Bushwalking track notes, photographs, maps and more for Putty Beach, Box Head, Lobster Beach to Pretty Beach hiking trail are found in each of the tabs below
Putty Beach, Box Head, Lobster Beach to Pretty Beach
Time
Distance
Climb
Style
3 Hrs 30 mins
7.5 km
364 m
One way
4.3 km SE of Woy Woy
Bouddi National Park
Track: Moderate
This walk is a great one way walk to do after spending some time at Putty Beach. The track uses Hawke Head Drive to head along the ridge to Box Head. The headland has superb views over Broken Bay to Barrenjoey Headland and out to sea. Lobster Beach is another great beach in the area with views over to Woy Woy. A great walk from beach to beach.
Bushwalking can be fun and interesting when you are well prepared. Please ensure you and your group are well prepared and equipped for all possible dangers. The authors, staff and owners of wildwalks take care in preparing these notes but do not accept responsibility for any inconvenience, loss or injury sustained when using these notes. Please take care and feel free to provide feedback through our website. Please note that side trips and alternate routes mentioned in these notes are not included in the tracks overall rating, distance or time estimate. The notes also only describe the side trip and alternate routes in one direction.
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Putty Beach, Bouddi National Park, is a large south easterly facing beach that is edged and backed in parts by National Park. On the north eastern end of the beach is the Bouddi Trail and a large carpark and campsite. At the south western end of the beach is the Killcare Surf Lifesaving Club. Putty Beach is a patrolled beach that is great for a surf.
(0 km) Putty Beach Camping Area Trk to Hawke Head Drive NE Track: Moderate - bushtrack, road
Distance = 0.8 km
Time = 15 mins
Climb = 47 m
Descent = -6 m
From the beach the track heads up the hill along a stony path to the carpark. From the car park the track heads up Beach Drive to the intersection with The Scenic Drive. The track continues up the hill to take the first left, Nukara Ave. The track continues up Nukara Ave to take the second left, Hawke head Drive, which it continues up to the Bouddi National Park sign on the left of the service trail.
(0.83 km) Hawke Head Drive NE to Box Head Trail Track: Moderate - Service Trail
Distance = 2 km
Time = 40 mins
Climb = 81 m
Descent = -46 m
From the start of Hawke Head Drive the track heads south west for approximately 1km up the hill passing over numerous speed bumps to the intersection with the gate on the right. From the intersection the track heads south west up the hill. The track traverses the ridgeline as it descends the spur east. The track undulates west for some time with views to the north of Rip Bridge and Woy Woy. The track descends the hill to a clearing which is passed through to a gate at the far side of a caldasac. The track passes around the gate to head down the hill south west for approximately 30m to head up the hill west for approximately 30m to the sign marked intersection. From the intersection the track heads south down the hill for approximately 20m. The track then turns right for approximately 30m to the sign for 'Box Head and Tallow Beach'.
(2.83 km) Box Head Trail to Box Head Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 1.3 km
Time = 25 mins
Climb = 23 m
Descent = -83 m
From the intersection the track heads south along the ridge. The track heads south for approximately 200m to a rocky area on the track. The track then enters a small clearing which it passes through. The track narrows as it passes over numerous rock surfaces and through rocky outcrops for some time. After approximately 300m of winding along the ridge the track opens onto views of Lion Island to the west before the track winds south west down into the saddle to climb a knoll. From the knoll the track turns left heading south east down a spur line to slowly descend to the cliff line of Box Head. The track winds on and off the cliff line out to a point that overlooks Barrenjoey, Lion Island, Broken Bay and out to Tasman Sea and South Pacific Ocean.
(4.09 km) Box Head to Hawke Head Drive Track: Moderate - bushtrack, servicetrail
Distance = 1.3 km
Time = 25 mins
Climb = 91 m
Descent = -23 m
From Box Head the track heads north winding on and off the cliff line slowly heading up the spur line. The track slowly climbs north west turning right, up to a knoll. The track then drops into a saddle and climbs north east up to views of Lion Island in Broken Bay on the left. The track continues winding along the ridge for approximately 300m to pass numerous rocky surfaces and through rocky outcrops for some time. The track then widens as it enters a small clearing to continue north for approximately 200m to the sign marked intersection. From the intersection the track heads north west up the hill for approximately 30m. Then the track turns right and continues up the hill for approximately 20m to the sign marked intersection.
(5.41 km) Hawke Head Drive to Water tank Int. Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 1 km
Time = 20 mins
Climb = 28 m
Descent = -72 m
From the intersection the track heads north west up the hill marked by 'Lobster Beach Wagstaff'. The track climbs the knoll heading right then swings left rounding the back of the knoll for approximately 100m to the sign marked intersection. From the intersection the track heads north west along the ridgeline for approximately 500m. The track then winds left of a knoll, towards the sea and leads approximately 10m to a fence. The track follows the fence right with views of Broken Bay on the left. The track passes between two implied knolls then descends the spur to a sign 'Pretty Beach;Wagstaff'. The track turns left here following the sign down the rocky surface for approximately 70m to the intersection above some houses and two large green water tanks, on the right.
(6.36 km) Water tank Int. to House Int. Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 0.3 km
Time = 5 mins
Climb = 22 m
Descent = -29 m
From the intersection the track heads west steeply down the hill to the left. The track passes a set of gates on the left to continue west away from the houses. The track heads past a house with a chapel steeped roof on the left to continue over a driveway. The track traverses the driveway to lead approximately 40m along the back fence of a house to the corner of the fence at the sign marked intersection.
(6.64 km) House Int. to Lobster Beach Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 0.3 km
Time = 10 mins
Climb = 17 m
Descent = -55 m
From the intersection the track heads west up the staircased hill. The track follows the many stairs approximately 50m up the hill, to the saddle in the ridgeline with a house to the left. Then the track descends west via a staircase steeply down the hill. The track leads past a bench on the right to a lookout platform above the beach. The track then continues south along the hillside for approximately 30m to a set of boardwalked stairs which tend right, down to the Lobster Beach.
Lobster beach
Alt = 1
Lobster Beach, Bouddi National Park, is a 300m long west facing beach on Broken Bay. The beach, backed by a steep hill and edged by rocky shores, provides westerly views over Broken Bay to Pearl and Ocean beaches. The beach has toilet and garbage facilities just above the sand.
(6.99 km) Lobster Beach to Wagstaff Ave Int. Track: Moderate - bushtrack, footpath
Distance = 0.5 km
Time = 5 mins
Climb = 55 m
Descent = -49 m
From Lobster Beach the track heads off the middle of the beach. The track tends left up the hillside, up a flight of stairs to a lookout platform approximately 30m on. The track heads approximately 10m north east to begin climbing the stairs steeply to the top of the ridgeline. Near the top of the ridge is a bench. The track then continues for approximately 20m to the intersection on the saddle. The track descends east from the saddle via a steep staircase to the intersection at the corner of two fencelines. From the intersection the track heads north east down the hill. The track continues between the fenclines to the road approximately 100m below.
Bouddi National Park is south east of Woy Woy and encompasses the Box Head headland. Bouddi NP has numerous secluded beaches and some great surf beaches too. The park also offers fantastic coastal walking with views out from the tall headlands over Broken Bay, Woy Woy and the South Pacific Ocean. Bouddi NP also boasts one of the first marine extensions in NSW, with a 300ha protection zone out of Maitland Bay for the marine life. The mosquitoes in Bouddi NP can be fierce so it might be an idea to pack insect repellent.
Hiking near Sydney 
1 km
