve is where Coral Crescent meets South Pacific Crescent. Head along South Pacific Crescent and you’ll come across a car park on your left that has access to Racecourse Beach – another fantastic surf beach.
While Racecourse Beach represents the ‘home stretch’ it is very long and you’ll feel it in your legs given the distance you’ve already travelled on sand. Enjoy the sense of accomplishment before you reach the end of the beach and head up (for the last time) to Blackburn Headland. A short walk through the headland reserve leads you to the southern trailhead and a small parking area just off the Princes Highway.
South Pacific Heathland Reserve start
South Pacific Heathland Reserve walking track
South Pacific Heathland
When we did this walk in late March there were banksias in flower all over the place including on the edge of the trail
Heading down to Racecourse Beach
Gill on Racecourse Beach
Heading up towards the southern trailhead off Racecourse Beach
View from Blackburn Headland
Tim and Gill at the southern trailhead sign at Blackburn Headland. End of the walk!
Blackburn Headland trailhead car park – there is only space for a cars and the short track in is rough
Car park entry at Blackburn Headland. On the day we did this walk, this track was NOT suitable for cars that have low clearance
So what did we think?
We really enjoyed the Southern Headlands Walk – there is so much variety and so much to explore.
We will even go as far to say that we enjoyed the Southern Headlands Walk more than the Kiama Coast Walk – now that’s a big claim!
While we have been frequent visitors to this area since we were kids, we learned about culture, explored beaches and discovered reserves we didn’t know were there. This trail features the following highlights:
- Combination of existing walks including One Track for All, Gari Bagan, Coomee Nulunga Cultural Walk, Narrawallee Foreshore Walk, and the South Pacific Heathland Walk
- Areas of Bangalay Sand Forest (an endangered ecological community)
- Fossils that are 270-million-year-old, near Ulladulla Harbour
- Migrating whales, playful dolphins and endangered birds along the way.
It is definitely worth doing and if you’re not up to 20 km in one day, it is easy to do in sections.
Trail video
This short video contains photos and videos to show you the walk from start to finish
Getting there
Ulladulla is south of Nowra on the NSW south coast and is reasonably accessible from Sydney to the north by road, and Canberra by road via the south. Google Map showing the location of the northern trailhead from the centre of Ulladulla which is around 7 km to the trail start
Things to know
- Phone: The phone signal on this trail (Telstra), is good all the way
- Water: Bring your own water otherwise top up along the way from public waters sources
- Toilets: There are public toilets at various locations along this trail
- Trail: This walk is on urban foot path, beach, and formed trail with steps
- Dogs: Dogs allowed on leash
- Camping: No Camping allowed on the trail however commercial camping and accomodation options exist if you want to split the walking over several days
- Other:
- Wear long sleeves and long pants particularly during the warmer months
- The ocean
- Watch the beach and small sections of rock platforms on days when there are big storms
- The rocks can also be slippery
Trail Map
- Southern Headlands Walk map (image from Shoalhaven City Council)
Disclaimer
This walk was undertaken by the team from Australian Hiker