This return walk starts from the old Garawarra Farm car park and heads down the ridge through the Royal National Park, to the coast. The walk then follows the coast, through Burning Palms beach, and around the base of the headland to the famous Figure Eight Pools. This walk explores 4 distinct environments and gives a great cross section of what the park has to offer. (Check the tide and wave heights, to avoid disappointment at the rock platform.)
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 Garawarra Farm carpark to figure eight pools bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Garawarra Farm carpark to figure eight pools bushwalking track
(0 km)
Garawarra Farm Carpark
to
The Squeeze Way and Burgh Ridge track Walk: Easy - road
Length = 87 m
Time = 1 mins
Climb = 2 m
Descent = 0 m
From the Garawarra Farm car park, this walk heads east out of the car park to turn right onto the main dirt road (that leads into the car park). A short distance down the road this walk comes to an intersection just beyond the locked gate marked with a 'Coast Walk' and a 'Garawarra Ridge Management Trail' signpost.
(0.09 km)
The Squeeze Way and Burgh Ridge track
to
Int of Burgh Ridge Track and Era Track (West) Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 974 m
Time = 23 mins
Climb = 8 m
Descent = -144 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the Burning Palms, Era and Garie arrows on the Coast Walk signpost, winding along the bush track and down the long hill. The track gradually steepens and becomes a little rougher, winding down onto the ridge line and all the way along, until it breaks out of the trees and continues down through the short scrub and blade grass to the intersection of the bush track on the left.
(1.06 km)
Int of Burgh Ridge Track and Era Track (West)
to
Int of Coast Track and Burgh Ridge Track (Sth) Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 108 m
Time = 2 mins
Climb = 4 m
Descent = 0 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track heading towards the ocean, following the ridgeline to the signposted intersection of the 'Coast Walk'.
(1.17 km)
Int of Coast Track and Burgh Ridge Track (Sth)
to
Burning Palms Beach (southern end) Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 939 m
Time = 19 mins
Climb = 6 m
Descent = -80 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the sign to 'Burning Palms' along the bush track, winding down the side of the hill, past the cabins, then at the bottom the track joins onto a metal walkway that soon changes to a narrow bush track. This passes behind Burning Palms Beach until coming to a sign saying 'Otford via Palm Jungle'.
(2.11 km)
Burning Palms Beach (southern end)
to
Figure 8 Pools Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 896 m
Time = 16 mins
Climb = 15 m
Descent = -17 m
(only to be attempted at low tide and low swell)
From the beach, this walk follows the rocky passage beneath the rocky headland (keeping the headland to the right). The walk rounds the first prominent headland to a creek that drops off the cliffs above. This walk heads out onto a second prominent headland to the Figure 8 Pools. There are a number of Figure 8-shaped pools, but one main one. The pools are towards the sea, in line with the gully.
Figure Eight Pools
Alt = 4 m
The Figure Eight Pools are on the rock shelf, south of Figure Eight Pools gully, near Burning Palms. There are a number of circular sinkholes in the rock, and a few of them have joined over time to form a figure '8' shape. Two sink holes in particular have joined to form a very spectacular figure '8' shape in the rock. The safest time to visit the pools is at low tide when there is only a very low swell in the ocean.
Fire Danger This walk passes Illawarra/Shoalhaven fire area which currently has a LOW-MODERATE rating and No Ban in place. (Checked 45 minutes ago) Please Note: Each park may have its own fire ban status, this rating is based on information from the RFS and BOM.
This was our first walk as a family and we used it as a test walk to see what the kids (11 and 7) could handle.
On our walk in we had a great time and even got to see an echidna eating by the side of the trail. the track is steep and can be a little slipery, but was also easy to follow. when we made it to the bottom, the kids jumped at the chance to swim on the patrolled beach.
We then headded down the beach in search of the figure 8 pool. the rock scramble around the heads to the south was a challenge and they can be slipery under foot. due to the sea weed and also to the powdery surface on some rocks. The pools themselves were very impressive, although the kids did state "Is this all we came to see?".
We then started the walk out. This is a steep climb and was a challenge for some of the group we were with. However the kids all managed it with ease.
Correction to the track notes - if you walk as far as the "Otford via Palm Jungle" sign at the southern end of the beach you have gone too far as the track is already starting to climb over the headland. If going to the Figure 8 pool you should descend to the beach earlier - good locations are either from just past the Bundeena Surf Club, or towards the southern end about 100m or so before the sign when the path enters a more open treed area.
Thanks Jeff
I am away this week but will look at this when back in the office next week. From memory I think there might have been two tracks running parallel there, but I will look back at our log and see if it is a mistake, or if we need to re-visit and re-write it.
Thanks
Matt :)