Bushwalking track notes, photographs, maps and more for Barrenjoey Headland Walk hiking trail are found in each of the tabs below
Barrenjoey Headland Walk
Time
Distance
Climb
Style
1 Hrs 30 mins
2.2 km
110 m
Return
1.8 km NNE of Palm Beach
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Track: Hard
This is a fantastic walk for those wanting a short but amazing walk on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Features of this track includes lookouts of the central coast, Palm Beach and the South Pacific Ocean and historical remnants of past light houses. Usually this is a circuit walk but as of time of writing (2007) track repairs were being carried out on the trail and therefore it is necessary to return the way you came.
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.
Please note: This is a 'return' style walk and therefore these graphs only show the terrain for the first half of the walk (until the turn around point.)
Cross sectional view of the Barrenjoey Headland Walk bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Barrenjoey Headland Walk bushwalking track
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(0 km) Barrenjoey Carpark (Palm Beach) to Beginning of Smugglers Track Walk: Easy - Service Trail
Distance = 0.4 km
Time = 5 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -1 m
From the carpark and the sign saying 'Barrenjoey Aquatic Reserve' the track heads onto the inland (Barrenjoey) beach and then north along the beach until reaching the first house. The Smugglers track starts near this house.
(0.37 km) Bottom of the Smugglers Track to Barrenjoey Lighthouse Track: Hard - Bush Track
Distance = 0.4 km
Time = 15 mins
Climb = 94 m
Descent = -4 m
From the intersection at the house closest to the carpark the trail turns east, becoming a wide, sandy servicetrail that after approximately 30m loops to the north. Shortly after the track changes direction it narrows into a bushtrack before using a set of very steep carved rock stairs to climb to the top of the headland. Approximately halfway up the climb there is a good lookout which is a good spot to break with its fantastic views over Palm beach, and the town. From the top of the stairs the track heads north-east along the gravel trail up through the gap in the buildings.Just through the gap the track comes to the lighthouse and the sundial. This has fantastic views out to the north as far as the Central Coast.
Barrenjoey Lighthouse
Alt = 91
The Barrenjoey Lighthouse was the third light ever constructed on the headland and was completed in 1881. Designed by James Barnet the NSW Colonial Architect and built for £13,695 plus a cost of £2,210 for the lamp, at an elevation of 113m can be seen to a distance of 40 km out to sea.
(0.79 km) Barrenjoey Lighthouse to Southern Point Barrenjoey Headland Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 0.3 km
Time = 5 mins
Climb = 3 m
Descent = -8 m
From next to the lighthouse and the sundial the track heads east and gradually southerly until reaching the edge of the headland. This section of track is a largely unmodified section of the walk through the bracken and scrub that passes past some historical points of interest before finally coming to a fantastic lookout out over Palm Beach, the Ocean and around the Northern Beaches area.
Site of the First Barrenjoey Lighthouses
Alt = 93
in 1868, two wooden lighthouses know as the Stewart Towers, were built at either end of the headland to guide ships in. These were later replaced by the current towers in 1900
Grave Of George Mulhull
Alt = 93
George Mulhull who worked there from 1881 until he was struck by lightning in 1885 was the first principal lighthouse keeper of Barrenjoey headland.
Catch the bus from Barrenjoey Carpark (Palm Beach)
A largely untouched wilderness on the northern boundary of Sydney, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP is one of Australia's oldest national parks. Here at the head of the Hawkesbury River, you'll find Aboriginal engravings and sites, as well as sandstone escarpments,
Hiking near Sydney 
1 km
